nationals

Zimmerman won't play today, but is ready for season opener

March 27, 2018, 10:00am

Ryan Zimmerman's retrospective spring training statistics will look pretty threadbare - one game as a designated hitter on March 2, two at-bats and a double off the Mets' Hansel Robles. In a city where intrigue and conspiracy theories are a part of everyday existence, everyone seems to have their own belief as to why the first baseman became a Grapefruit League ghost. Some whisper that Zimmerman is hiding an injury or working away from prying eyes on something that's gone wrong in his swing....

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Martinez says his lineup goal is to maximize health

March 27, 2018, 11:13am

Nationals

Martinez says his lineup goal is to maximize health

With a new manager and a new philosophy come the inevitable questions of how Davey Martinez will construct the lineup of a Nationals club that has won its division two years in a row. Last season, many second-guessed then-skipper Dusty Baker about where he put Anthony Rendon in his lineup. Why was Rendon hitting so low in the lineup when he could consistently put the ball in play? Wouldn't you want one of your best hitters to get as many at-bats as possible per game? Martinez showed a few...

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Starting lineup: Twins at Nats exhibition game in D.C. (updated)

March 27, 2018, 9:26am

Nationals

Starting lineup: Twins at Nats exhibition game in D.C. (updated)

It is the butterflies-in-the-tummy-worthy moment. That moment you walk back into Nats Park and you see the boys in red and white taking pregame grounders and batting practice. Baseball is back in D.C. today as the Nationals face off against the Minnesota Twins in one last exhibition game before they travel to Cincinnati for Thursday's opener against the Reds. The pitching matchup: Left-hander Gio Gonzalez (1-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. Right-hander JosÃ© BerrÃos (2-1, 1.69) New manager Davey...

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Tuesday morning Nats Q&A

March 26, 2018, 7:19pm

Nationals

The time is nearly here. After a quick stop back home to unpack and face the Twins in this afternoon's exhibition game, the Nationals head to Cincinnati and open this season of significance Thursday against the Reds ... weather permitting. (The forecast in the Queen City calls for a 100 percent chance of rain on opening day, then more rain the rest of the weekend. Can't wait!) Byron and Pete will have you covered at the ballpark today, but before things get going down there I figured I'm...

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Nats Park 2018 lineup Part 2: What's new at the ballpark

March 26, 2018, 2:27pm

Nationals

Nats Park 2018 lineup Part 2: What's new at the ballpark

Yesterday we went through the events and promotions portion of the new 2018 lineup at Nats Park. Today we're going to take you through all the new features, concessions, retail and memorabilia concepts, and programs around the ballpark. There are some special activations throughout Nats Park for today's exhibition game today against the Twins to help fans combat the chilly forecasted temperatures. First pitch will be at 4:05 p.m., and tickets are still available at nationals.com/Tickets. This...

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Living close to spring training facility, Crowe had a jump start

March 25, 2018, 6:26pm

Nationals

Living close to spring training facility, Crowe had a jump start

Right-hander Wil Crowe was able to pitch in nine games in 2017 for the first time at the pro level. The former South Carolina standout had Tommy John surgery in 2015, so after getting his feet wet with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nationals and short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays last season, Crowe is ready to take the next step in the rehab process. Crowe joined the Nationals after 14 regular season starts and 90-plus innings with the Gamecocks. Nationals pitching coordinator Paul...

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What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over

March 25, 2018, 5:24pm

Nationals

What we made too big a deal about and what we glossed over

Spend six weeks watching a ballclub prepare for the season and you can't help but make a big deal out of a few things. Maybe it's one particular job competition. Maybe it's somebody's injury. Maybe it's a position that looks like a problem area. Whatever the case, there are always a handful of topics that dominate spring training coverage. And, inevitably, sometime during the course of the season you look back and think to yourself: Why did I bother making such a big deal out of that? And...

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Nats Park 2018 lineup Part 1: Events and promotions

March 26, 2018, 1:51pm

Nationals

Nats Park 2018 lineup Part 1: Events and promotions

The sun is shining. The days are longer. The grass is freshly cut. The smell of fresh leather and the sound of bats cracking fill the atmosphere in D.C. Baseball season is here. Fans' offseason dreams of strikeouts, home runs, stolen bases, refreshing drinks and steaming half-smokes will soon become realities with opening day just three days away and the Nationals' home opener on South Capitol St. a little over a week away. With the 2018 season about to begin, let's take a look at the...

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Nats appear to set roster after optioning Reynolds, Sanchez

March 25, 2018, 2:26pm

Nationals

Nats appear to set roster after optioning Reynolds, Sanchez

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals will open the season with an eight-man bullpen and a four-man bench, a decision that may have as much to do with ensuring they didn't lose anyone from their organization who was out of options as it was about in-game strategy. As the club's flight home to Washington was departing this evening, the Nats announced they had optioned infielders Matt Reynolds and Adrian Sanchez to Triple-A Syracuse. The domino effect of that: All the relievers remaining in big...

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Nats wrap up Grapefruit League with a gem from Strasburg

March 25, 2018, 12:51pm

Nationals

Nats wrap up Grapefruit League with a gem from Strasburg

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - If the goal was to end the spring on a high note, to break camp under the warm Florida sunshine feeling good about things before heading north into the still-thawing-out D.C. area, the Nationals sent the right guy to the mound today. Stephen Strasburg, facing the Cardinals' regular lineup, was dominant for 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and building up his pitch count to 96 during the Nats' 4-2 victory in their Grapefruit League finale. "He was good, really good,"...

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Why Turner is batting sixth in today's finale (Nats win 4-2)

March 25, 2018, 9:19am

Nationals

Why Turner is batting sixth in today's finale (Nats win 4-2)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When they board their flight to Washington this evening, the Nationals will have played 31 Grapefruit League games over the last month. And they almost certainly will not have tried out the starting lineup they'll be using on opening day. With Ryan Zimmerman having spent all but one day this spring playing in minor league games, and with others having shuffled in and out of the lineup, manager Davey Martinez won't get a chance to try out his ideal batting order, the...

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On Scherzer's workload, plus Eaton and Harper's hustle

March 24, 2018, 6:18pm

Nationals

On Scherzer's workload, plus Eaton and Harper's hustle

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Max Scherzer wanted to throw 100 pitches Saturday in his final tune-up before his opening day start in Cincinnati. He wound up settling for a pitch count of 93, but seven full innings on the mound, tops among all Nationals starters this spring. Exceptionally efficient early on - he only needed 40 pitches to complete his first four innings - Scherzer wound up not having a real chance to reach triple digits, unless he wanted to try to convince the coaching staff to let him...

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Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

March 25, 2018, 6:32am

Nationals

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Cardinals in West Palm Beach

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - And so the day has come. The clubhouse is full of suitcases and boxes, players are making sure they're not leaving anything behind and there's a different energy than any other day this spring. It's time to go home, and there isn't a person here who isn't thrilled about that fact. But first, one final game to wrap up the Grapefruit League season. The Nationals - who have a 12-16-2 record this spring, if you care about such things - face the Cardinals in one final...

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A pair of Jacksons doing well in Nats minor league camp

March 25, 2018, 5:21am

Nationals

A pair of Jacksons doing well in Nats minor league camp

Instead of The Jackson 5, how about a pair of Jacksons as we continue our minor league pitching previews? We continue with an update on right-hander Jackson Tetreault, who pitched for the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nats and short-season Single-A Auburn. The 21-year-old went 2-2 with a 2.68 ERA in 12 games (six starts) in 2017, with 38 strikeouts and 17 walks over 40 1/3 innings. "Tall, lanky kid, very repeatable delivery," said Nationals pitching coordinator Paul Menhart. "Has a good...

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March 23, 2018, 2:12pm

Nationals

Martinez on roster, Murphy and Zimmerman (Nats lose 3-1)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - As the clock ticks down on spring training and opening day looms in the near future, the Nationals have a pretty good idea what their 25-man roster will look like. "We're close," manager Davey Martinez said today. "I won't say we're quite there yet, but we're close. We've still got a few games left. I just want to leave spring training, get to Washington, play Minnesota (in Tuesday's exhibition game) and get through those days healthy and ready to go for...