Single-A Potomac Nationals shortstop Rick Hague played in only four games this season before going down with a shoulder injury. The Nationals have high hopes for the young Rice University product, but want to be careful with his shoulder before they return him to Woodbridge, Va.
Hague is currently in Viera, Fla., rehabbing during extended spring training.
Nationals infield coordinator Jeff Garber updated Hague's status with some positive news. Garber said Tuesday was a "good throwing day"...
Although he has slowed down a bit at the plate recently (.222 in his last 10 games, but 4-for-6 in his last two games) after a scorching few weeks, No. 1 prospect Bryce Harper continues to progress very well for the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns.
Harper is batting .331 through 50 games with 14 doubles, 11 homers and 36 RBIs.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is happy with what he sees from Harper and his situation in Hagerstown.
"His development is obviously a focal point for us,"...
Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa feels like he might have something going here. With a pair of homers Tuesday night in a 10-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, Espinosa now has the team lead and a career-high 10 home runs on the season.
Espinosa has hit the three total round trippers in the series against pitchers named Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. And with four homers in the past five games, Espinosa senses he is in a groove at the plate.
It is no fluke.
Last season, Espinosa...
Nationals senior advisor to the general manager Davey Johnson has been working diligently on next week's First-Year Player Draft and watching a lot of baseball at low Single-A Hagerstown this season.
Johnson will attend this year's draft and put in his two cents' worth in on players the Nationals might consider. Washington holds picks No. 6, 23 and 34 to start the June 6 draft.
Meanwhile, Johnson said the Suns have a very talented squad up and down the roster and the pitching has been...
The Nationals have confirmed that third baseman Ryan Zimmerman will be playing in his first game at extended spring training in Viera, Fla., on Wednesday.
Zimmerman continues rehabilitation from abdominal surgery in early May. The original timetable had Zimmerman, who has been sidelined since April 9, returning in mid to late June.
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said today that Zimmerman is progressing.
"The one thing that was not coming along as quickly as some other stuff about his...
Nationals prospect left-hander Sammy Solis pulled off a solid debut for 2011 with the Single-A Hagerstown Suns at Kannapolis Intimidators on Monday.
Solis went four and 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts, three walks and four hits. He allowed only one hit until the fifth inning, giving up three runs and getting a no decision.
Solis said the start went well but he ran out of gas in that fifth inning. He threw 87 pitches and was sitting between 92 and 95 miles per hour on his fastball, so that...
After battling through a couple of injuries that extended his spring training into late May, Nationals 2010 second-round selection left-hander Sammy Solis is ready to make his season debut today for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns at the Kannapolis Intimidators.
Solis pitched 5 1/3 innings last week in Viera, Fla., throwing 84 pitches. He anticipates a 90-pitch cap today.
"My arm feels strong," Solis said. "Florida was great. I got my work in that I needed to get done. I am excited to be...
Once again, a Nationals starter was cruising along, and once again, the offense had provided a little support.
This time, the Nationals got to the ninth inning, hanging on to a 1-0 lead behind a solo homer from Danny Espinosa and masterful pitching from John Lannan.
With their closer on the hill, it looked like the Nationals would pull this one out and end their week-long skid.
Then, Jason Bartlett connected on his first home run in 247 at-bats, this one on the first pitch off of Drew...
The Nationals announced after tonight's game that left-hander Tom Gorzelanny has been placed in the 15-day disabled list due to left elbow inflammation. The move is retroactive to May 24.
The Nationals did not announce a corresponding roster move. The announcement is expected early Saturday when the player arrives.
Gorzelanny was scheduled to start Sunday's afternoon finale against the Padres.
Syracuse right-hander Yunesky Maya was scheduled to start for the Chiefs on Sunday and could...
Michael Morse slammed the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth from reliever Mike Adams into the left field bullpen to lift the Nationals to a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres before 21,024 at Nationals Park.
Morse has now hit a home run in four consecutive games, and the solo shot was the first walk-off winner of his career.
Danny Espinosa hit his first solo homer of the season, and seventh overall (a career-high) to give Washington a 1-0 advantage through five innings.
Michael Morse...
Single-A Potomac Nationals right-handed starter Cameron Selik has already been through a lot in his career, and he is only a 23-year-old. He underwent Tommy John surgery before he earned a scholarship to the University of Kansas.
So, you can see how Selik has already had his resiliency tested, and has shown how determined he is to keep pushing towards his goal.
Selik started the year at low Single-A Hagerstown and rolled through the South Atlantic League. He went 3-0 in five starts with a...
Second baseman Danny Espinosa crushed a home run to left on a 1-1 pitch off Padres' starter Clayton Richard leading off the bottom of the fifth, giving the Nationals a 1-0 lead.
It was only the Nationals' third hit off of Richard and the seventh homer on the season for Espinosa, a new career-high.
It was the first homer this season for Espinosa with nobody on base. Each of his other six round trippers have been multi-run HRs.
John Lannan has allowed only one hit through five innings with...
Nationals southpaw John Lannan did not allow a base runner through three innings Friday night. He set down the Padres in order 1-through-9.
Jayson Werth and Roger Bernadina have base hits off of Padres' starter Clayton Richard, but Washington could not score a run.
Lannan struck out Chris Denorfia to begin the top of the fourth, and with Jason Bartlett batting, play was stopped.
The rain delay lasted 47 minutes.
Lannan was able to get out of the inning, despite allowing his first base...
Saturday's second game of the series features Nationals right-handed starter Jordan Zimmermann (2-5, 3.98 ERA) against San Diego Padres' right-hander Tim Stauffer (0-3, 3.88).
Despite allowing a game-deciding, two-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero in a 2-1 setback at the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, Zimmermann finished with 6 and 1/3-innings allowing only four hits, those two earned runs, one walk and five strikeouts.
"The outing was great," Zimmermann said. "I felt awesome. (Guerrero) is...
Nationals starter John Lannan had a 1-2-3 first frame against the San Diego Padres. Lannan is looking to bounce back from a rough outing in Baltimore last weekend. He is trying to end a six-game winless streak (2-5, 5.03 ERA).
Lefty Clayton Richard countered with an identical 1-2-3 first inning for San Diego. The Padres ended a five-game skid Wednesday with a 3-1 win over St. Louis.
No score, second inning.
Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche continues rehabilitation from the torn labrum in his left shoulder and a small tear in his rotator cuff, injuries that landed him on the 15-day disabled list. He hopes to return to the lineup in two to three weeks.
But that is a big if. And if you saw him swing in Baltimore last week, even when he connected on a base hit with what appeared to be an all-out swing, it turned into a soft single to right-center field.
LaRoche is hopeful the next two weeks...
Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said he has spoken to Jayson Werth following the right fielder's comments during a postgame interview in Milwaukee earlier in the week.
Werth said after the 6-4 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday that "things needed to change" and he had "some ideas."
Riggleman said during his pregame meeting with the media Friday that he had a meeting with Werth and does not believe Werth was referring to the manager's job status when talking about those needed...
Nationals No. 2 prospect, Sammy Solis, has reported to the Single-A Hagerstown Suns.
Solis has been in extended spring training recovering from various injuries.
The 22-year-old lefty will make his first start Monday. He is not on the official roster yet. The Nationals have some time before Solis' Monday start to make that change.
Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche was sent to the disabled list this week with a shoulder injury, so the discussion regarding the future for the Nationals at that position is in the spotlight. That attention centers around the development of 22-year-old Chris Marrero.
The 6-foot-3, 210 lb., Marrero has once again been handling the bat very well for Triple-A Syracuse, batting .275 with eight doubles, four homers and 19 RBIs in almost two months of play. The last 10 games, he has hit .350...
The Colorado Rockies lost left-hander Jorge De La Rosa to a torn ligament in his elbow Tuesday. He will have to undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery and will be out for at least one year.
With starting pitcher Jason Marquis having a very consistent start for the Nationals this season, his stock will not be any higher at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Washington could be able to cash in if they want to go after some solid leadoff prospects in the Colorado farm system.
The...