Bobby Blanco

NLDS game blog: Stasburg looks to get Nats off to strong start

NLDS game blog: Stasburg looks to get Nats off to strong start
It's finally here. Postseason baseball is back in our nation's capital as the Nationals welcome the defending World Series champion Cubs for the National League Division Series. There's no way to understate the importance of Game 1 in a playoff series, especially in a five-game set. The winner of the series' first game advances 72 percent of the time. And just look at the Nationals' postseason history: Obviously, they have lost all three of their previous playoff series, but they have only...
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Mark Zuckerman

Scherzer throws in bullpen, announced as Game 3 starter

Scherzer throws in bullpen, announced as Game 3 starter
What had previously been clear but not announced was made official by Dusty Baker this afternoon: Gio Gonzalez will start Game 2 of the National League Division Series for the Nats, with Max Scherzer starting Game 3. That decision was made by the Nationals earlier in the week, but was held back for public consumption until they were confident Scherzer would be ready to pitch Monday's Game 3 at Wrigley Field. They were finally ready to make the announcement today, with Scherzer completing a...
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Byron Kerr

Gonzalez got into nice groove in 2017, earns Game 2 start

Gonzalez got into nice groove in 2017, earns Game 2 start
Left-hander Gio Gonzalez gets the nod as the Game 2 starter for the National League Division Series between the Nationals and the Cubs. The Cubs will counter with southpaw Jon Lester, who went 13-8 with a 4.33 ERA in 32 starts this season. Gonzalez went 15-9 with a 2.96 ERA in 32 starts. He struck out 188 in 201 innings. The 15 wins were the most in a regular season for Gonzalez since his career-high 21 victories in 2012. Gonzalez appeared to be positively influenced by the arrival of veteran...
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Mark Zuckerman

NLDS Game 1 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs

NLDS Game 1 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs
It feels like we've been waiting around for this postseason for an extraordinarily long time. The Nationals clinched their division title way back on Sept. 10, but truth be told, they knew a lot earlier than that they were going to win the National League East and make the postseason. And they've known for most of that time they almost certainly were going to face the Cubs in the National League Division Series. Well, at long last the day has come. It's Oct. 6, and a highly anticipated...
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Mark Zuckerman

NLDS roster includes Goodwin, Robles, Romero, Lobaton

NLDS roster includes Goodwin, Robles, Romero, Lobaton
The Nationals are carrying four left-handed relievers and an extra bench player for the National League Division Series, ultimately choosing to take a chance on young players like Brian Goodwin, Victor Robles and Enny Romero over veterans or a long reliever. The Nationals will have a seven-man bullpen for their best-of-five series against the Cubs. Closer Sean Doolittle is joined by right-handed setup men Ryan Madson, Brandon Kintzler and Matt Albers, plus a trio of lefties who can be used to...
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Byron Kerr

Baker seeks World Series ring to add to his complete life

Baker seeks World Series ring to add to his complete life
Facing the Chicago Cubs in the post season is a big deal for Dusty Baker. But he countered, then again, he has history with a lot of teams the Nationals could play in the 2017 playoffs. Baker managed the Cubs from 2003 to 2006. The first two seasons they won 88 and 89 games. The last season they finished 30 games under .500. "What comes to my mind is how well we started off and how things certainly could have been different," Baker said. "One pitch, one out, one hit, one something. And then...
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Mark Zuckerman

NLDS preview: Nats under pressure, Cubs playing loose

NLDS preview: Nats under pressure, Cubs playing loose
They took over first place in the National League East Division for good on April 18. They led by at least five games every day since May 3, by at least 10 games every day since July 17, by at least 15 games every day since Aug. 30. And they clinched the division title on Sept. 10, a full 26 days before they'll take the field tonight for their postseason opener. The Nationals, through no fault of their own, have not had to play a truly meaningful game in quite some time, and barely had to play...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nats brass meeting to finalize NLDS roster

Nats brass meeting to finalize NLDS roster
The Nationals coaching staff and front office are meeting this afternoon for a final discussion of their 25-man roster for the National League Division Series, with several tough decisions still on the table. The lingering uncertainty over Max Scherzer's right hamstring has complicated matters, with the Nationals left wondering if they need to carry an extra pitcher as insurance for their ace right-hander, who is now targeting Game 3 at Wrigley Field to make his one and only start in the...
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Pete Kerzel

Opposite dugout: Defending champion Cubs begin postseason with bull's-eye on their backs

Opposite dugout: Defending champion Cubs begin postseason with bull's-eye on their backs
Manager: Joe Maddon (4th season) Record: 92-70 (won NL Central) Who to watch: 3B Kris Bryant (.295/.409/.537 with 29 HR, 73 RBIs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (32 HR, 109 RBIs), C Willson Contreras (23 HR, 75 RBIs), LF Kyle Schwarber (30 HR, 59 RBIs), RHP Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA), RHP Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53 ERA), LHP Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA), RHP Wade Davis (2.30 ERA, 32 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-4 Pitching probables: Oct. 6: RHP Kyle Hendricks vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg, 7:31 p.m.,...
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Mark Zuckerman

Strasburg will start Game 1, Gonzalez will start Game 2

Strasburg will start Game 1, Gonzalez will start Game 2
Stephen Strasburg will start Game 1 of the National League Division Series. And Max Scherzer will not start start Game 2. Manager Dusty Baker made the official announcement of Strasburg as his starter for Friday night's opener against the Cubs this morning, minutes before his club took the field for its final workout in preparation for the series. The choice of Strasburg wasn't a surprise, not in the wake of Scherzer's attempts in the last few days to recover from a tweaked right hamstring...
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Mark Zuckerman

No bullpen yet for Scherzer, Nats' rotation order still undecided

No bullpen yet for Scherzer, Nats' rotation order still undecided
If you were hoping for clarity today on Max Scherzer's status and the defined order of the Nationals rotation for the National League Division Series, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Though the Cubs formally announced their entire rotation plan for the series, the Nats have not yet even confirmed who is starting Game 1 on Friday night and certainly not any plans beyond that. There are, essentially, two possible reasons for the holdup: 1) They're showing some gamesmanship with the...
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Mark Zuckerman

Who makes the Nationals' NLDS roster?

Who makes the Nationals' NLDS roster?
The Nationals have until Friday morning to set their 25-man roster for the National League Division Series. And given some of the down-to-the-wire decisions they need to make, they might just use every remaining minute available to them before submitting that roster to Major League Baseball. First and foremost, of course, is the state of Max Scherzer's right hamstring. The ace insists he'll be pitching in this series, but the Nationals won't know for sure when he'll pitch until after he...
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Mark Zuckerman

Strasburg, Doolittle win NL monthly pitching awards

Strasburg, Doolittle win NL monthly pitching awards
A dominant September by both Stephen Strasburg and Sean Doolittle has earned each Nationals pitcher recognition for their efforts. Strasburg today was named National League Pitcher of the Month, with Doolittle named NL Reliever of the Month, further confirmation of the lights-out work put forth by each staff member during the final stretch of the regular season. Strasburg was nearly impossible to score off of in September, going 4-0 with an 0.83 ERA in five starts. The right-hander did not...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nats, Cubs each facing rotation order dilemma entering NLDS

Nats, Cubs each facing rotation order dilemma entering NLDS
It looked like it had been set in stone for weeks. The Nationals' postseason rotation? That was simple: Max Scherzer in Game 1, with Stephen Strasburg in Game 2 and then Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark taking the mound after that. But then Strasburg dominated in September. And then Gonzalez and Roark had ragged regular season finales. And then - and this was the biggest development of all - Scherzer tweaked his right hamstring throwing a pitch in the top of the fourth Saturday night against the...
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Mark Zuckerman

Start times announced for NLDS Games 1 and 2

Start times announced for NLDS Games 1 and 2
The Cubs are the biggest national television draw in baseball right now, so it stood to reason the Nationals would find themselves playing in primetime throughout their first-round postseason showdown with the defending World Series champs. That will be true for Game 1 of the National League Division Series, but the presence of the West Coast's biggest draw in the other half of the bracket is going to lead to an early-evening start on South Capitol Street for Game 2. Major League Baseball...
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Mark Zuckerman

Scherzer confident injury isn't serious, can't commit to Game 1 yet

Scherzer confident injury isn't serious, can't commit to Game 1 yet
Max Scherzer is confident the hamstring injury he suffered Saturday night is "nothing major," but the Nationals ace couldn't go so far this morning as to declare himself good to start Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday. "That's tough to say right now," Scherzer said. "We're not even 24 hours out. We're still trying to get all the doctors to take a look at this and make sure that we have the absolute correct diagnosis. But we have a really, really good idea of what...
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Mark Zuckerman

Rendon gets a breather, Harper tries to get more at-bats

Rendon gets a breather, Harper tries to get more at-bats
If Anthony Rendon is going to make one final case for MVP votes, it'll have to come in Sunday's season finale. Rendon is not in the lineup for tonight's game against the Pirates, a decision made in conjunction with manager Dusty Baker in an attempt to stay fresh heading into the postseason. Baker described the star third baseman as being "just a little fatigued" and thus in need of a breather. Rendon has started the last four games and 12 of the Nationals' last 14. "We discussed it...
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Mark Zuckerman

Harper sitting tonight, plans to play rest of weekend

Harper sitting tonight, plans to play rest of weekend
Bryce Harper is not in the Nationals lineup tonight, but Dusty Baker wants to make sure you know nothing's wrong with the star outfielder. Really wants you know. "No, nothing," the manager said. "No. Don't be alarmed. Nothing. Again, nothing." The Nationals simply don't want to push Harper too much too fast on the heels of his return from a major left knee and calf injury. After playing a total of nine innings in right field and taking seven plate appearances the previous two nights in...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nats drop finale to Phillies, will face Cubs in NLDS (updated)

Nats drop finale to Phillies, will face Cubs in NLDS (updated)
PHILADELPHIA - Trea Turner reached base five times. Jayson Werth hit a pair of balls as well as he has in a while. Michael A. Taylor homered. Sammy Solís continued his late-season resurgence. And Bryce Harper again looked healthy, and even picked up his first hit in six at-bats since returning from the disabled list. None of that, though, catapulted the Nationals to victory tonight in an excruciating game at Citizens Bank Park. Tanner Roark's struggles on the mound and a bunch of squandered...
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Mark Zuckerman

When will NLDS rotation order be set? (Nats win 3-2)

When will NLDS rotation order be set? (Nats win 3-2)
NEW YORK - We've reached the point in the season when it's time for playoff-bound clubs to begin lining up their rotations for October. The Nationals already know which four starters will take the mound for the National League Division Series. The order in which they'll do so, however, has not yet been made public. It is perhaps notable, though, how the Nats currently have their starters lined up during the final week of the regular season. Stephen Strasburg pitched Saturday night against...
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