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Even with Cy Young showing, 2017 was a grind for Scherzer

November 15, 2017, 7:45pm

It's easily forgotten now, because so much has transpired since, but Max Scherzer had a serious problem in spring training. He couldn't throw a fastball with his normal grip, the pressure of the side of the ball on the previously fractured knuckle on his right ring finger too painful. Things got so bad that Scherzer, who had to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic due to the injury, wound up changing his grip altogether. Instead of throwing fastballs with the traditional two fingers...

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How close is Max Scherzer to punching his ticket to Cooperstown?

November 16, 2017, 8:48am

Nationals

How close is Max Scherzer to punching his ticket to Cooperstown?

With consecutive National League Cy Young Awards, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer is one of 10 to have at least three Cy Young Awards. He won the 2013 AL Cy Young with Detroit, so he's one of six pitchers to have won the award three times. So how close is Scherzer to punching his ticket to Cooperstown? The answer: close, very close. A pitcher generally has to dominate his era for six to 10 years. No question, Scherzer and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw, who finished second in the...

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Max Scherzer wins third career Cy Young Award (updated)

November 15, 2017, 1:52pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer wins third career Cy Young Award (updated)

Max Scherzer just joined an awfully exclusive club featuring some of the greatest pitchers in baseball history: three-time Cy Young Award winner. And he's not exactly sure how to process it all just yet. "That's why I'm drinking a lot of champagne tonight," the right-hander said with a laugh, some 90 minutes after learning of his victory. "Look, anytime you win a Cy Young Award, it's a special feeling, a special moment. ... But this one is special." It's special in part because...

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Max Scherzer wins National League Cy Young Award

November 15, 2017, 2:08pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer wins National League Cy Young Award

Washington Nationals right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer was named the 2017 National League Cy Young Award winner on Wednesday night, in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on MLB Network. Scherzer has now taken home the game's top pitching honor in back-to-back seasons and for the third time in his career. Scherzer is now one of just 10 pitchers in Major League history to take home the award three or more times, having claimed the 2013 American...

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Nats' new staff complete with hiring of Blanco as bullpen coach

November 15, 2017, 5:18am

Nationals

Nats' new staff complete with hiring of Blanco as bullpen coach

The Nationals announced the hiring of Henry Blanco as bullpen coach this morning, officially filling the final position on new manager Dave Martinez's staff. Blanco is no stranger to Martinez, having served as the Cubs quality assurance coach the last three seasons while the latter was bench coach. He previously was an assistant coach and bullpen catcher for the Diamondbacks. The 46-year-old former catcher has crossed paths with almost everyone in baseball over nearly three decades in the...

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No. 10 Nats prospect: Yasel Antuna

November 14, 2017, 6:48pm

Nationals

It is time to begin our countdown of the top 10 Nationals prospects according to Baseball America. We bring in national writer Carlos Collazo to break down each prospect, beginning with No. 10. No. 10: SS Yasel Antuna Collazo likes what Antuna brings to the table. At 6-foot, 170 lbs., Antuna has the body to be able to generate power on offense. For the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Nats in 2017, Antuna hit .301 in 48 games with eight doubles, three triples, one homer and 17 RBIs. "Yasel...

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What a Cy Young Award would mean for Scherzer or Strasburg

November 14, 2017, 10:44am

Nationals

What a Cy Young Award would mean for Scherzer or Strasburg

The results of this year's National League Cy Young Award vote, which will be announced at approximately 6:45 p.m. Eastern time, won't change Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg's career stats. No matter what happens tonight, Scherzer still owns a 141-75 record, 3.30 ERA and 2,149 strikeouts during an awfully impressive career. And regardless of tonight's winner, Strasburg remains 84-45 with a 3.07 ERA and 1,288 strikeouts during his notable career. And yet the result of this Cy Young vote...

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Nationals add Henry Blanco to coaching staff

November 15, 2017, 5:41am

Nationals

The Washington Nationals finalized manager Dave Martinez's coaching staff on Wednesday, adding Henry Blanco as the bullpen coach. Blanco joins bench coach Chip Hale, pitching coach Derek Lilliquist, hitting coach Kevin Long, first base coach Tim Bogar, third base coach Bobby Henley, and assistant hitting coach Joe Dillon. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Blanco, 46, joins the Nationals staff after serving as the Chicago Cubs'...

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Where the Nationals payroll stands heading into the winter

November 13, 2017, 7:03pm

Nationals

The annual GM meetings are taking place this week in Orlando. It's the kind of event where a lot of stuff is discussed but very little is actually done. Most clubs and most players prefer to wait until the Winter Meetings in December to start getting serious about contract negotiations or blockbuster trades. But this is the unofficial beginning of the Hot Stove League, with general managers and agents beginning the conversations that may ultimately lead to actual transactions down the...

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Vote for MASN's Nats Winterfest T-shirt giveaway design!

November 14, 2017, 4:50am

Nationals

Oh, there's no place like Winterfest for the holidays! As the weather gets colder, we're already thinking about gathering around the MASN booth at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. We'll have tons of presents for you, including photo sessions with some of your favorite players and broadcasters, multiple chances to win autographed prizes and a new, exclusive prize you can take home! Just in time for the holidays, we're giving away ugly sweater-themed long-sleeve...

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Erratic this season, SolÃs is hardly a sure thing for Nats

November 11, 2017, 7:17pm

Nationals

Erratic this season, SolÃs is hardly a sure thing for Nats

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Sammy SolÃs, who labored through an erratic season. PLAYER REVIEW: SAMMY SOLIS Age on opening day 2018: 29 How acquired: Second round pick, 2010 draft MLB service time: 2 years, 84 days 2017 salary: $545,700 Contract status: Under team control in 2018, arbitration-eligible in 2019, free agent in 2022 2017 stats: 1-0, 5.88 ERA, 30 G, 1 SV, 26 IP, 22 H, 17 R, 17...

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Previewing BBWAA awards week

November 12, 2017, 7:00pm

Nationals

It's awards week in baseball, with the big four - MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year - set to be handed out over the next four nights by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Despite their success and deep roster of players who enjoyed impressive seasons, the Nationals have an opportunity to emerge with only one of these four awards. Both Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are finalists for the National League Cy Young Award (along with Clayton Kershaw). Anthony...

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Gutierrez and McGowin leading Mesa toward AFL title game

November 13, 2017, 3:14am

Nationals

Gutierrez and McGowin leading Mesa toward AFL title game

Despite playing only 10 games, third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez is leading his Arizona Fall League team in batting with a .414 average. His club, the Mesa Solar Sox, are 15-10-1 and have a 2 1/2-game lead atop the East Division with only a handful of games remaining. Gutierrez has 12 hits, a triple, a homer, six runs and eight RBIs. All 12 of those hits have come in his last eight games, where he has gone 12-for-25 (.480). He missed several games in the middle of the AFL season after getting his...

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After surprising season, will Albers fit into Nats' 2018 plans?

November 10, 2017, 11:27am

Nationals

After surprising season, will Albers fit into Nats' 2018 plans?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Matt Albers, perhaps the biggest pleasant surprise of the season. PLAYER REVIEW: MATT ALBERS Age on opening day 2018: 35 How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, January 2017 MLB service time: 10 years, 141 days 2017 salary: $1.15 million Contract status: Free agent in 2018 2017 stats: 7-2, 1.62 ERA, 63 G, 2 SV, 61 IP, 35 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 6 HR, 17 BB, 63 SO,...

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Should Nationals try to re-sign Kintzler, keep "Law Firm" together?

November 09, 2017, 6:40pm

Nationals

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Brandon Kintzler, who excelled in a setup role after his July 31 acquisition from the Twins. PLAYER REVIEW: BRANDON KINTZLER Age on opening day 2018: 33 How acquired: Traded from Twins for Tyler Watson and international bonus slot money, July 2017 MLB service time: 6 years, 3 days 2017 salary: $2.925 million Contract status: Free agent in 2018 2017 stats: 4-3, 3.03...

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Murphy wins second straight Silver Slugger Award

November 09, 2017, 1:35pm

Nationals

Murphy wins second straight Silver Slugger Award

Daniel Murphy won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award this evening, deemed once again the best offensive second baseman in the National League. Murphy was the only Nationals player to win a Silver Slugger this season, despite dominant offensive performances by several teammates. Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon, though, lost out at their respective positions to Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, respectively, while Bryce Harper's case was hurt by the 6 1/2 weeks he spent on the...

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Nats pitching prospect spotlight: RHP Gabe Klobosits

November 09, 2017, 3:37pm

Nationals

Nats pitching prospect spotlight: RHP Gabe Klobosits

On a scheduled off-day during the Nationals' National League Division Series matchup against the Cubs in early October, a few of the Nats' young pitching prospects got to pitch batting practice at the club's top hitters. One of those prospects was right-hander Gabe Klobosits out of Auburn University. A 2017 36th-round selection, Klobosits, 22, is a big dude, standing 6-foot-7 and weighing 270 lbs. In his first pro season by way of Katy, Texas, he went an impressive 1-0 with a 1.47 ERA in 20...

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Nats add three more to staff, including pitching coach Lilliquist

November 09, 2017, 9:03am

Nationals

Nats add three more to staff, including pitching coach Lilliquist

The Nationals have hired Derek Lilliquist as pitching coach, Tim Bogar as first base coach and Joe Dillon as assistant hitting coach, adding two more experienced members to new manager Dave Martinez's staff plus another first-timer with ties to the organization. In announcing the additions of Lilliquist, Bogar and Dillon along with the previously reported hiring of Chip Hale (bench coach), Bob Henley (third base coach) and Kevin Long (hitting coach), the Nationals have filled all but one...

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Daniel Murphy wins Silver Slugger

November 09, 2017, 5:05pm

Nationals

Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy was honored as the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winner for National League second basemen on Thursday night, the second consecutive season in which Murphy has earned this prestigious award. Louisville Slugger made the announcement on MLB Network. Murphy, who won the first Silver Slugger Award of his career in 2016, is the third player in Nationals history (2005-present) to win the award multiple times - joining former shortstop Ian...

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Can key midseason pickup Madson do it again in 2018?

November 08, 2017, 7:08pm

Nationals

Can key midseason pickup Madson do it again in 2018?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Ryan Madson, whose midseason arrival helped transform the Nats' struggling bullpen into a strength. PLAYER REVIEW: RYAN MADSON Age on opening day 2018: 37 How acquired: Traded from Athletics with Sean Doolittle for Blake Treinen, Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse, July 2017 MLB service time: 12 years, 155 days 2017 salary: $7.5 million Contract status: Signed for...