nationals

Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

May 02, 2018, 11:13am

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...

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Nats eke out a win, but one-run games are coming at a cost

April 30, 2018, 7:55pm

Nationals

Nats eke out a win, but one-run games are coming at a cost

Davey Martinez sat down for his postgame news conference, minutes after yet another nip-and-tuck affair, and sighed. "That was exciting," the Nationals manager said. "We've got to start scoring runs when we can. They're playing well, they really are. But when we have a chance to put teams away, we've got to start putting them away." It needs to be stressed at this point that the Nationals won tonight's game. They beat the Pirates 3-2 to produce their first two-game winning streak in two...

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Roark goes seven, tired bullpen finishes off 3-2 win over Bucs

April 30, 2018, 5:39pm

Nationals

Roark goes seven, tired bullpen finishes off 3-2 win over Bucs

The back end of the Nationals' bullpen would've loved a blowout win - and the respite that would accompany it - tonight. Alas, this team doesn't enjoy many blowout wins these days, last Wednesday's 15-2 thumping of the Giants serving as a distinct anomaly. So it should have come as no surprise to anyone inside Nationals Park tonight when the home team carried a one-run lead into the eighth, forcing Davey Martinez to once again coax high-stress innings from his overtaxed bullpen. Somehow,...

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Murphy returns from Florida, Rendon tests out toe in workout

April 30, 2018, 2:04pm

Nationals

Murphy returns from Florida, Rendon tests out toe in workout

They don't have any of their three key injured regulars back in the lineup tonight, but the Nationals did have a welcome visitor to their clubhouse this afternoon: Daniel Murphy. The veteran second baseman, who has yet to make his season debut following October knee surgery, made the trip up from West Palm Beach after two weeks spent at extended spring training. Murphy, who was briefly seen in the clubhouse before the Nationals took batting practice but did not speak to reporters, was...

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Suero says "it feels incredible" to get call to the Nats

April 30, 2018, 1:26pm

Nationals

Suero says "it feels incredible" to get call to the Nats

Last season was right-hander Wander Suero's best as a pro. He went 3-2 with a 1.79 ERA over 54 games and 65 1/3 innings, splitting his time between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse. In 2017, he was named the Nationals minor league organizational pitcher of the year. Manager Davey Martinez said they went with Suero now because he is healthy and he has the ability to pitch to both sides of the plate with success. Right-hander Austin Voth was optioned to Syracuse one day after he...

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Difo gives Roark early advantage (Nats win 3-2)

April 30, 2018, 4:04pm

Nationals

Difo gives Roark early advantage (Nats win 3-2)

The Nationals tallied first against Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon. Matt Adams singled with one out in the second. He was washed away on a Michael A. Taylor fielder's choice to third base. But Taylor reached second because Adam Frazier's throw was wide of first base. Wilmer Difo then delivered a clutch RBI single to center field to score Taylor. In the third, Trea Turner doubled down the left field line. He slid into second ahead of the tag by Frazier. Ryan Zimmerman grounded out to...

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Game 29 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates (Suero promoted)

April 30, 2018, 11:21am

Nationals

Game 29 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates (Suero promoted)

Another day, another roster move for the Nationals, who have been burning up the transaction wire during a busier-than-expected opening month of the season. One day after calling up Austin Voth from Triple-A for the first time, the Nats sent the right-hander back to Syracuse and called up Wander Suero from Syracuse for the first time. The rationale behind it all: The Nationals desperately needed someone who could throw multiple innings in case of emergency Sunday, so Voth was the guy. But he's...

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Overworked relievers taking it day-by-day at end of long month

April 29, 2018, 8:26pm

Nationals

Overworked relievers taking it day-by-day at end of long month

As they gathered at Nationals Park on Sunday morning, Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle did a quick analysis of their respective statuses for the upcoming series finale against the Diamondbacks. All three relievers have been getting plenty of work through the season's first month, but given the state of things only one of them could reasonably be given the day off. So who was it going to be? Kintzler had thrown 12 pitches Saturday, but none the previous three days. Madson had...