Right-handers Joe Ross and Reynaldo Lopez provided answers to their ability to handle heavy workloads, which could be extrememly beneficial in next week's opening round of the postseason, helping the Nationals past the Diamondbacks 5-3.
Ross and Lopez combined to throw 7 2/3 innings, holding the D-backs to three runs. Pedro Severino and Wilmer Difo homered and Michael A. Taylor had three hits and two RBIs as the Nationals earned their 93rd win of the season.
The Nationals' magic number to...
Nationals manager Dusty Baker said second baseman Daniel Murphy (strained left buttocks) is make very good progress in his hopes to get back to close to 100 percent for the postseason.
Baker said Murphy could even pinch-hit in one of the few regular season games remaining prior to the Dodgers series next week in the National League Division Series. And he plans to get Murphy into a practice game next week.
"He's better. He's getting better big-time," Baker said. "I talked to him today,...
The Diamondbacks forced Joe Ross to have to make 32 pitches in a top of the first that spanned 16 minutes. But Ross worked around a 12-pitch leadoff walk to Jean Segura to keep Arizona off the board.
The D-backs scored a run in the top of the third thanks to three singles. Jake Lamb delivered the run-scoring single to lift Arizona to the 1-0 lead.
The Nationals came right back in the bottom of the third thanks to a Pedro Severino solo shot down the left field line. The home run, his second of...
Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos spoke for the first time following the announcement that he is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee.
Ramos said he has had a little bit of time to organize his thoughts and think about what is next after injuring his knee Monday night against the Diamondbacks. As with most ACL injury cases, team doctors will wait for the swelling to go down in the knee before proceeding with surgery.
"I feel a little bit more relaxed," Ramos said through...
The Nationals hope to bounce back quickly with an early game today as they wrap up a four-game series against the Diamondbacks.
Right-hander Joe Ross (7-5, 3.48 ERA) faces off against former Nats prospect lefty Robbie Ray (8-14, 4.77).
Ray, a 12th round selection by the Nationals in 2010, is making his first-ever start at Nats Park.
This is the Nationals' final game against Arizona this season and have won 13 of the last 18 meetings.
Bryce Harper (thumb) and Daniel Murphy (buttocks) have not...
The Nationals began the day with the news that starting catcher Wilson Ramos is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee.
Manager Dusty Baker talked during pregame about the club's catching depth, and how important Jose Lobaton and Pedro Severino would be on the run the Nats hope to be on for the next month.
Then Baker watched as Lobaton and Severino sparked a four-run comeback that turned a two-run deficit into a 4-2 victory over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
Lobaton led off...
Right-hander Max Scherzer allowed a few hard-hit balls in his first three innings against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
Jean Segura hit a mammoth solo shot on the game's first pitch. Jake Lamb and Welington Castillo delivered doubles deep to center field in the third. The D-backs led early by two.
But then, as he does many times, Scherzer started to connect. At one point he struck out seven of eight batters. He ended up with 10 strikeouts in six innings, allowing just two runs on six hits.
The...
Right fielder Brian Goodwin played in his 19th game with the Nationals this season Tuesday and has demonstrated a solid approach at the plate and exceptional defense in the outfield.
The 25-year-old lefty, Goodwin is hitting .324 having played all three outfield spots after being called up in early September.
Meanwhile, Trea Turner has supplanted Ben Revere in the leadoff spot and in center field. Goodwin has joined Turner on defense a few times in the Nats outfield.
Revere has played in 100...
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg is making steady progress as he recovers from right elbow soreness, but doesn't look like he will be available for the National League Division Series against the Dodgers, according to president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo.
"I think it would be kind of pushing it," Rizzo said of Strasburg's availability for the NLDS versus the Dodgers. "I think that's fair to say. I haven't seen him after he did his throwing program today. But with...
Nationals manager Dusty Baker offered a bit of positive news late Monday night after announcing that catcher Wilson Ramos would have to undergo an MRI to check the status of an apparent right knee injury suffered in the sixth inning of Monday's 14-4 loss to the D-backs.
X-rays on right fielder Bryce Harper's left thumb came back negative. Harper did not play in Monday's series opener because of the injury, which occurred on an awkward slide in Sunday's 10-7 win at Pittsburgh.
"Bryce's...
Just two days after clinching their third National League East title in five seasons, the Nationals may have lost their starting catcher with only handful of games remaining.
Wilson Ramos came down awkwardly on his right leg as he went after a high throw from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on a relay from right field in the top of the sixth.
Ramos dropped the ball when he hit the ground and was crumpled in pain before head athletic trainer Paul Lessard came out to attend to him. Ramos left the...
Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was injured when he collapsed on his right leg after leaping to take a throw from right field in the top of the sixth against the Diamondbacks on Monday night.
Ramos appeared to injure his right knee on a relay throw from first baseman Ryan Zimmerman.
D-backs right fielder Yasmany Tomas doubled to score two runs on the play. The second run scored on a Zimmerman's high relay throw on a peg from right fielder Brian Goodwin.
Ramos leaped to catch the throw, came...
One of the many bright spots among the Nationals' September callups has been the play of right fielder Brian Goodwin. Coming into this week, Goodwin is batting .313 with three RBIs.
Manager Dusty Baker said early last week how impressed he has been with Goodwin, and the former North Carolina Tar Heel has delivered at the plate and in the field in Monday's opener against the Diamondbacks.
Facing right-hander Tanner Roark to lead off the game, Arizona's Jean Segura lined the first offering...
Manager Dusty Baker knows his club will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, which begins Oct 7.
Looking ahead to how the Nationals will set up their rotation for the Dodgers, this week's pitching probables give some insight into how the NLDS will work out for Nats starters.
Right-hander Tanner Roark started Monday night's opener against the Diamondbacks. The games notes list right-hander Max Scherzer for Tuesday, left-hander Gio Gonzalez for Wednesday and...
The Nationals announced that left-hander Sammy Solis has been activated from the disabled list. He had been out with left shoulder inflammation since Aug. 16.
Solis makes the Nats roster total 39 active players. Catcher Spencer Kieboom is the only player on 40-man that is not currently on the active roster.
Solis has been a solid contributor out of the 'pen this season, throws in the mid-90s and has ability to be a long reliever if the Nats need him to. But manager Dusty Baker has said as late...
The Nationals announced that Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs first baseman Matt Skole has been named a minor league Gold Glove winner for 2016. Skole recorded just one error in 874 chances for a .999 fielding percentage.
The 27-year-old Skole, a 2011 fifth-round selection out of Georgia Tech, has worked his way up the organizational ladder after hitting a road block in 2013. On a freak play at first base, Skole injured his elbow and had to undergo Tommy John and missed the entire season.
Skole, a...
The Nationals instructional league roster heads to the field today to begin their schedule.
The roster includes prospects like Erick Fedde, Victor Robles, Juan Soto and Dane Dunning.
The Nats face off against the Tigers at 1 p.m. from the Disney Complex in Orlando.
Here is a look at the instructional league schedule for the Nats:
Sept. 26: Tigers (@ Disney) Sept. 27: @Braves Sept. 28: Camp Day (10 a.m. start) Sept. 29: @Astros Sept. 30: Braves
Oct. 1: Camp Day Oct. 2: OFF Oct. 3: Camp Day Oct....
Nationals players celebrated at PNC Park as they officially wrapped up the 2016 National League East division crown with a 6-1 win over the Pirates and a Mets 10-8 loss to the Phillies.
A few of the important starting pitchers had a chance to speak with MASN's Dan Kolko during the champagne celebration.
Right-hander Tanner Roark talked about enjoying this moment again with the club.
"It feels just as good as the first time, great group of guys," Roark told Kolko. "We stick together. It's a...
MIAMI - Max Scherzer "stops all streaks," according to manager Dusty Baker.
He did it again Wednesday for his 18th win of the season.
The right-hander delivered another sterling performance and showed Baker was true to his word in an 8-3 dispatch of the Marlins, snapping the Nationals' four-game losing streak.
"He's the epitome of the shutdown inning," Baker said. "You get him some runs he knows how to close the door.
"Max is awesome. He should be in strong consideration for a Cy Young....
MIAMI - The offense needed a performance like they delivered Wednesday, especially after struggles in Atlanta and to begin this series.
Ryan Zimmerman crushed a three-run shot, highlighting an 8-3 win for the Nationals over the Marlins, salvaging the final game of the series and ending a four-game losing streak.
Trea Turner also homered in support of Max Scherzer, who allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings for his 18th win of the season.
Wilson Ramos added an RBI double and Jayson Werth had a...
