nationals

"Neighborhood Play" reviews irk Strasburg, Nats

May 02, 2018, 7:37pm

For more than a century, the "Neighborhood Play" existed in baseball as sort of an accepted form of breaking the official rules of the game. By the letter of the law, an infielder turning a double play must have his foot on the bag with the ball in his possession before making the throw to first. But throughout the vast majority of the history of this sport, umpires looked the other way when a guy cleared his feet away from the base a microsecond before making his throw, in the process...

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Tweaked lineup stays red-hot in Nats' 9-3 win (updated)

May 02, 2018, 6:01pm

Nationals

Tweaked lineup stays red-hot in Nats' 9-3 win (updated)

The unorthodox lineup the Nationals unveiled Tuesday night was supposed to be a temporary one, but perhaps Davey Martinez is going to have to reconsider its long-term potential now. Because although the Nationals' out-of-nowhere offensive explosion of the last 48 hours might be temporary, there just might be some staying power here as well. With Bryce Harper again leading off, Matt Adams batting third and Wilmer Difo batting ninth, the Nationals ransacked the Pirates pitching staff again...

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Harper hits first career leadoff homer (Nats win 9-3)

May 02, 2018, 3:48pm

Nationals

Harper hits first career leadoff homer (Nats win 9-3)

I think Bryce Harper likes batting leadoff. In his first game of the season batting from the leadoff spot in the order on Tuesday night, Harper hit a three run shot in his third at-bat. Wednesday night, he hit a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first against Pirates starter Ivan Nova. Matt Adams, who hit two homers Tuesday, dropped in an opposite field homer over the left field wall. The Pirates got on the board in the first thanks to a pair of one-out singles by Gregory Polanco and Starling...

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Rendon headed to rehab games, notes on Adams and Difo

May 02, 2018, 2:09pm

Nationals

Rendon headed to rehab games, notes on Adams and Difo

It looks like third baseman Anthony Rendon is very close to returning to the active roster. Rendon has gone through full batting practice each of the last two pregames for the Nationals. He has been on the 10-day disabled list with a left toe contusion since April 19. Rendon will start a rehab assignment for high Single-A Potomac as they take on Wilmington Thursday and Salem Friday in Woodbridge, Va. "He's going out tomorrow," said manager Davey Martinez. "He'll play one or two games. He...

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Murphy admits he can't run well enough to play yet

May 02, 2018, 2:12pm

Nationals

Murphy admits he can't run well enough to play yet

Daniel Murphy today confirmed what was pretty obvious to anyone who watched him work out at Nationals Park yesterday afternoon: His surgically repaired right knee is still in pain when he tries to run, which has left his potential return from the disabled list up in the air. "I'm not in a position where I can run right now to play," the veteran second baseman said in his first session with reporters since he returned from extended spring training earlier this week. Murphy, who had...

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Scherzer wins another NL Pitcher of the Month Award

May 02, 2018, 11:28am

Nationals

Scherzer wins another NL Pitcher of the Month Award

We might be becoming numb to it at this point, but it's good to be reminded every once in a while: Max Scherzer is great. And he's showing no signs of letting up. The 2016 and 2017 National League Cy Young Award winner is already starting to make his case for consideration this season, with a dominant April that today earned him NL Pitcher of the Month honors. Scherzer, who carried a shutout into the seventh inning last night before surrendering a two-run homer during what ended up being a...

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Scherzer's quality start almost unnoticed after Nats offense ignites

May 02, 2018, 2:32am

Nationals

Scherzer's quality start almost unnoticed after Nats offense ignites

You know the Nationals are trending towards their 2017 version when a quality start by their top starting pitcher doesn't make headlines thanks to their powerful offense awakening for the first time in six days. The Nats pummeled the Pirates 12-4 behind four homers, two from Matt Adams, one from Wilmer Difo and powerful three-run shot from Bryce Harper. By the way, Max Scherzer pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on three hits. He registered eight strikeouts and two walks in 106...

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Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

May 02, 2018, 11:13am

Nationals

After watching the team explode for 12 runs with Bryce Harper in the leadoff spot last night, Davey Martinez said he would probably "let it ride" for at least another day. Well, the Nationals manager is a man of his word, because tonight's lineup looks very similar. Harper indeed is back in the leadoff spot, with Trea Turner and Matt Adams behind him. Ryan Zimmerman is getting the night off, so Howie Kendrick bumps up to the cleanup position, with Andrew Stevenson in left field while Adams...

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Liz Barr: Who should stay in Nats' revolving bullpen?

May 01, 2018, 8:23pm

Nationals

Liz Barr: Who should stay in Nats' revolving bullpen?

Sammy SolÃs and the Law Firm have been able to sit back with their shades on while the rest of the Nationals bullpen has been in and out of a revolving door. The bullpen has been less than consistent this year, not just in its performance, but in its personnel. Due to injuries, call-ups, and players being designated for assignment, the supporting cast has been changing all year. The question is, after everyone is properly healthy, who should stay? Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Brandon...

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Adams slams two homers in Nats big offensive night over Bucs

May 01, 2018, 7:16pm

Nationals

Adams slams two homers in Nats big offensive night over Bucs

Most of the buzz with the Nationals' lineup change Tuesday was centered around Bryce Harper batting first. He came through with a dramatic three-run shot. But Matt Adams had one of his biggest nights offensively with his new team, going 3-for-4 with two homers, three runs and three RBIs. It was the sixth multi-home run game of his career. Ironically, the last time he pulled off the feat of two homers in a game was against the Nationals on June 12, 2017, as a member of the Braves in a 11-10...

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In unfamiliar leadoff spot, Harper finds familiar power stroke

May 01, 2018, 7:25pm

Nationals

In unfamiliar leadoff spot, Harper finds familiar power stroke

Bryce Harper was out on the field at 3 p.m. today, joining injured teammates Anthony Rendon and Daniel Murphy for a round of early batting practice. It's the kind of a thing a player does when he's struggling, when he needs to work on some specific techniques or change his mechanics. For Harper, the early BP session had a simpler purpose. "Just hit some homers," he said. "Get some balls over the plate and do some damage." When opposing pitchers are giving you nothing to swing at all...

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From last spot in lineup, Difo delivers four times

May 01, 2018, 7:53pm

Nationals

From last spot in lineup, Difo delivers four times

Davey Martinez had Wilmer Difo bat ninth Tuesday night with a specific goal in mind, especially with Bryce Harper batting leadoff for the first time in five years. "Hey, you got one job to do," the Nationals manager told his young infielder. "And that's get on base." Well, technically speaking, Difo did get on base in his first at-bat. He just never stopped rounding them after launching a solo homer into the right-center field stands. "He hit the home run, he said: 'I got this guy!'"...

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Lineup shakeup leads to 12-4 blowout win for Nationals

May 01, 2018, 6:03pm

Nationals

Who knew the best way to induce an offensive explosion from the Nationals' lineup was to move Bryce Harper to the leadoff position, Matt Adams into Harper's customary No. 3 spot and drop Wilmer Difo to ninth? Hey, as manager Davey Martinez said the afternoon when asked about the unconventional decision to stick Harper at the top of his lineup: "Why not?" It may not become a permanent thing, but it certainly worked just fine tonight. Behind Harper's three-run blast, Adams' pair of solo...

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Difo goes yard, Harper hits 3-run HR (Nats defeat Pirates 12-4)

May 01, 2018, 3:56pm

Nationals

Difo goes yard, Harper hits 3-run HR (Nats defeat Pirates 12-4)

The Nationals get on the board first on a home run from an unlikely source. Third baseman Wilmer Difo, batting out of the No. 9 hole, crushed a Chad Kuhl pitch over the right-center field wall in the bottom of the third. It was Difo's first home run since August 30, 2017, against Miami. Trea Turner reached on a fielding error by third baseman Colin Moran. But for the first time this season, Turner was caught stealing on a throw from catcher Francisco Cervelli to shortstop Jordy Mercer at...

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Harper takes early BP to hit homers, prepares to leadoff for first time this season

May 01, 2018, 1:36pm

Nationals

Harper takes early BP to hit homers, prepares to leadoff for first time this season

Manager Davey Martinez made an opening statement following the Nationals' 3-2 series-opening win over the Pirates Monday night. He came into the press conference room and said the team has to score more runs and take advantage of opportunities, even after a win. Missed opportunities have slowed their progress to begin the season, starting 13-16. "We got to start scoring runs when we can," Martinez said post game Monday night. "They're playing well. They really are. But when we have a...

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Murphy cuts workout short after trying to run, and more injury updates

May 01, 2018, 1:47pm

Nationals

Murphy cuts workout short after trying to run, and more injury updates

The sight of Daniel Murphy on the field at Nationals Park this afternoon, hitting balls over the fence during batting practice and moving well as he fielded grounders at second base, could be viewed as nothing but encouraging for a team and a fan base desperate for a boost to their struggling lineup. But the sight of Murphy pulling up short of first base as he tried to run after getting his surgically repaired right knee worked on by a trainer and abruptly halting today's workout could be...

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Game 30 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

May 01, 2018, 11:22am

Nationals

What's this? Do the Nationals have a chance tonight to go on - dare we say it? - a legitimate winning streak? They've won two in a row, and now they send Max Scherzer to the mound, a development that has produced a 5-1 record so far this season. Scherzer will need to keep up his winning ways tonight against the Pirates, and he'd certainly like to reach at least the seventh inning for the first time since April 14 against Colorado. He's working on an extra day of rest, so that should allow...

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Roark stays in, finishes seven innings to lift Nationals

May 01, 2018, 2:32am

Nationals

One key to the Nationals' success is any time they can get or push a starter past six innings. Turns out that's all Tanner Roark wanted. On Monday, thanks to Roark's seven innings, the bullpen was set up nicely. "I was just trying to be aggressive," Roark said. "I knew they were a good hitting team. I knew they were aggressive. Just trying to keep them off-balance and feeling uncomfortable at the plate. "Sinker was working really well tonight. Everything was working very well. (Matt)...

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As walks pile up, Harper growing impatient and chasing

April 30, 2018, 7:58pm

Nationals

As walks pile up, Harper growing impatient and chasing

With a pair of walks - both intentional - during Monday night's 3-2 win over the Pirates, Bryce Harper racked up his 37th and 38th free passes of the season. Only Barry Bonds, with 39 in 2004, has ever drawn more walks in March/April. Harper enters May with a .458 on-base percentage, tops in the majors. Which is a good thing. Except Harper isn't doing much else these days besides drawing walks, which is a bad thing. With only five hits in his last 35 at-bats - all of those singles - he has...

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Turner's aggressive work at plate nets three-hit game in Nats win

April 30, 2018, 6:50pm

Nationals

Turner's aggressive work at plate nets three-hit game in Nats win

One way the Nationals can get on a roll is for their leadoff hitter to lead the way. Shortstop Trea Turner did that Monday night, going 3-for-4 with an RBI in the Nats 3-2 win over the Pirates. They have now won three of their last five games. He set the tone by taking an extra base after a Ryan Zimmerman fly out to right field late in the game. But in a rare night for Turner, he didn't actually score a run in a game where he had three or more hits. That happened four times in 2016, but not...