Marty Niland: Enough blame to go around as promising season runs off the rails

Marty Niland: Enough blame to go around as promising season runs off the rails
How did it come to this? Six months after after Bryce Harper essentially predicted a World Series championship in the preseason, the Nationals were eliminated from postseason contention with more than a week to play. Despite Harper's MVP-caliber season and Max Scherzer's Cy Young-caliber first half, the defending National League East champions haven't even clinched a winning record with seven games to play. After supposedly trading to shore up their bullpen weakness, the Nationals stood by...
Continue reading

Andrew Stetka: For Orioles, goals have changed in season's final week

Andrew Stetka: For Orioles, goals have changed in season's final week
The Orioles face a daunting task as they enter their final week of 2015. No longer in the running to repeat as American League East champions, and barely hanging on as wild card contenders, the O's are now simply trying to stack as many wins as possible heading into the offseason. A few weeks back, I looked at the team's struggles in the same negative light that many did. Even through that, I was able to search for and find positives. Now, as the team approaches the 81-loss mark, there's...
Continue reading

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon react after fight in Nats dugout

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon react after fight in Nats dugout
After attacking Bryce Harper in the Nationals dugout during the eighth inning of Sunday's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, veteran closer Jonathan Papelbon attempted to explain his actions. "First of all, I'll say I'm in the wrong there," Papelbon said. "I'm going to leave that up to our manager. You know, there's a lot of competition and a lot of ... it's a long season and it's a grind. I think we're going to handle it in-house and stuff like that. I've talked to Bryce and told him how...
Continue reading

Williams defends decision to send Papelbon back to mound after fight with Harper

Williams defends decision to send Papelbon back to mound after fight with Harper
A day after his team was officially eliminated from postseason play, Nationals manager Matt Williams was forced to deal with two of his most high-profile players fighting in the dugout. With the game tied 4-4, Bryce Harper - the favorite to win the National League Most Valuable Player award - lifted an easy fly ball to left. As Jeff Francoeur eased underneath the ball, Harper jogged down the line reaching the bag before heading for the first base dugout. Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon was...
Continue reading

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon fight in Nats dugout

Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon fight in Nats dugout
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo made a questionable trade at the deadline, acquiring controversial closer Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies. In the eighth inning of today's 12-5 loss to the Phillies, Papelbon attacked National League Most Valuable Player candidate Bryce Harper in the Nationals dugout. The two fought for seconds as Nationals players and coaches battled to separate them. Harper had just led off the eighth with a fly out to left field. As he retreated back to the dugout,...
Continue reading

Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout, Nats lose 12-5

Jonathan Papelbon attacks Bryce Harper in dugout, Nats lose 12-5
Playing in possibly his second-to-last home game at Nationals Park, Ian Desmond pulverized a hanging slider from right-hander Aaron Harang, sending the ball smacking off the second deck facade in right-center field for a solo homer with two outs in the second. It was Desmond's 19th longball of the season. Moments later, Matt den Dekker drilled Harang's first-pitch heater deep over the center field wall for back-to-back homers. Statcast estimated Desmond's blast at 430 feet and den Dekker's...
Continue reading

Max Scherzer: "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out"

Max Scherzer: "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out"
When the Nationals made the splash of the offseason by signing right-hander Max Scherzer to a blockbuster seven-year $210 million deal, most believed the move would catapult them to a World Series championship in 2015. But this year's Nationals team won't even get the chance to navigate its way through the playoffs after being eliminated by the National League East champion Mets last night. "I'm extremely disappointed how the season turned out," Scherzer said in the Nats clubhouse this...
Continue reading

Gio Gonzalez looks to win final three-game home series for Nats (with lineup)

Gio Gonzalez looks to win final three-game home series for Nats (with lineup)
Gio Gonzalez will take the mound for his last start at Nationals Park this season in the Nats' penultimate home game for 2015. Gonzalez is boasting an 11-8 record with a 3.94 ERA on the season. He is 6-4 with a 3.33 ERA in 13 starts at home and 3-1 with a 4.83 ERA in seven day game starts. Gonzalez has faired well against the Phillies this season, going 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA over his first three outings against Philadelphia. The lefty has also done well recently with a 2-1 record and 2.74 ERA in...
Continue reading

Bryce Harper to Mets: "I hope they win it all and good luck to them"

Bryce Harper to Mets: "I hope they win it all and good luck to them"
Moments after Bryce Harper smacked a walk-off double scoring Anthony Rendon for a 2-1 win in the 12th inning, the young slugger found himself swarmed by his teammates with his jersey being ripped off. An icy Gatorade bath along with some chocolate syrup followed. By the time Harper made his way to the Nationals clubhouse, he stood in front of his locker while veteran Ian Desmond's two young boys played a few feet away. Despite the Mets clinching the National League East and eliminating the...
Continue reading

Jayson Werth: "I never thought we'd end up here"

Jayson Werth: "I never thought we'd end up here"
After a win over the Diamondbacks on August 4, the Nationals stood a game behind the first-place Mets in the National League East. Jayson Werth uttered the words that shot up I-95 to the Big Apple: "It's our division to lose." Tonight, the Mets clinched the division, thus eliminating the Nats from the playoffs. About 30 minutes after the Nationals finished celebrating a walk-off 2-1 win over the Phillies, Werth hobbled into the clubhouse from the trainer's room. With an enormous ice pack...
Continue reading

Dreams of World Series title crushed with early elimination

Dreams of World Series title crushed with early elimination
Bryce Harper won't receive any rings this year nor will he be hoisting any trophies over the monuments. The Mets clinched the National League East with a convincing 10-2 win over the Reds, officially eliminating the Nationals from a postseason that almost everyone predicted they would be a major factor in. Not even a dominating 13-strikeout performance from Stephen Strasburg coupled with a walk-off RBI double from Harper in the 12th inning could help the vulnerable Nats today. The drama-filled...
Continue reading

Bryce Harper's walk-off RBI double wins game 2-1 (Nats eliminated)

Bryce Harper's walk-off RBI double wins game 2-1 (Nats eliminated)
Stephen Strasburg mowed down the Phillies through the first four innings without allowing a baserunner. Darin Ruf ended Strasburg's bid for perfection with a leadoff single in the fifth. Strasburg induced a double-play groundout from Andres Blanco after Ruf's hit. Strasburg has faced the minimum batters, striking out six through five innings. The Nationals wasted a tremendous scoring opportunity in the fourth. Three straight singles from Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth and Clint Robinson loaded...
Continue reading

Bryce Harper looks to bust out of mini slump

Bryce Harper looks to bust out of mini slump
Bryce Harper enters today's matinee with the Phillies without a hit in his last four games, all losses for the Nationals. The 22-year-old went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts last night and is 0-for-10 over the four games, his longest hitless streak of the season. "He's a touch frustrated right now getting some pitches to hit and not hitting them," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "And that's human. But he's one swing away from getting right back at it. It's been a pretty special...
Continue reading

Stephen Strasburg takes mound for last home start (with lineups)

Stephen Strasburg takes mound for last home start (with lineups)
Stephen Strasburg takes the mound for the last time at Nationals Park in 2015 this afternoon against the Phillies. The right-hander tied a career high with 14 strikeouts when he faced the Phils at Citizens Bank Park a little over a week ago. Strasburg is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA and 37 strikeouts over his last three starts. He is 5-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 11 home starts this season and 4-3 with a 4.22 ERA in nine day game starts. Today's outing against Philadelphia will be his fifth this season,...
Continue reading

Nationals reinstate outfielder Reed Johnson

Nationals reinstate outfielder Reed Johnson
The Washington Nationals reinstated outfielder Reed Johnson from the 60-day disabled list on Saturday and transferred center fielder Denard Span (left hip inflammation) from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Johnson, 38, returns to the Nationals' active roster after missing 131 games following surgery to repair a tendon in his left foot. Johnson's return was further delayed when he suffered a...
Continue reading

Nats on the brink of elimination

Nats on the brink of elimination
A season which was expected to end deep into fall with a World Series run could come to a sobering end prematurely this afternoon. The Mets trounced the Reds 12-5 last night, dropping their magic number to one to clinch the National League East. So either another New York win over Cincinnati or a Nationals loss to the Phillies will eliminate Washington from the postseason. "This is a very tough year for everybody here," Wilson Ramos said after the Nats dropped their fourth straight game last...
Continue reading

Jordan Zimmermann rocked in possible last home start

Jordan Zimmermann rocked in possible last home start
In what might be his final home start at Nationals Park, Jordan Zimmermann didn't receive the friendliest going away present from the Phillies. Zimmermann surrendered three homers - including a rare inside-the-park grand slam - as the Nationals fell 8-2. "Obviously, I'm a little upset," Zimmermann said. "We didn't get the win and I didn't pitch very good. That's what my job is, to go out there and keep the team in the ballgame. I wasn't able to do that tonight." With the Nats leading...
Continue reading

Jordan Zimmermann surrenders three homers in Nats' 8-2 loss

Jordan Zimmermann surrenders three homers in Nats' 8-2 loss
Nationals right-hander Jordan Zimmermann opened with a perfect first inning, whiffing Aaron Altherr and Odubel Herrera to end the frame. Anthony Rendon ripped a double leading off the bottom of the inning. After Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickoff struck out Yunel Escobar and Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth drilled a single to left-center, scoring Rendon. Update: The Phillies loaded the bases on Zimmermann in the third. With one out, Aaron Altherr smoked a sinking liner to center. Michael A. Taylor...
Continue reading

Jordan Zimmermann aims to finish strong at home (with lineups)

Jordan Zimmermann aims to finish strong at home (with lineups)
Jordan Zimmermann takes the mound against the Phillies tonight in what might be his last home start for the Nationals. The right-hander is 39-21 with a 3.04 ERA in 93 career starts at Nationals Park. Zimmermann is 4-0 with a 4.04 ERA in his last seven starts with the Nats, winning six of the games. He did allow two homers and six runs over six innings in the Nats' 8-7 victory in Philadelphia on Sept. 14. Bryce Harper is coming off his first hitless series of the season. The Orioles pitched...
Continue reading

Jonathan Papelbon receives three-game suspension, will appeal

Jonathan Papelbon receives three-game suspension, will appeal
Major League Baseball has suspended and fined Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon for intentionally throwing in the head area of Manny Machado in the ninth inning of Wednesday's 4-3 loss. Papelbon will appeal his three-game suspension, which was scheduled to begin with tonight's contest against the Phillies. Papelbon plunked Machado two innings after the Orioles star hammered a two-run go-ahead homer off Nats ace Max Scherzer. There was question whether Machado showboated his game-changing...
Continue reading