Opposite dugout: Suspended game, makeup bring Yankees back to D.C.

Opposite dugout: Suspended game, makeup bring Yankees back to D.C.
Manager: Aaron Boone (1st year) Record: 46-21 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 3B Miguel Andújar (.293/.321/.515 with 28 RBIs), 2B Gleyber Torres (.283 with 13 HR, 34 RBIs), RF Aaron Judge (18HR, 46 RBIs), LF Giancarlo Stanton (16 HR, 37 RBIs), C Gary Sánchez (13 HR, 39 RBIs), RHP Sonny Gray (4-4, 4.98 ERA), LHP Aroldis Chapman (1.17 ERA, 20 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 1-1 Pitching probables: June 18: Suspended game resumes at 5:05 p.m. on MASN June 18: RHP Sonny Gray (4-4) vs....
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Former National, fan favorite Michael Morse to take on MASN broadcast booth in Toronto

Former National, fan favorite Michael Morse to take on MASN broadcast booth in Toronto
The MASN broadcast booth will have a familiar face in an unfamiliar role this weekend as the team heads north of the border. Instead of the usual duo of Bob Carpenter and F.P. Santangelo calling the Nationals' three games against the Blue Jays, former Nats player and local fan favorite Michael Morse will take on the role of color analyst alongside play-by-play man Carpenter. Santangelo will be in California for his son's college graduation. Morse, 36, has begun transitioning his career from...
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Ryan Sullivan: Nationals need a boost behind the plate

Ryan Sullivan: Nationals need a boost behind the plate
The Nationals have been scuffling thus far in June with a 5-5 record. In particular, the offense has been struggling, scoring only 39 runs in those 10 games. And if you eliminate their 11-run explosion last week against the Rays, the Nationals are averaging only 3.11 runs per game in June. While it takes many hitters collectively struggling at the same time to produce these results, the Nationals catchers have been particularly dreadful recently. Starting catcher Matt Wieters was having a solid...
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Opposite dugout: Going is still tough for a streaky and unimpressive Blue Jays squad

Opposite dugout: Going is still tough for a streaky and unimpressive Blue Jays squad
Manager: John Gibbons (11th season) Record: 30-38 Last 10 games: 5-5 Players to watch: INF Yangervis Solarte (.252, 12 HR, 37 RBIs), RF Teoscar Hernández (11 HR, 31 RBIs), 3B Josh Donaldson (.234, 5 HR, 16 RBIs). RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 3.66 ERA), RHP Tyler Clippard (4-2, 3.34 ERA) Series vs. Nationals: 1st meeting (2-1 in 2015) Pitching Probables: May 28: RHP Aaron Sanchez (3-5) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:07 p.m., MASNMay 29: RHP Marco Estrada (3-6) vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 4:07 p.m., MASNMay 30:...
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Liz Barr: Pitching staff taking the fall for Nats' stagnant offense

Liz Barr: Pitching staff taking the fall for Nats' stagnant offense
Your pitchers can't get you a win if you don't score any runs. By all means, a starting pitcher that goes at least six innings and only gives up two or three runs should not be an automatic loss. It's not the greatest start of their life, but they're keeping the other team in arm's reach. That's not a lot of runs for a starter to give up, especially if they're going long, and in theory the offense should be able to produce enough runs to at least make it a net zero. But that hasn't been...
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Opposite dugout: Struggling Orioles are looking for answers

Opposite dugout: Struggling Orioles are looking for answers
Manager: Buck Showalter (9th year) Record: 20-50 Last 10 games: 1-9 Who to watch: SS Manny Machado (.310/.377/.567 with 18 HR, 53 RBIs ), 3B Danny Valencia (.283/.350/.462), CF Adam Jones (16 doubles, 10 HR, .293/.313/.457), RF Mark Trumbo (.261/.320/.420), RHP David Hess (4.13 ERA), RHP Brad Brach (10 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 0-3 Pitching probables: June 19: RHP David Hess (2-3) vs. RHP Jefry Rodriguez, 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 20: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-8) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez, 7:05...
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Marty Niland: Paul Casanova displayed tenacity in historic contest

Marty Niland: Paul Casanova displayed tenacity in historic contest
Endurance is the most remarkable trait of professional athletes. Whether it's Alex Ovechkin grinding through 13 National Hockey League seasons before winning the Stanley Cup or Nationals ace Max Scherzer powering through eight innings to strike out 13 batters, remarkable displays of strength and stamina make for compelling competition. On June 12, 1967, 41 years ago Tuesday, Senators catcher Paul Casanova showed such tenacity, working 22 innings behind the plate and driving in the winning run...
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Opposite dugout: Young Yankees powering way toward AL East crown

Opposite dugout: Young Yankees powering way toward AL East crown
Manager: Aaron Boone (1st year) Record: 42-19 Last 10 games: 8-2 Who to watch: 2B Gleyber Torres (.297/.356/.559), SS Didi Gregorius (36 RBIs, 8 SB), 3B Miguel Andújar (.310/.340/.552), RF Aaron Judge (18 HR, 45 RBIs), DH Giancarlo Stanton (15 HR, 34 RBIs), LHP CC Sabathia (3.59 ERA), LHP Aroldis Chapman (17 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (May 15 suspended game to be completed June 18) Pitching probables: June 12: RHP Tanner Roark (3-6) vs. LHP CC Sabathia (3-1), 7:05...
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Ryan Sullivan: Breaking down the Nationals' draft

Ryan Sullivan: Breaking down the Nationals' draft
This week, Major League Baseball held its annual First-Year Player Draft, with more than 1,200 players selected over three days. Much like new television shows, most of these players will not be hits and being chosen on draft day will likely be their career highlight. But a few, like new YouTube show "Cobra Kai," blossom into breakout performers. With May sweeps barely in the rearview mirror, I use my favorite sitcoms to help introduce the 2018 Nationals draft class. "Head of the Class":...
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Liz Barr: What award doesn't Max Scherzer deserve?

Liz Barr: What award doesn't Max Scherzer deserve?
Max Scherzer is the best pitcher in baseball right now, and he's accomplished things that other pitchers would only dream of ever touching. He has two immaculate innings, two no-hitters and a 20-strikeout game. He has three Cy Young Awards, and is the two-time incumbent winner in the National League. He looks to be well on his way to a third straight, and there's no question about it. Scherzer is crushing the National League in just about every pitching category, leading a dominant Nationals...
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Opposite dugout: Injury-plagued Giants still in NL West hunt

Opposite dugout: Injury-plagued Giants still in NL West hunt
Manager: Bruce Bochy (12th season) Record: 31-31 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: C Buster Posey (.303/.370/.443),1B Pablo Sandoval (.282/.330/.447), SS Brandon Crawford (.324, 27 RBIs), 3B Evan Longoria (31 RBIs), RF Andrew McCutchen (18 doubles, 27 RBIs), RHP Hunter Strickland (12 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: June 8: LHP Andrew Suárez (2-4) vs. RHP Stephen Strasburg (6-5), 7:05 p.m., MASNJune 9: RHP Dereck Rodríguez (1-0) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-2), 12:05...
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Night off gives Nats chance to cheer on Caps in Stanley Cup finals

Night off gives Nats chance to cheer on Caps in Stanley Cup finals
Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals took the D.C. by storm on Monday night, and with the First-Year Player Draft taking place, some of the Nationals took in the eventful evening at Capital One Arena, cheering on the Washington Capitals as they moved closer to eliminating the Vegas Golden Knights with a 6-2 victory. The Capitals attempting to make history and win the club's first StanleyCup and Washington's first major sports championship in a quarter of a century. The @Nationals' Ryan...
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Opposite Dugout: Skidding Rays hoping to get back to .500

Opposite Dugout: Skidding Rays hoping to get back to .500
Manager: Kevin Cash (4th season) Record: 28-30 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 1B C.J. Cron (12 HR, 32 RBIs), SS Daniel Robertson (.272), C Wilson Ramos (.301 with 7 HR, 29 RBIs), 3B Matt Duffy (.308), RHP Sergio Romo (5.96 ERA), RHP Ryne Stanek (3.97 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (2-1 in 2015) Pitching probables: June 5: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-0) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (9-1), 7:05 p.m., MASN2June 6: TBA vs. RHP Tanner Roark (2-6), 1:05 p.m., MASN2 Inside the Rays: The Rays...
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Marty Niland: Ken McMullen draws birthday love from D.C. fans

Marty Niland: Ken McMullen draws birthday love from D.C. fans
Washington baseball fans still love Ken McMullen. The former Senators third baseman's 76th birthday was June 1, and there were dozens of likes and comments on a post recognizing the occasion on two D.C. Baseball History Facebook pages. The post included a photo of McMullen wearing a Senators uniform, in a fielding pose and wearing a batting helmet. McMullen came to the Senators in the same seven-player blockbuster that brought Frank Howard to the nation's capital, and McMullen flourished...
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Ryan Sullivan: Tough roster decisions looming for Nationals

Ryan Sullivan: Tough roster decisions looming for Nationals
The Double-A Harrisburg Senators' Twitter account last Thursday announced that Nationals players Matt Grace, Brian Goodwin and Daniel Murphy would begin rehabilitation assignments last weekend. Adam Eaton starts his rehab at Harrisburg today. The healthy return of each player is a positive for the Nationals, but could lead to some difficult roster decisions for manager Davey Martinez. According to Martinez, Goodwin is expected to return first, followed by Grace, Murphy and finally Eaton, who...
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Opposite Dugout: Braves host Nationals with NL East lead at stake

Opposite Dugout: Braves host Nationals with NL East lead at stake
Manager: Brian Snitker (3rd season)Record: 32-23 Last 10 games: 5-5 Players to watch: 2B Ozzie Albies (14 HR, 34 RBIs), 1B Freddie Freeman (.335 with 9 HR, 40 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.332, 38 RBIs), LHP Sean Newcomb (5-1, 2.75 ERA), RHP Mike Foltynewicz (4-3, 2.55 ERA), RHP Arodys Vizcaino (9 saves, 2.38 ERA) Series vs. Nationals: 3-2 Pitching probables: May 31: RHP Tanner Roark (2-4) vs. LHP Sean Newcomb (5-1), 7:35 p.m., MASN2June 1: RHP Stephen Strasburg (6-4) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz...
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Liz Barr: April gloom and doom give way to May resurgence by Nationals

Liz Barr: April gloom and doom give way to May resurgence by Nationals
We like to focus on the bad. All of our articles and tweets are about what the Nationals are doing wrong, how they are struggling and where they need to improve. I'm as guilty of doing this as anyone. But here's the bottom line that we're ignoring: The Nationals are actually good. In the midst of all their injuries and offensive struggles, the Nationals snuck up on us and became good again. The month of May was a revelation. So far this month they've gone 18-6, which is the best in...
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Marty Niland: The team that almost moved to Washington in 1973

Marty Niland: The team that almost moved to Washington in 1973
Imagine if the names of franchise greats inscribed on the mezzanine of Nationals Park included Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith and Willie McCovey. What if, instead of tracing its roots back to Montreal, Washington's baseball team had its origins in San Diego? It might have happened if the dreams of Washington baseball fans 45 summers ago has come true, instead of ending in one of many heartbreaks for the city. The story began on May 28, 1973 when The Washington Post greeted readers with the...
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Opposite dugout: Struggling O's might be forced to become sellers

Opposite dugout: Struggling O's might be forced to become sellers
Manager: Buck Showalter (9th season) Record: 17-36 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: SS Manny Machado (.324 with 15 HR, 44 RBIs); CF Adam Jones (.274 with 9 HR, 25 RBIs); LF Trey Mancini (.240 with 7 HR, 48 hits); RHP Dylan Bundy (3-6, 4.45 ERA); LHP Richard Bleier (3-0, 1.37 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (2-2 in 2017) Pitching probables: May 28: LHP Gio Gonzalez (5-2) vs. RHP Alex Cobb (1-6); 1:05 p.m., MASN2May 29: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (1-0) vs. RHP Dylan Bundy (3-6); 7:05...
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Ryan Sullivan: Is Mark Reynolds part of a shift in baseball thinking?

Ryan Sullivan: Is Mark Reynolds part of a shift in baseball thinking?
The Nationals have dealt with an incredible amount of injuries so far in 2018. Certainly, every team suffers with injuries and complaining will not help players heal faster, but as someone recently joked on Twitter, the Nationals could have a .500 club with their roster presently on the disabled list. It is a testament to the performance of the team's reserves that Washington's record currently stands at 26-22 and only three games back of first place in the National League East. Fortunately...
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