Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez suffered a strained right oblique during batting practice Thursday against the Chicago Cub, and the injury is likely to send the veteran backstop on the 15-day disabled list.
"Those things happen just like this and got me today," Rodriguez said. "I have never experienced this kind of injury. It never happens to me. We will see what happens tomorrow. We will take it day to day. If tomorrow is not better, (then) we will need a catcher."
Rodriguez said...
Nationals left-handed reliever Doug Slaten has been on the disabled list since June 4 with a left elbow injury. Recently, he has started throwing again. Slaten said he has been building up arm strength and throwing from short distances, but has yet to throw off the mound.
"It is speeding up as of late," Slaten said. "So that is a good sign.
"I am just throwing, building up arm strength again. I feel like it is there. I definitely need to build up some more strength. But getting on the...
Right-hander Shairon Martis continued a hot streak of consistent pitching for Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday, showing the form that got him time most recently with the Nationals in 2009. The difference now is how well he is controlling games, dropping his ERA from 5.25 to 2.68.
Martis went seven strong innings in notching the victory as the Senators dispatched the Erie SeaWolves, 4-3 at Metro Bank Park.
Manager Tony Beasley said Martis was good because he set the tone early with his best...
HARRISBURG, Pa. - Senators left fielder Bryce Harper displayed some diversity and creativity in his offensive game Wednesday, as Double-A Harrisburg edged the Erie SeaWolves 4-3, before 3,052 at Metro Bank Park.
Many fans have gotten used to the 32 extra base hits Harper produced at Single-A Hagerstown. But in his third game at the Double-A level, Harper showed how he is growing into a complete baseball player by adding facets to his hitting.
Harper stroked three singles, the first one for an...
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Double-A Senators lineup is in for tonight's game versus the Erie Seawolves. It is a beautiful night for baseball, the sun setting in a hazy sky, with little or no wind, and 91 degrees at Metro Bank Park.
Here is Tony Beasley's lineup for Harrisburg tonight:
Josh Johnson SS
Adam Fox 2B
Bill Rhinehart DH
Tyler Moore 1B
Chris Rahl CF
Bryce Harper LF
Archie Gilbert RF
Devin Ivany C
Stephen King 3B
Right-hander Shairon Martis (5-3, 2.82 ERA) vs. RHP Brooks Brown (4-3,...
HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Nationals' No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper is well into his first week playing left field for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators. In his first game, Harper had a pair of singles. In his second contest, he threw out two runners from left field trying to stretch singles into doubles.
The transition for Harper from low Single-A to Double-A is in its infancy on the field, and his new teammates are smoothing that change out for the young star in the clubhouse.
His teammates have...
WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Left-hander Sammy Solis took another step forward with a quality debut for the Single-A Potomac Nationals in a 12-3 victory over the Wilmington Blue Rocks at Pfitzner Stadium.
You could hear the smack of Sandy Leon's catcher's mitt when Solis' fastball would smoke in there, and he worked the mound at an up tempo, but controlled pace.
Solis went six innings, scattering seven hits, with three runs, one walk, one home run and five strikeouts. He threw 85 pitches, 57 for...
The Nationals announced that left-hander Sammy Solis has been promoted to the Single-A Potomac Nationals and will make his first Carolina League start tonight at home against Wilmington.
Solis went 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA in seven starts for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns, recording a victory in his last game June 30 versus Lakewood. He also put up 40 strikeouts to 12 walks.
Solis was hoping to begin his professional career with Potomac, but was slowed by a couple of injuries and had to spend more...
Syracuse Chiefs left-handed starter Tom Milone has been named International League Pitcher of the Week after going 14 1/3 innings in two starts and allowing only one run. Milone said the last few weeks have been going smoothly on the mound.
"I can't complain," Milone said. "I am throwing the ball well. Everything is working with all four pitches. I am throwing strikes, which is good. I am not giving out free passes."
Milone is indeed throwing strikes, which are turning into strikeouts....
Nationals No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk in his Double-A debut Monday night with Harrisburg, as the Senators cruised past Erie SeaWolves 8-1.
Derek Norris and Bill Rhinehart each hit a pair of home runs and Brad Peacock won his 10th game, going six innings, allowing a single run and striking out nine.
Harper singled to center field in the first inning off of Erie starter Jamie Johnson. He popped out to third base to lead off the third inning. Harper led...
Laynce Nix could get the start at first base Tuesday with Matt Stairs and Michael Morse ailing, manager Davey Johnson announced after Monday's 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Stairs replaced Morse, who sat out today's game with an arm contusion. Johnson said Stairs then banged up his bad knee running down the line on a foul ball into the stands, and was replaced by Nix.
So Nix was inserted into the lineup for the first time this season at first base. It was the first time in his career...
No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper will be in good hands again in Double-A Harrisburg as he was in Hagerstown, said Nationals' Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo on 106.7 The Fan.
Harper will play mostly in left field in Harrisburg, according to Rizzo. He said that the coaching staff was one of the reasons the organization felt comfortable in selecting Double-A Harrisburg as the next destination for Harper. But, regardless of the coaching staff, the plan...
The Nationals' No. 1 prospect, Bryce Harper, has been promoted from the Single-A Hagerstown Suns to the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, according to general manager Mike Rizzo.
"We feel that he's had plenty of time at the Single-A level. ... He's dominated it pretty well," Rizzo said on "The Extended Pregame Show" on 106.7 The Fan.
Rizzo said Harper will report to Harrisburg tonight, and will be available for tonight's 7 p.m. game against Erie.
The 18-year-old Harper hit .318 with...
Former University of Texas star Russell Moldenhauer is doing well at the plate again this season as the Nationals try to find a home for him at first base.
Sunday, he hit a two-run shot and finished with three RBIs in NY/Penn league short-season Auburn Doubleday's 10-4 victory over State College.
Moldenhauer is batting .312 with six doubles, two homers and 14 RBIs in 16 games since the season began June 17.
Auburn Doubledays manager Gary Cathcart said the 23-year old has been working on his...
Nationals right-hander Ryan Mattheus earned his first major league victory by holding the Pittsburgh Pirates to no runs in the eighth inning of Saturday's 4-3 game two victory.
Mattheus got the first two outs in the inning, allowed two singles and then induced a pop out to third by Pirates clean up hitter Garrett Jones.
"It is awesome," Mattheus said. "Of course, my first win is going to be exciting. But with (Ivan) Rodriguez doing what he did with two outs is really exciting. I almost...
The Nationals split a doubleheader with the Pittsburgh Pirates Saturday, 4-3, on an RBI base hit from Ivan Rodriguez.
But the reason the Nationals were in the game again for some late inning magic was the starting pitching. Lefty John Lannan went seven strong innings on only 80 pitches, scattering six hits, allowing three runs and allowing no walks with one strikeout.
It is the fourth consecutive game a Nationals starter has gone at least seven innings.
"That is the starter's goal is to...
The Nationals new field manager continues to push the right buttons and his team again finds a way to come back late in the game for another stunning victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3, before 39,638 at Nationals Park, earning a split of the Saturday double dip.
Davey Johnson pinch hit veteran Ivan Rodriguez in the bottom of the eighth inning with two men on. He battled Pirates reliever Tony Watson for an RBI single that scored Rick Ankiel with the eventual winning run.
Drew Storen...
Nationals right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang tossed four scoreless innings for the Single-A Potomac Nationals against Wilmington in his second rehab start Saturday night in Woodbridge, Va.
Wang, continuing recovery from major shoulder surgery, tossed 38 pitches with 24 for strikes. He allowed two hits, two walks, no runs and struck out two batters.
According to reports from the field, all seven of his pitches in first inning were strikes. He was tested in the second frame with 17 pitches,...
The Nationals dropped the doubleheader opener to the Pirates, 5-3, on a pair of home runs in the late innings that broke open a close contest. Livan Hernandez had kept the Nationals close, but unlike Friday, it was Pittsburgh that had the late game heroics.
Manager Davey Johnson was pleased with the way Hernandez stayed in the game. He was able to get to the eighth inning, but Sean Burnett allowed two home runs that ended up deciding the game.
"(Hernandez) battled them," Johnson said. "I...
Double-A Harrisburg reliever Hassan Pena has been added to the Western Division roster for the 2011 Northeast Delta Dental Eastern League All-Star game, July 13.
Pena has a record of 1-1 with a 2.10 ERA, five saves, 29 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings for the Senators.
Pena replaces Brad Peacock, who will be in uniform, but will not pitch because of his participation in the XM Futures Game July 10 in Phoenix, Ariz.
Peacock leads the league in several categories including strikeouts (120),...