Mark Zuckerman

Game 135 lineups: Nats vs. Brewers

August 31, 2018, 11:26am

An August to forget comes to a close tonight when the Nationals host the Brewers in the opener of a three-game series (weather permitting). And it will close with another big-name veteran no longer part of the roster after Ryan Madson was traded to the Dodgers for a minor league right-hander. Madson had made only one appearance since returning from his back injury, so the Nats bullpen has become used to functioning without him. But it's nonetheless striking to know neither he nor Kelvin...

383 Hits

Comments

Tags:

Nats send Madson to Dodgers for minor league pitcher

August 31, 2018, 11:11am

Nationals

Nats send Madson to Dodgers for minor league pitcher

The Nationals made the latest in a string of late-summer moves to deal away soon-to-be-free-agents this afternoon, sending reliever Ryan Madson to the Dodgers for minor league right-hander Andrew Istler just hours before Major League Baseball's pseudo-deadline to trade players who have been placed on revocable waivers. Madson heads to Los Angeles after an up-and-down season in Washington, one in which he was counted on to serve as the club's primary setup man but struggled to stay healthy and...

395 Hits

Comments

Tags:

andrew istler los angeles dodgers mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime ryan madson sammy solis trade deadline featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals' 2019 spring training schedule released

August 29, 2018, 8:54am

Nationals

There are 4 1/2 weeks to go in the 2018 regular season, not to mention a month's worth of postseason games for those franchises fortunate enough to advance, but Major League Baseball has already unveiled the entire 2019 schedule, including spring training now. MLB released the Grapefruit League and Cactus League schedules this afternoon, far earlier than has been typical in previous years. It's perhaps appropriate, then, that the spring schedule will start and conclude early as well. With...

889 Hits

Comments

Tags:

boston red sox houston astros mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york yankees schedule spring training west palm beach featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

More on a lopsided win, Herrera's injury and Harper's pinch-hit

August 26, 2018, 8:56pm

Nationals

More on a lopsided win, Herrera's injury and Harper's pinch-hit

More thoughts, observations and reactions from Sunday's 15-0 drubbing of the Mets at Citi Field ... * This was yet another game that made you shake your head and try to figure out why this team has been so erratic all season. Clearly, the Nationals have the talent to win games like this on a regular basis. Why, though, haven't they been able to do it on a more consistent basis? Or, at least, play just well enough to win some more close games? Something about these Nationals allows them to...

525 Hits

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper davey martinez kelvin herrera mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Nats end drought with 15-0 win, lose Herrera to injury (updated)

August 26, 2018, 12:38pm

Nationals

Nats end drought with 15-0 win, lose Herrera to injury (updated)

NEW YORK - At 10:51 p.m. Wednesday, Ryan Zimmerman launched a drive to right-center field that - thanks to a replay review reversal - gave the Nationals a walk-off win over the Phillies. Eighty-eight hours and one minute after that uplifting moment, Trea Turner scampered home from third base on Juan Soto's groundout to first, pumped his fist and was welcomed back to the dugout with high-fives and smiles. The streak was over. After 32 consecutive zeroes on the scoreboard, the Nationals finally...

474 Hits

Comments

Tags:

jefry rodriguez juan soto kelvin herrera mark reynolds mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets wilmer difo featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Harper, not Soto, gets series finale off (Nats up 9-0)

August 26, 2018, 8:27am

Nationals

Harper, not Soto, gets series finale off (Nats up 9-0)

NEW YORK - Davey Martinez was thinking about sitting one of his left-handed-hitting star outfielders for today's series finale at Citi Field. But not necessarily the one who actually is on the bench this afternoon against the Mets. Despite consideration to giving Juan Soto his first day off since July 4, Martinez instead sat Bryce Harper, who has been dealing with an illness over the weekend. Harper also is 0 for his last 11 at the plate, putting at least a temporary halt to his second-half...

379 Hits

Comments

Tags:

juan soto mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets ryan madson sean doolittle featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 131 lineups: Nats at Mets

August 26, 2018, 6:30am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Will the Nationals score a run today? That it has come to this is quite a statement on where things currently stand for this ballclub. Since Ryan Zimmerman's dramatic, walk-off homer Wednesday night against the Phillies, the Nats have come up to bat 27 times. And 27 times they have failed to score a run. As you know, this is the first time in club history they've been shut out three straight games. So that's the task facing today's lineup, which doesn't include Bryce Harper (not...

382 Hits

Comments

Tags:

jefry rodriguez juan soto lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets frontstory_nationals2

After brushback and plunking, Eaton defends his slide

August 25, 2018, 8:44pm

Nationals

After brushback and plunking, Eaton defends his slide

NEW YORK - Adam Eaton had not been in the Nationals' starting lineup against the Mets since Aug. 1, the day he slid hard into second base and wound up injuring Phillip Evans. (Evans suffered a non-displaced plateau fracture of the left tibia and remains on the disabled list 3 1/2 weeks later.) And given Mets manager Mickey Callaway's reaction to the play a day later - "I think the guy slid in late, and I think his hand actually came off the bag," Callaway said, adding: "We have an injured...

365 Hits

Comments

Tags:

adam eaton mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nats shut out three straight games for first time ever (updated)

August 25, 2018, 2:57pm

Nationals

Nats shut out three straight games for first time ever (updated)

NEW YORK - The Nationals have played 2,234 games in nearly 14 seasons since arriving in the District. And most of the first 1,000 or so of those games were played by losing teams, many of them with lineups severely lacking in talent. Never before, however, had this team failed to score a run in three consecutive games. Not during the Lastings Milledge Era. Not during the days of Cleanup Hitter Austin Kearns. Not during meaningless late-September days when Jeff Kobernus led off, Scott Hairston...

352 Hits

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper juan soto mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets tanner roark featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Madson rejoins club, could rejoin roster in days (Nats down 2-0)

August 25, 2018, 11:02am

Nationals

Madson rejoins club, could rejoin roster in days (Nats down 2-0)

NEW YORK - Ryan Madson rejoined the Nationals today after a week spent with his personal trainer in Phoenix. Whether the veteran reliever will be ready to rejoin the Nationals' active roster in the next few days depends on how he comes out of a planned bullpen session before Sunday's game. Out since August 12, when he served up a walk-off grand slam at Wrigley Field and afterward revealed he had shooting back pain that went down his leg and hindered his ability to pitch, Madson spent the week...

326 Hits

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime ryan madson featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 130 lineups: Nats at Mets

August 25, 2018, 8:36am

Nationals

NEW YORK - We know the Nationals' offensive production has been awfully hit-or-miss - no pun intended, though actually, yes pun intended - this season, and we got a good glimpse of that Friday night when a group that has been pretty effective over the last month was completely shut down by underwhelming left-hander Jason Vargas. What reason is there to believe today will be different? Well, for starters the Nats are facing a different starter, one they've enjoyed much success against over the...

320 Hits

Comments

Tags:

lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets tanner roark frontstory_nationals3

Lefty matchup backfires late in Friday's loss

August 24, 2018, 8:30pm

Nationals

Lefty matchup backfires late in Friday's loss

NEW YORK - Davey Martinez was talking Friday afternoon about one benefit of his ever-changing bullpen: the ability to bring in one or two left-handers to matchup for one or two batters late in a game. That wasn't the case only a few weeks ago, when Sammy SolÃs was the only lefty used in that kind of situation (despite his reverse splits that showed he was more effective against right-handed batters) and Matt Grace was forced into a long-relief role. Now, since SolÃs was demoted to...

320 Hits

Comments

Tags:

matt grace nationals nationals pastime new york mets tim collins featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Nationals shut out again, fall back under .500 (updated)

August 24, 2018, 5:46pm

Nationals

NEW YORK - It was one thing when the Nationals were shut out Thursday afternoon by Aaron Nola and Pat Neshek. It was quite another thing when they did the exact same thing tonight against Jason Vargas, Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman. So much for any positive momentum to come out of their back-to-back, come-from-behind wins over the Phillies to begin the week. Since Ryan Zimmerman's dramatic walk-off homer Wednesday night, the Nationals have been shut out twice, capped by tonight's lifeless 3-0...

290 Hits

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez gio gonzalez mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets tim collins featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Strasburg will make next start on regular turn (Nats down 1-0)

August 24, 2018, 2:18pm

Nationals

Strasburg will make next start on regular turn (Nats down 1-0)

NEW YORK - Though his return from the disabled list earlier this week raised some red flags, Stephen Strasburg will make his next scheduled start for the Nationals early next week. Strasburg, who returned from a month-long stint on the DL due to a neck injury and lasted only four innings against the Phillies with diminished velocity, threw a between-starts bullpen session this afternoon and emerged feeling well, according to manager Davey Martinez. Strasburg threw roughly 40 pitches during the...

329 Hits

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Game 129 lineups: Nats at Mets

August 24, 2018, 11:41am

Nationals

NEW YORK - Gio Gonzalez's season has, by every measure, been a colossal disappointment. If you want to compile a list of things that went wrong this year, the lefty's performance ranks high. One positive constant remains for Gonzalez, though: He still dominates the Mets. Gonzalez enters tonight's start at Citi Field the owner of a 15-5 record and 2.90 ERA in 25 career starts versus New York. And that includes a 1-0 record and 2.53 ERA in his two head-to-head matchups this season. Both of...

471 Hits

Comments

Tags:

gio gonzalez lineups mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime new york mets frontstory_nationals3

Bullpen steps up to make late heroics possible

August 22, 2018, 9:12pm

Nationals

Bullpen steps up to make late heroics possible

For 8 2/3 innings Wednesday night, the most significant thing that happened at Nationals Park was Stephen Strasburg's worrisome return from the disabled list, a shaky four-inning start that raised questions about the right-hander's health and stamina. Then with one dramatic swing, Ryan Zimmerman stole the show and added to his already impressive legacy with the 11th walk-off homer of his career, propelling the roller coaster that is the 2018 Nationals to back-to-back wins over the Phillies...

422 Hits

Comments

Tags:

greg holland jimmy cordero mark zuckerman matt grace nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies tim collins featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

The kid and the veteran team up for one shining moment

August 22, 2018, 8:24pm

Nationals

The kid and the veteran team up for one shining moment

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...

393 Hits

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez juan soto mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies ryan zimmerman featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

Zimmerman to the rescue with 11th career walk-off homer

August 22, 2018, 6:58pm

Nationals

Zimmerman to the rescue with 11th career walk-off homer

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...

365 Hits

Comments

Tags:

bryce harper justin miller mark zuckerman matt wieters nationals nationals pastime philadelphia phillies ryan zimmerman stephen strasburg wander suero featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals3

What's the state of Nats bullpen entering tonight's game?

August 22, 2018, 2:13pm

Nationals

What's the state of Nats bullpen entering tonight's game?

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...

391 Hits

Comments

Tags:

davey martinez kelvin herrera mark zuckerman nationals nationals pastime ryan madson sean doolittle stephen strasburg featured_sidebar frontstory_nationals2

Game 127 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

August 22, 2018, 11:25am

Nationals

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...