The first time he did it, way back on Father's Day 2006 off the Yankees' Chien-Ming Wang, Ryan Zimmerman was a 21-year-old rookie third baseman, with a whole career still ahead of him and no clue how winding a path he would take despite spending all of it as a National. Juan Soto? He was a 7-year-old kid in Santo Domingo who perhaps already had dreams of one day playing in the major leagues but surely could not have envisioned playing alongside Zimmerman in a ballpark in Washington that had...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg didn't pitch as well as wanted in his return to the mound Wednesday night. But Strasburg was all smiles afterward, thanks to a dramatic two-run walk-off homer from Ryan Zimmerman that completed another comeback for the Nationals in an 8-7 win over the Phillies. Strasburg struck out the first two batters he faced on called third strikes. But then he gave up back-to-back doubles, a homer and a single. Suddenly, the Phillies led 3-0 in the first inning. Maikel...

There is plenty still for the Nationals to be concerned about, most notably Stephen Strasburg's health after a worrisome performance in his return from the disabled list tonight. But remarkably, there are still reasons for this team to have some optimism no matter how hopeless their situation appears, and tonight an old friend provided the moment that helped raise those hopes another notch. Trailing with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Zimmerman launched a game-ending, two-run homer...

It looked like Stephen Strasburg was on target when he caught César Hernández and Rhys Hoskins looking to begin the game. But then he allowed four hits in a row, including back-to-back doubles by Asdrúbal Cabrera and Justin Bour. Maikel Franco then made 3-0 with a two-run shot to left field on a 3-2 pitch. It was his 21st homer of the season. The Nationals got one back in the bottom of the first. With two outs against Phillies starter Zach Elfin, Bryce Harper reached on a bunt single...

Tuesday night's 10-4 win over the Phillies took a lot out of the Nationals. They only got three innings out of Tanner Roark because of a 1-hour, 45-minute rain delay that prevented the starter from retaking the mound. That forced an already makeshift bullpen to churn out six innings, with no true long man available after Tommy Milone threw four innings in garbage time during Sunday's blowout loss to the Marlins and then landed on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation. Davey...

The Nationals reinstated right-hander Stephen Strasburg for tonight's start against the Phillies and sent infielder Adrian Sanchez back to Triple-A Syracuse. Manager Davey Martinez said the Nats kept an extra pitcher because they had to use seven relievers to win the first game of the series that was delayed for almost two hours because of rain Monday. "Just the way the game played out yesterday with our bullpen," Martinez said. "The fact that (Tanner) Roark couldn't go back out, so we...

How many pieces of a season can fit into a nutshell? The Orioles put runners on second and third base yesterday with no outs in the top of the seventh inning of a scoreless tie in Toronto and came up empty. Two ground balls and a pop up. Couldn't get the ball out of the infield. David Hess, cruising along with a one-hitter, served up a long home run to Kendrys Morales in the bottom half of the inning to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead. Rookie left-hander Thomas Pannone carried a no-hitter into...

TORONTO - Today, Orioles right-hander David Hess controlled what he could control. He pitched a gem at Toronto. But he could not help an offense that got just two hits or a bullpen that gave up five runs after he left the game. The Orioles lost 6-0 today to Toronto to fall to 37-90 for the year and go 0-10 at Rogers Centre this season. But Hess seems to have turned his season back around. He had a four-start stretch in June where he gave up 21 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. Now, over his last...

The Washington Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg from the 10-day disabled list and optioned infielder Adrian Sanchez to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Strasburg, 30, returns to the Nationals after being placed on the 10-day disabled list on July 26 with a cervical nerve impingement. He is 6-7 with a 3.90 ERA in 14 starts for Washington in 2018. He has recorded 10.65...

It's been a strange, eventful summer for the Nationals, and it has only grown stranger and more eventful in recent days - and that's not going to change tonight. Because in the wake of everything else that has gone on around here lately, Stephen Strasburg is coming back from the disabled list to make only his second start in 2 1/2 months, looking to help the Nats gain another game on the Phillies. What can we expect from Strasburg? Hard to say. He didn't make a rehab start, only a 70-pitch...