nationals

Will Hellickson start Monday in New York? (Nats lose 6-5)

April 15, 2018, 10:27am

The Nationals have not yet named a starter for Monday night's series opener against the Mets. That in itself offers a hint that the club is preparing to add veteran Jeremy Hellickson to its big league roster and send him to the mound at Citi Field. A.J. Cole is on turn to make the start, but the right-hander (who was roughed up in his season debut before improving in his second outing) has been spotted in the Nationals bullpen several times this weekend. Hellickson, meanwhile, was initially...

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Rendon leaves after sixth inning, X-Rays negative on left big toe

April 13, 2018, 7:09pm

Nationals

Rendon leaves after sixth inning, X-Rays negative on left big toe

Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon had to leave Friday's 2-1 loss to the Rockies after fouling a pitch off his left big toe. He was replaced by Wilmer Difo. Rendon tried to stay in the game but eventually came out after the sixth inning. "It just hit the toe, it didn't hit the foot or the ankle or the shin guard. It hit the toe," Rendon said of the play. Manager Davey Martinez reported that X-Rays came back negative. Rendon will let Martinez know how he feels in the morning. The toe was...

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On Scherzer's hit, Goodwin's wrist, Romero's departure

April 14, 2018, 8:19pm

Nationals

On Scherzer's hit, Goodwin's wrist, Romero's departure

Some Sunday morning news and notes before the Nationals and Rockies wrap up their four-game series ... * It didn't lead to any actual runs scored for the Nationals, but there's no denying Max Scherzer's fifth-inning single Saturday served as something of a wakeup call for a slumbering offense and fired up the entire dugout. The Nationals trailed the Rockies 2-1 and hadn't found any way to escape the doldrums that had been present throughout the series. Then Scherzer lined a 1-2 pitch from...

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Squeeze play highlights Nats' long-awaited rally

April 14, 2018, 1:37pm

Nationals

Squeeze play highlights Nats' long-awaited rally

Michael A. Taylor wasn't surprised when he got the sign from Bob Henley. "I'm ready for anything," the Nationals center fielder said. "We did work on it in spring training, so I feel comfortable with it." "It" was the safety squeeze manager Davey Martinez called in the bottom of the sixth this afternoon, the Nationals and Rockies tied at that point with runners on the corners and one out. At a time when his team was searching for any way possible to score a key run, Martinez decided to...

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Nats finally rally, reward Scherzer for gem, beat Rockies 6-2

April 14, 2018, 11:58am

Nationals

Nats finally rally, reward Scherzer for gem, beat Rockies 6-2

The rally was coming, of this Davey Martinez was sure. Give a lineup like this enough chances, the rookie manager figured, and it would happen. Even if that lineup featured only four regulars and a couple of names even the die-hards might not have known prior to a week ago. Sure enough, the rally did finally come. It came in the bottom of the sixth today at Nationals Park. And once it did, the Nationals finally could breathe the sigh of relief they'd been holding in for days. With a four-run...

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Scherzer dominating after early blast (Nats win 6-2)

April 14, 2018, 10:20am

Nationals

Scherzer dominating after early blast (Nats win 6-2)

If the Nationals, with a makeshift lineup, needed Max Scherzer to be perfect today, they found out very quickly that wouldn't be the case. Scherzer issued a four-pitch walk to Gerardo Parra and then served up a two-run homer to Charlie Blackmon in the top of the first this afternoon, leaving the offensively challenged Nats in an early 2-0 hole against the Rockies. Not that Scherzer is pitching poorly in his fourth start of the season. Through five innings, that early walk-homer combo...

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Rendon still dealing with sore toe, Goodwin out with sore wrist

April 14, 2018, 8:21am

Nationals

Rendon still dealing with sore toe, Goodwin out with sore wrist

Anthony Rendon isn't in the Nationals lineup this afternoon. That's not a surprise, given the third baseman had to come out of Friday night's game after fouling a ball off his left big toe. The real question now is how much time Rendon will need before he is ready to return to an already-struggling lineup that keeps losing key players to injury. "He's sore, real sore," manager Davey Martinez said this morning. "So he's probably going to be day-to-day." Rendon hurt himself fouling a...

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Game 15 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (Goodwin scratched)

April 13, 2018, 8:07pm

Nationals

Game 15 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies (Goodwin scratched)

The last thing the Nationals want to do is call today's game - on April 14, mind you - "must-win." But let's not kid ourselves here. Having lost eight of their last 10, and having fallen a full six games behind the Mets in the National League East division - seven games in the loss column - this team simply can't afford to lose a Max Scherzer start. The Nationals needed Scherzer to halt their last losing streak (five games). Today they'll ask him to halt their current three-game skid and...

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End results aside, Roark pitching well to begin season

April 13, 2018, 7:58pm

Nationals

End results aside, Roark pitching well to begin season

No pitcher will ever admit it, but it had to be on Tanner Roark's mind Friday night. With the Nationals struggling mightily to score runs these days, the right-hander must have felt like he needed to be near-perfect on the mound against the Rockies. "No, you've just got to pitch your game, execute pitches," Roark insisted. "They'll get the job done. You've got to do your job on the mound, one pitch at a time, and execute the pitches." Roark did do that quite well. He surrendered a solo...

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After 2-8 stretch, Nationals entering dangerous territory

April 13, 2018, 7:46pm

Nationals

They're preaching patience and levelheadedness in the Nationals clubhouse right now, and honestly that's what they have to do on April 13 when the ballclub is struggling to score runs, is two games under .500 and just got held to one run on four hits by the Rockies for the second straight night. "Just got to keep grinding," Bryce Harper said. "Keep doing the things we can do to win ballgames and do the things we can control." "We've got to play until the game's over," Tanner Roark...

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Nats bats still silent during 2-1 loss to Rockies

April 13, 2018, 6:09pm

Nationals

Nats bats still silent during 2-1 loss to Rockies

Davey Martinez began the day with a message for his slumping hitters. "Just because you don't hit doesn't mean you can't help us by defense, by running the bases, a walk, whatever," the Nationals manager said. "But do something to help us win every day." Several hours later, Martinez found himself watching his team slog through another slow night at the plate, then surrender the decisive run in a 2-1 loss to the Rockies as a direct result of a defensive mistake. When it rains, it pours....

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Nats offense musters only 4 hits again (Rockies win 2-1)

April 13, 2018, 4:04pm

Nationals

Nats offense musters only 4 hits again (Rockies win 2-1)

On a spectacular Friday night for baseball, one of the best night's of the year to date weather wise in the D.C. area, the starting pitchers dominated early on. Rockies left-handed Kyle Freeland allowed a single by Ryan Zimmerman with two outs in the first. But then he struck out four batters in a row. Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced. The only blemish was a walk to Nolan Arenado in the first. He has two strikeouts. In the third, the Nats got...

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Hellickson progressing, will he start Monday in New York?

April 13, 2018, 1:41pm

Nationals

Hellickson progressing, will he start Monday in New York?

Manager Davey Martinez gave an update on Jeremy Hellickson's progress in extended spring training, saying the veteran right-hander is getting very close to being ready. "He threw a side actually (on Wednesday)," Martinez said. "I guess he threw well. Now we'll just have to wait and see. He's getting to the point now where he feels like he's ready. I know he's got another side coming up so we'll see where we're at." The Nats current fifth starter, right-hander A.J. Cole, made a vast...

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Martinez preaching patience at plate, better play in field

April 13, 2018, 1:48pm

Nationals

Martinez preaching patience at plate, better play in field

If you want a firsthand take on the perils of freaking out over April offensive numbers, look no farther than Davey Martinez, whose own career was a textbook example of the disparity many big leaguers face between early season stats and rest-of-the-season stats. "You don't want to look up my April," the Nationals manager said. "They were awful." Martinez wasn't kidding. During a career that spanned 16 big league seasons and concluded with a .276 batting average, .341 on-base percentage...

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Game 13 lineups: Nats vs. Rockies

April 13, 2018, 11:14am

Nationals

The Nationals need to start hitting. There's no getting around this. Since April 4 (their series finale in Atlanta) they've scored an average of 2.5 runs per game. Only the Brewers (2.25) have scored fewer in the majors in that span. That's not good. Perhaps a matchup tonight against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland could help matters a little bit. The Nationals have a very right-handed-lineup these days, and so that could set them up for more production in this one. In fact, the guys...

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Gonzalez rebounded, but slow start doomed chance for win

April 12, 2018, 7:07pm

Nationals

Gonzalez rebounded, but slow start doomed chance for win

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez could not solve red-hot Rockies leadoff man DJ LeMahieu. And the Nationals defense let Gonzalez down at a key moment as the Rockies took the opener of a four-game series 5-1 at Nats Park. LeMahieu is an early candidate for National League Player of the Month after going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two homers and a career-high four RBIs to lead Colorado to its fifth win on the road. Gonzalez allowed a solo shot to LeMahieu to open the game. He then walked Chris Iannetta....

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Stagnant offense, sloppy defense contribute to 5-1 loss

April 12, 2018, 6:50pm

Nationals

Stagnant offense, sloppy defense contribute to 5-1 loss

The Nationals offense was clicking well in the season's first four games. In three wins at Cincinnati and then the first game at Atlanta, the bats put together 29 runs on 38 hits, racing out to a 4-0 record. Since Monday, April 2, however, the offense has slowed down. The club has won only two of their last nine games. Their two wins in the last 10 days were by scores of 2-0 and 4-1, with major contributions from Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg in those two games. The 1-2 duo combined to...

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Mark Reynolds agrees to deal with Nats (updated)

April 12, 2018, 4:56pm

Nationals

Mark Reynolds agrees to deal with Nats (updated)

With the offense struggling without Daniel Murphy and Adam Eaton on the disabled list, plus some regulars not hitting as well as in the past, are the Nationals looking to add another big bat with experience? Free agent first baseman Mark Reynolds has agreed to minor league deal to join the Nats, according to published reports. The Reynolds deal was first reported by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Update: MASNSports.com has confirmed the Mark Reynolds deal. Reynolds played the last two seasons for...

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Ryan Sullivan: Zimmerman deserves criticism for Nats' early struggles

April 13, 2018, 5:56am

Nationals

Ryan Sullivan: Zimmerman deserves criticism for Nats' early struggles

In a rather quiet spring training for the Nationals, one of the biggest storylines for the team in West Palm Beach was the unique decision by Ryan Zimmerman to play only in one spring training game. Zimmerman instead preferred to get his work accomplished on the back fields, in games consisting of predominantly minor leaguers. Certainly, the fans that traveled to watch the team were disappointed to miss seeing the face of the franchise, but also were questioning the wisdom of this...

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Martinez on Eaton, bench-clearing brawls, plus other notes

April 12, 2018, 3:25pm

Nationals

Martinez on Eaton, bench-clearing brawls, plus other notes

Nationals manager Davey Martinez had some good news on the progress of outfielder Adam Eaton who is on the disabled list with a left ankle bone bruise. Martinez predicted it might be a short stay on the 10-day for Eaton. "I saw him today and he's getting his workouts in," Martinez said. "We miss him on the field, but it's actually pretty good that he's able to continue to do his strengthening for his knees. But he'll be back. I think he's going to be back sooner than we think. He's...