Two no-hitters. A 20-strikeout game. Three All-Star Games. A Cy Young Award. OK, now that we've listed a few of his credentials, it's pretty obvious that you probably can't beat Max Scherzer in baseball. But you could beat him at something else. So prove it! The CareFirst Fan Challenge is back, and we want you to challenge Mad Max to ... anything! Think you can take him down in a game of cornhole or chess? Can you grill a better burger than him or make him say uncle following a round of...

"MASN Nationals - 2016 Max Scherzer Fan Challenge" : Official Contest Rules NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL U.S. RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED. MUST BE 13 YEARS OF AGE AND...

It's too early to say whether Tanner Roark's guile and Jayson Werth's guts actually saved the Nationals' 2016 season. But when they look back it all, their June 26 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers may be seen as an epiphany. For now, at least, the bleeding has stopped. In just a week's time, the Nationals had gone from the hottest team in the National League to the coldest, and this week's series with the New York Mets went from an opportunity to build a huge National League East lead...

Jonathan Papelbon's return to the Nationals bullpen may only be a handful of days away. Papelbon will begin a rehab assignment with high Single-A Potomac on Monday night, the minor league affiliate announced, suggesting the injured closer is nearly ready to come back from a strained ribcage muscle. Out since June 13 with what officially is considered a strained right intercostal muscle, Papelbon traveled with the Nationals throughout their just-completed road trip and had been playing catch...

MILWAUKEE - Dusty Baker said the Nationals will dip into their minor leagues to find a starting pitcher for Tuesday night's home game against the Mets. Since news broke that the Nats would need a starter Tuesday night, social media has been buzzing about the possibility that the hometown fans would get to see right-hander Lucas Giolito, the team's top pitching prospect, make his major league debut. Right now, it appears either Giolito, who is pitching for Double-A Harrisburg, or right-hander...

The Orioles offense in June has been in a word, well, spectacular. The Orioles have hit 51 home runs this month. If they hit five more homers in the remaining three games in June, they will set a major league record for most homers in the month. The current mark is 55 by the 1996 Oakland Athletics. If the Orioles hit eight homers over the next three games, they will set a major league record for most homers in any single month. The current mark is 58 held by the 1987 Orioles and the 1999...

MILWAUKEE - Stephen Strasburg has spent more time with the chiropractor over the past week than he has on the mound. The right-hander didn't want to go on the disabled list after a recurring upper back strain twice forced him to be scratched from scheduled starts, but he understands why the DL move was necessary. "Goal No. 1 is to figure out what it is and what's causing it and get back here as soon as I can," Strasburg said in the Nationals clubhouse after Sunday's 3-2 victory over the...

The Orioles are in first place by four games in the American League East and trying to distance themselves from the rest of the field and win their second division crown in three seasons. Mark Trumbo currently is fourth among American League outfielders in All-Star voting. Guess where his attention and focus are fixed? Anyone who knows Trumbo or has been around him for any length of time can figure out that he's more concerned about getting to the playoffs, about winning the games that count....

MILWAUKEE - Ending a seven-game losing streak proved just as daunting a task for the Nationals as the difficult path that saddled them with a season-worst skid in the first place. But a 3-2 win over the Brewers on Sunday assured the Nationals of going home for a key series against the Mets with some positive vibes on their side. But to get there, the Nationals had to turn to an emergency starting pitcher who cut short a Saturday bullpen session at 38 pitches when he found out he'd be needed in...

Manager: Terry Collins (6th season) Record: 40-34 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: CF Yoenis Cespedes (.287/.358/.566 with 18 HR, 45 RBIs), 2B Neil Walker (.265 with 14 HR, 30 RBIs), RF Curtis Granderson (13 HR, 21 RBIs), RHP Noah Syndergaard (8-2, 2.08 ERA), RHP Jeurys Familia (2.89 ERA with 26 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-3 Pitching probables: June 27: RHP Noah Syndergaard vs. RHP Joe Ross, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 28: RHP Matt Harvey vs. TBA, 7:05 p.m., MASN June 29: LHP Steven Matz vs....