Mark Zuckerman

Eventful night in Anaheim ahead for ever-changing Nationals

July 18, 2017, 10:00am

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Hello from Orange County, home of Disneyland, reality TV stars and - for a quick two nights - the ever-changing Washington Nationals. Fresh off a four-game sweep in Cincinnati, the Nats have made their way west for the second and third legs of a strange road trip to open the season's second half. They'll play two against the Angels, then fly to Phoenix for three with the Diamondbacks before finally heading home for the first time in a long time. There are going to be no...

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Thoughts on the Nationals' blockbuster bullpen trade

July 16, 2017, 9:02pm

Nationals

We knew it was coming, there wasn't any question about that. We only didn't know when it was coming, whether the Nationals would be able to strike a big deal to address their bullpen early in the summer or whether they would have to wait until the final flurry at the July 31 trade deadline to fix the most glaring hole on their roster. So when it did happen Sunday, it was both surprising and completely predictable, all at the same time. Of course Mike Rizzo and Billy Beane were going to...

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Nationals hope to return recharged after All-Star break

July 13, 2017, 7:42pm

Nationals

Rarely does anyone ever try to claim the All-Star break came at a bad time. Just about every team in baseball happily takes the four-day midsummer hiatus offered to the entire league, uses that time to rest up physically and mentally and then returns recharged for the second half of the season. The Nationals certainly fall in that category. They limped a bit into the All-Star break, having played 36 games in 38 days, going 19-17 over that span, while also sending five key players to the...

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SolÃs optioned to Syracuse, weekend rotation announced

July 13, 2017, 8:15am

Nationals

SolÃs optioned to Syracuse, weekend rotation announced

The Nationals will open the second half of their season Friday with at least one change to their roster. Struggling reliever Sammy SolÃs was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, the club announced today. A corresponding move will be made before Friday's second-half opener in Cincinnati. SolÃs' demotion comes less than two weeks after he was activated off the disabled list following a long rehab from nerve inflammation in his elbow. The left-hander, who had been out 2 1/2 months, surrendered a...

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Top second-half storylines for the Nationals

July 12, 2017, 12:48pm

Nationals

As the second half of the season arrives, we have a pretty good idea just what the 2017 Nationals are. This is perhaps the most talented team they've had during their now-six-year run of contention, with an imposing and deep lineup, dominant starters atop the rotation and an experienced and productive bench. This is also, of course, a team with one gigantic hole that could blow the entire thing up: a bullpen that desperately needs a midseason makeover. There's also reason to be concerned...

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Nationals' first-half report card

July 11, 2017, 9:13pm

Nationals

Hope everybody enjoyed the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game the last two nights. One proved to be quite an exciting event. The other proved to be kind of a boring event. But it was nonetheless something to see four Nationals starting for the National League, especially when the camera would pan to the right side of the field and the screen would be awash with curly Ws. Now that the festivities are over, though, it's time for the actual break part of the All-Star break. There are no games on...

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Zimmerman is a "completely different" All-Star eight years later

July 10, 2017, 9:21pm

Nationals

Zimmerman is a "completely different" All-Star eight years later

It wasn't exactly a joyous occasion for Ryan Zimmerman. Sure, he was excited to be an All-Star for the first time in his career, but his trip to St. Louis for the 2009 Midsummer Classic coincided with several developments that were not to be celebrated. Only five days earlier, Zimmerman's grandmother Ilene had died, forcing him to leave the Nationals and head to North Carolina for her funeral. He rejoined the club in Houston in time for the club's first-half finale - a 5-0 loss, the lone...

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Despite rough stretch, Nationals in strong position at the break

July 09, 2017, 8:45pm

Nationals

When the Nationals convened at Oakland Coliseum way back on June 2, having just enjoyed a lovely day off in the Bay Area, they knew they were about to begin a particularly difficult and prolonged stretch that would take them right up to the All-Star break. Staring at the Nats at that moment were 20 games in 20 days, then after one day off, another 17 games in 17 games before they at last could enjoy a breather. It was daunting, but this also was a team that not only was playing well but was...

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"Triceps tenderness" ends Ross' afternoon early

July 09, 2017, 2:45pm

Nationals

"Triceps tenderness" ends Ross' afternoon early

The diminished velocity was noticeable from the outset, with the radar gun at Nationals Park consistently flashing "89" or "88" on Joe Ross' fastballs, with only an occasional "90" or "91" sprinkled in there. But because Ross coasted through his first two innings against the Braves with little trouble, there wasn't much reason for those inside the home dugout to start asking questions. It was the top of the third when the Nationals began to have some concerns about Ross' health, when...

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Nats overcome early Ross departure to beat Braves 10-5

July 09, 2017, 1:07pm

Nationals

Nats overcome early Ross departure to beat Braves 10-5

For the second straight afternoon, the Nationals lost a starting pitcher by the fourth inning. This time, they still managed to find a way to win. Despite the early departure of Joe Ross, pulled in the top of the fourth with his velocity diminished, the Nationals rode a wave of clutch hits and solid relief work to a 10-5 victory over the Braves to close out the first half of the season on a high note. Matt Wieters drove in three runs, Anthony Rendon drove in two, Ryan Zimmerman and Chris Heisey...

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Roark's relief appearance a small silver lining

July 09, 2017, 8:27am

Nationals

Roark's relief appearance a small silver lining

If you're searching for silver linings from Saturday's 13-0 drubbing at the hands of the Braves - an admittedly difficult proposition - how about Tanner Roark's relief appearance? It may not have done anything to help put the Nationals in position to win the game, but on a personal level it was a positive development for Roark, who needed one in the worst way. The end result - three runs allowed in five innings - wasn't especially notable, but Roark looked (and felt) like a much different...

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Game 88 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

July 09, 2017, 6:38am

Nationals

The final day of the first half of the 2017 season has arrived, and while it may feel like this day has come quickly, it also comes at the end of a particularly difficult portion of the schedule for the Nationals. They had 37 games scheduled in the last 38 days - one of those was Wednesday night's game that was postponed - and during this time they've seen Jayson Werth, Trea Turner, Michael A. Taylor, Koda Glover and Shawn Kelley all land on the disabled list. The Nationals' record during...

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After disastrous relief appearance, SolÃs back to square one

July 08, 2017, 8:32pm

Nationals

After disastrous relief appearance, SolÃs back to square one

Saturday's game was already out of hand before Sammy SolÃs ever took the mound at Nationals Park. The Braves held a 9-0 lead after eight innings, so this was supposed to be nothing more than an opportunity for SolÃs to get some work in and further distance himself from a long stint on the disabled list. And then over the course of one agonizing inning of (to be honest) meaningless baseball, SolÃs wound up creating more questions about his status and what the Nationals should do with...

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Strasburg "fine" after comebacker, worst loss of season

July 08, 2017, 4:29pm

Nationals

Strasburg "fine" after comebacker, worst loss of season

First things first: Stephen Strasburg says he feels fine after taking a comebacker off his right hip in the top of the third inning today, and says that won't impact his ability to pitch in Tuesday night's All-Star Game. The decision to remove Strasburg from the game at the end of that inning, with the Braves already leading by six runs and on their way to a 13-0 drubbing of the Nationals, was made by manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Mike Maddux, not the pitcher himself. Though Baker...

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Nationals battered by Braves during first shutout loss of 2017

July 08, 2017, 3:18pm

Nationals

They didn't get the start they needed from Stephen Strasburg. They didn't get the defense they needed to aid their All-Star pitcher. And they didn't get the offense they typically have produced against Julio Teheran. The Nationals didn't do much right this afternoon, and so the ensuing result - a 13-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Braves - shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In a fairly uninspired performance, the Nationals got down early to Atlanta and never put forth a serious...

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Strasburg hit by comebacker, departs (Nats lose 13-0)

July 08, 2017, 1:20pm

Nationals

Strasburg hit by comebacker, departs (Nats lose 13-0)

Stephen Strasburg's All-Star first half ended with a thud this afternoon. And that might end up keeping him from pitching in Tuesday night's Midsummer Classic in Miami. Strasburg departed after only three innings today, giving up six runs (three earned) to a Braves lineup that has given him fits plenty of times before. Whether his early departure was a due to the comebacker he took off his right hip is not yet known, but it appeared to play some role in the decision. Strasburg already was...

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Who starts Sunday's first-half finale?

July 08, 2017, 11:01am

Nationals

They haven't made any formal announcement yet, but the Nationals appear to be setting things up for Joe Ross to start Sunday's first-half finale against the Braves. Officially, the Nationals are still deciding between Ross and Tanner Roark for the assignment. "We don't know," manager Dusty Baker said when asked if Ross will make the start. "It just depends on if we might have to use one or the other (today). It'll either be him or Tanner." The insinuation was that the plan could be...

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Game 87 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

July 08, 2017, 8:11am

Nationals

The Nationals and Braves resume their four-game series later this afternoon, with Stephen Strasburg on the mound for his final start of the season's first half. Strasburg is headed to the All-Star Game after this, but it'll be interesting to see if he ends up pitching Tuesday night in Miami on only two days' rest. It may depend on how far he goes today. Julio Teheran starts for the Braves, and that typically has been good news for the Nationals (who have had a lot of success against him) and...

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On the decision to let Scherzer try to finish the eighth inning

July 07, 2017, 8:33pm

Nationals

On the decision to let Scherzer try to finish the eighth inning

Max Scherzer communicates with his manager and pitching coach as well as anybody in the sport, and for that and many other reasons he has earned the trust of both to dictate (most of the time) how long he can remain in a ballgame. So if you're wondering who decided Scherzer should remain on the mound in the top of the eighth inning Friday night, as his pitch count first topped 110 and then reached 120, the answer is ... Scherzer himself. "He said he was good," manager Dusty Baker said. "We...

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Contributions abound in Nationals' come-from-behind win

July 07, 2017, 8:07pm

Nationals

How did the Nationals pull a 5-4, 10-inning victory over the Braves out of their caps tonight? Take your pick. There was Daniel Murphy's game-winning hit to deep left field in the bottom of the 10th, but that wouldn't have been possible without AdriÃ¡n Sanchez's first career hit to ignite the rally. And the Nationals only found themselves in a situation where one run would win the game because Matt Albers induced a 6-4-3 double play from Matt Kemp in the top of the 10th with the go-ahead...