Manager: John Farrell (4th season) Record: 9-7 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 2B Dustin Pedrioa (.254/.324/.492 with 4 HR, 9 RBIs), LF Hanley Ramirez (.263/.326/.528 with 5 HR, 12 RBIs), SS Xander Bogaerts (.302 with 8 RBIs), RHP Justin Masterson (2-0, 5.74 ERA), RHP Koji Uehara (1-0, 2 saves, 0.00 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-2 Pitching probables: April 24: RHP Rick Porcello vs. RHP Miguel Gonzalez, 7:05 p.m., MASN April 25: RHP Justin Masterson vs. LHP Wei-Yin Chen, 7:05 p.m., MASN2...

It's just the rubber match of an early season three-game set between the Nationals and Cardinals, but it features a marquee pitching matchup between two of the game's most talented right-handers. Washington's Max Scherzer, 30, brings his sterling 0.83 ERA to the hill to face 23-year-old Michael Wacha of the Cards. "We run out there today hoping that we've got our ace going and to take two of three from these guys would be a good series for us," said Nationals manager Matt Williams....

Double-A Harrisburg catcher Pedro Severino made a big splash to begin the season by throwing out seven consecutive would-be base stealers. His range factor, which is his per game average of putouts and assists, is 9.10. After a slow start at the plate, Severino's bat has heated up. He has gone 9-for-16 (.563) with two doubles and seven RBIs. He had started the season going six games without a hit. But his arm and his defense have been the buzz to begin the season. Nationals catching...

The Orioles are breaking out a different lineup tonight in Toronto while trying to snap a three-game losing streak. David Lough is leading off and Jimmy Paredes is at second base, a position he hasn't started at since 2013 (he played seven innings there last year). Ryan Flaherty is on the bench, along with Steve Pearce, who's in a 4-for-41 slump. Pearce is 3-for-8 (.375) with a home run lifetime against Blue Jays right-hander Drew Hutchison, but he's not starting tonight. Ryan Lavarnway is...

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Nationals manager Matt Williams was asked during his pregame media session Thursday about second baseman Dan Uggla and how the veteran must change his preparations each game now that he comes off the bench. "It's never easy. Being an everyday player his whole career, it's not easy to learn how to do it," Williams said. "The objective when he walks up there is to be him and not try to be something that he is not. His thought process when he goes up there is(to) get a good one to hit and...

The Nationals will send right-hander Max Scherzer to the hill this afternoon to try and take the rubber game of a three-game set against the Cardinals. Scherzer is 1-1 with a 0.83 ERA in his first three starts in a Nats uniform. Left fielder Jayson Werth is out of the starting lineup, with Clint Robinson getting the nod in left and hitting fifth. The Nats are hoping the matchup of Robinson's left-handed power bat and right-hander Michael Wacha starting for the Cardinals will translate into...

Injuries have forced new roles for several Nationals all over the field in the first month of the season. Former starter Blake Treinen has transitioned into the bullpen, and with right-hander Casey Janssen down, he's been asked to take over the pressure-packed eighth-inning role. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo made a bold but debatable move in the offseason when he traded away dependable setup man Tyler Clippard in order to acquire infielder Yunel Escobar. The nine-year veteran has...

The Nationals dug themselves an early hole tonight, battled to even the score and then wasted a gritty comeback in a 7-5 loss to the Cardinals. The evening got off to a rough beginning for right-hander Doug Fister after Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter belted a changeup over the right field wall for a leadoff homer. Fister couldn't escape the longball in the second, either, after second baseman Kolten Wong deposited another Fister offering into the stands in right. By the time the Nats...

Early in the day, left-handed reliever Matt Grace was suited up and ready to go for Triple-A Syracuse in its game versus Rochester. Then he got the call that he was headed to D.C. to join the Nationals because left-hander Felipe Rivero had to be placed on the disabled list due to a gastrointestinal issue. Grace then hurried to catch a flight to D.C., only to be delayed before taking off from Syracuse. "Kind of a whirlwind. I was in Syracuse, game's about to start," Grace said. "Kind of...