nationals

Nats bats explode in 15-2 rout over Giants to conclude road trip

April 25, 2018, 2:58pm

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals figured the best way to end their four-game losing streak was to send Max Scherzer to the mound for today's series finale at AT&T Park. Turns out the better strategy was sending a lineup featuring several backups and recent call-ups up to the plate against Jeff Samardzija and the Giants bullpen. Behind an onslaught of two-out hits with runners in scoring position, the Nationals blasted Samardzija and company during a 15-2 victory that, if nothing else, allowed...

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Game 25 lineups: Nats at Giants

April 25, 2018, 9:22am

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have won only one of their last six games. That win came Friday night in Los Angeles, against Clayton Kershaw, which sounds improbable given the current state of the lineup except once you remember who pitched that game for the Nats: Max Scherzer. Today, the Nationals are going to need another effort from Scherzer - not to mention some runs against Jeff Samardzija - if they hope to at least head home on a positive note after a long and often difficult road...

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Nationals' 4-3 loss to Giants has familiar refrain

April 24, 2018, 9:47pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - It felt like a potential turning point for a lineup desperately in need of one. Michael A. Taylor's three-run, opposite-field homer in the top of the fourth tonight at AT&T Park was exactly what the offensively starved Nationals needed, a jolt of life that left them tied with the Giants and chance to win this game if they simply made key pitches the rest of the way and delivered one more big hit. Then Tanner Roark failed to make one key pitch, and the Nats found themselves...

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Taylor's three-run blast jolts lineup back to life (Nats lose 4-3)

April 24, 2018, 7:35pm

Nationals

Taylor's three-run blast jolts lineup back to life (Nats lose 4-3)

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals were doing absolutely nothing at the plate for 3 2/3 innings tonight against Ty Blach. Of the first 12 batters who came to the plate against the Giants lefty, only one (Howie Kendrick) hit a ball out of the infield. And then Ryan Zimmerman drew a two-out walk in the fourth, and MoisÃ©s Sierra followed with a single through the right side. And then Michael A. Taylor delivered the big blast this team has so desperately needed for days. Taylor's three-run,...

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Liz Barr: Nationals fans need to calm down for a moment

April 25, 2018, 4:57am

Nationals

The Nationals, needless to say, are not having a stellar start. For Nationals fans, it's like the world is ending. Twitter has been a tire fire in recent weeks, and all of the bad takes I've seen are astounding. I've seen calls to pack it up and go home, they're done. Trade away all the players. Burn it to the ground and start all over again. Admittedly, the Nationals have been pretty bad to start off the year. They've gone 10-14, hitting .230 overall and .218 with runners in scoring...

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Nats throw Sanchez right into lineup, hope Bautista stays hot

April 24, 2018, 5:15pm

Nationals

Nats throw Sanchez right into lineup, hope Bautista stays hot

SAN FRANCISCO - With Shawn Kelley headed to the disabled list, but two workhorses starting the final games of this road trip in advance of an off-day, the Nationals decided to go with an extra bench player tonight and Wednesday against the Giants. That led to the recalls today of infielder Adrian Sanchez and outfielder Rafael Bautista from Triple-A, the two taking the roster spots previously held by Kelley and infielder Matt Reynolds (who was optioned to Syracuse). And manager Davey Martinez...

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Game 24 lineups: Nats at Giants

April 24, 2018, 2:47pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals need a win tonight. It's kind of that simple after losing three in row to the Dodgers and Giants. Beyond that, they need some other events as well to help make a win more possible. The Nats could certainly use a big-time start from Tanner Roark. Here's the good news: He has owned the Giants in his career, to the tune of a 6-0 record and 2.02 ERA in seven regular season appearances (four starts). (We'll ignore a certain home run he surrendered to Brandon Belt on...

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Sanchez and Bautista promoted, Reynolds demoted, Kelley to DL

April 24, 2018, 10:05am

Nationals

Sanchez and Bautista promoted, Reynolds demoted, Kelley to DL

SAN FRANCISCO - A long road trip for the Nationals has featured a host of roster transactions, and a bunch more are being added to the list today. The Nationals are calling up infielder Adrian Sanchez and outfielder Rafael Bautista from Triple-A, optioning infielder Matt Reynolds to Syracuse and placing reliever Shawn Kelley on the disabled list with an elbow injury, sources familiar with the moves confirmed. It's merely the latest attempt by the club to address a litany of issues that have...

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Kintzler on how back-to-back-to-back games are a good thing

April 23, 2018, 3:34am

Nationals

Kintzler on how back-to-back-to-back games are a good thing

The bullpen will be a huge key as to how far the Nationals go this season and how their final month ends up. The big three of Ryan Madson, Brandon Kintzler and Sean Doolittle are the critical players, but guys like Sammy SolÃs, Shawn Kelley, Matt Grace and Trevor Gott will get their share of opportunities to be difference makers as well. How important the bullpen will be was never more impactful to the season than on display Sunday night in their 4-3 loss to the Dodgers. The club was unable...

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On scoring opportunities and missed opportunities

April 23, 2018, 10:52pm

Nationals

On scoring opportunities and missed opportunities

SAN FRANCISCO - The focus inside the Nationals clubhouse after Monday night's 4-2 loss to the Giants was on the pitching staff, notably Gio Gonzalez's frustration after getting pulled following a leadoff walk in the sixth and then Shawn Kelley immediately giving up a 464-foot home run and departing three pitches later with a recurrence of nerve irritation in his elbow. A clutch hit or two at some point during the game, though, might well have changed the entire storyline of the game and maybe...

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Gonzalez upset, Kelley injured during Nationals' 4-2 loss

April 23, 2018, 10:12pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - The details of the Nationals' 4-2 loss to the Giants tonight contained some familiar events. Squandered opportunities with runners in scoring position. An ill-advised play in the field. Decisive runs scored off the middle of the bullpen. Adding to the dismay of the Nats' third straight loss, though, was the departure of Shawn Kelley with the latest in his long string of elbow injuries and the overt frustration voiced by Gio Gonzalez after getting pulled by manager Davey...

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Six players who could make things difficult for AL East, NL East teams

April 24, 2018, 6:32am

Nationals Orioles

Six players who could make things difficult for AL East, NL East teams

The Orioles' Manny Machado and the Nationals' Bryce Harper are each crushing baseballs during the first month of the season - big stories for each of the local nines. Here are six other American League and National League East stories that could raise havoc for the Orioles and Nationals this season: Nick Pivetta, Philadelphia: The Phillies are playing better than expected - maybe because of a soft schedule that has them a combined 8-1 against the Marlins, Rays and Reds? - and one of the...

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Cole traded to Yankees for cash considerations (Nats lose 4-2)

April 23, 2018, 7:43pm

Nationals

Cole traded to Yankees for cash considerations (Nats lose 4-2)

SAN FRANCISCO - A.J. Cole's time with the Nationals is officially over, but he's going to get another chance to pitch in the big leagues. With the Yankees. The Nats announced tonight they traded Cole to the Yankees for cash considerations, receiving something in return for the right-hander who had been designated for assignment on Friday. Cole opened the season as the Nationals' No. 5 starter but was moved to the bullpen after two starts, once veteran Jeremy Hellickson (a late spring...

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Madson available to pitch tonight; Baker stops by to say hello

April 23, 2018, 5:16pm

Nationals

Madson available to pitch tonight; Baker stops by to say hello

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals should have their full complement of late-inning relievers available tonight should the situation arise in their series opener against the Giants. Ryan Madson, who was unavailable for all three games over the weekend in Los Angeles while his arm recovered from three straight days of work prior to that, told Davey Martinez he would be good to go tonight if needed, a relief to the manager. "Yes, he's available," Martinez said. "He feels good. I'm glad we got him...

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Game 23 lineups: Nats at Giants

April 23, 2018, 2:34pm

Nationals

SAN FRANCISCO - It's not as warm here as it was a few hundred miles down the coast over the weekend, but it's no less pleasant as the Nationals shift from Los Angeles to San Francisco for the final leg of their road trip. After dropping two-of-three in frustrating fashion to the Dodgers, the Nats have a chance to come home with a winning record on the trip if they can take two-of-three from the Giants, who still are without Madison Bumgarner. It'll be right-hander Chris Stratton (owner of a...

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Injuries, lack of depth costing Nationals in tight games

April 22, 2018, 9:17pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - The Nationals head to San Francisco for the final leg of their three-city road trip with a 10-12 record that feels like it should at least be flipped around, if not even better than that. The Nats are 1-5 in one-run games so far this season, the lone victory coming way back in the opening series in Cincinnati after Sean Doolittle gave up a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth before hanging on. Surely they could have pulled out wins in a couple of those tight ballgames had...

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Opposite dugout: Free agent acquisitions might not help Giants contend

April 19, 2018, 2:04pm

Nationals

Opposite dugout: Free agent acquisitions might not help Giants contend

Manager: Bruce Bochy (12th season) Record: 9-12 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: C Buster Posey, (.265, 8 RBIs), 1B Brandon Belt (10 RBIs, 5 HR), 3B Evan Longoria (7 doubles, 9 RBIs), RF Andrew McCutchen (11 RBIs), RHP Jeff Samardzija (1-0, 0.00 ERA), RHP Hunter Strickland (2.00 ERA, 3 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (1-5 in 2017) Pitching probables: April 23: LHP Gio Gonzalez (2-1) vs. RHP Chris Stratton (1-1), 10:15 p.m., MASN2April 24: RHP Tanner Roark (1-1) vs. LHP Ty...

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Nationals can't hold onto lead, can't finish late rally in 4-3 loss

April 22, 2018, 8:42pm

Nationals

LOS ANGELES - There's no shame losing two of three at Dodger Stadium to the defending National League champs. The Nationals shouldn't walk out of here with heads hung low. Yet after beating Clayton Kershaw in Friday's opener and then getting a gem from Stephen Strasburg on Saturday and then holding a three-run lead in the sixth inning tonight, this weekend felt like something of a missed opportunity, capped by a 4-3 loss in the Sunday night finale. "You always want to win games, especially...

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Nats concede and place Rendon on DL, promote reliever Adams

April 22, 2018, 3:17pm

Nationals

Nats concede and place Rendon on DL, promote reliever Adams

LOS ANGELES - For eight days, they waited and hoped Anthony Rendon would be able to return to the lineup after fouling a ball off his left big toe. On the ninth day, the Nationals finally decided they could wait no longer. Except now they'll have to wait at least seven more days for Rendon to be eligible to return from the disabled list. In formally placing Rendon on the 10-day DL this afternoon, the Nationals extended the third baseman's time away beyond what it might have been had they...

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Marty Niland: Rickey's reports set the stage for historic summer in D.C.

April 22, 2018, 7:47pm

Nationals

Marty Niland: Rickey's reports set the stage for historic summer in D.C.

Former Senators outfielder Curt Flood "approach(ed) perfection" with St. Louis in 1963. That same year, former Washington slugger Harmon Killebrew was described as strikeout-prone and overpriced as a Minnesota Twin. Former Nationals manager Frank Robinson was "upset" by the changeup as a Cincinnati Red in the spring of 1964. Those are the professional opinions of Branch Rickey, whose more than 1,750 scouting reports and other baseball-related papers and correspondence have been digitized by...