For a team that knows run-scoring opportunities are few and far between, this was a moment to perk up. With one out in the top of the seventh Tuesday night at Tropicana Field, the Nationals had Josh Bell on second base, Josh Harrison at the plate and a 3-1 deficit to the Rays on the scoreboard.
And when Harrison promptly lined a base hit to left field, all eyes immediately shifted toward third base, to see if Bell would attempt to score or be held up by Bob Henley.
Henley, as he does more often...
You wanted to believe it would be different this time. Really, aren't teams supposed to be excited to bat with the bases loaded? The pressure's on the pitcher, not the hitter. It's the best situation for anyone with a bat in his hands.
Anyone except the 2021 Nationals, who have turned a bases-loaded plate appearance into the most agonizing two minutes in sports.
So when the situation presented itself yet again in the top of the eighth tonight at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. -...
Austin Voth is recovering from surgery to repair multiple fractures in his nose, and though the Nationals right-hander is feeling fine after getting hit by a fastball during Sunday's game in Philadelphia, he will need some time to heal before returning to pitch.
In addition to needing to have his nose reset in multiple places during Monday's surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Voth's left eye is swollen shut. He posted a message to his Instagram account thanking...
A three-city road trip that began in promising fashion, with two wins in three days in Atlanta, now reaches its final leg with the Nationals now needing a strong finish against a tough opponent.
Having lost three of their last four (including two straight in Philadelphia over the weekend), the Nats tonight open a quick two-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla., against a Rays club that owns the best record in the American League at 38-23. As has been the case for several years now, Tampa Bay is...
The minor league season is now in full swing. Teams have played five series, each of them lasting six games (with a few postponements along the way). So we're starting to get a better sample size to evaluate players' performances.
The Nationals farm system, as has been well documented, is a work in progress. But there have been signs of life in recent weeks, with some familiar names beginning to perform as hoped and a few newcomers beginning to make a name for themselves.
Here's a rundown of...
The Nationals believed they were going to enter the season with as deep a bullpen as they've had in some time. With new closer Brad Hand joining experienced late-inning right-handers Daniel Hudson and Will Harris, plus up-and-comers Tanner Rainey, Wander Suero and Kyle Finnegan, the Nats were reasonably confident they had an ample supply of arms to win games late.
Fifty-six games into a 162-game season, they were somewhat right about that. The bullpen has been perhaps the least of the...
There were events out of their control, from their starter for this bullpen game, Austin Voth, taking a fastball to his face in the top of the third to a string of poorly struck balls by the Phillies that somehow didn't become outs to a 20-minute delay in the top of the eighth after the backstop netting at Citizens Bank Park collapsed. (Yes, that last event actually happened.)
But there were so many things the Nationals could've done better today to make this game far more competitive than it...
Though circumstances dictated they go with a bullpen game this afternoon in Philadelphia - Austin Voth will start, for those who haven't heard yet - the Nationals shouldn't need to take this unconventional route again unless someone else gets hurt.
That's because Erick Fedde appears ready to return from the COVID-19 injured list after making a five-inning rehab start Saturday for Single-A Wilmington.
Fedde, whose last appearance for the Nationals was a seven-scoreless-inning gem in Arizona...
We've been wondering for days now who would be starting the Nationals' series finale in Philadelphia, taking Stephen Strasburg's spot in the rotation. Well, we finally have our answer. Today's starter will be ... Austin Voth.
Manager Davey Martinez came to that decision based on the fact Voth has been a starter his whole career up until this season, and he's had four days off since his last appearance (50 pitches in relief of Strasburg). It's certainly the most logical choice among the...
Who's the Nationals' starting pitcher today? This wouldn't normally be a question without a definitive answer hours before first pitch, but it is the case for today's series finale in Philadelphia.
That's because the Nats are choosing to go with a bullpen game this afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Not necessarily because they want to, but because they believe it's their best option at this point.
This would've been Stephen Strasburg's turn to pitch, but the right-hander is back on the...
The Nationals pitching staff has been far from perfect through the season's first two-plus months, but too often that group has seemingly done enough to emerge victorious only to take a loss because its cohorts in the lineup weren't able to provide ample support.
This afternoon in Philadelphia, Joe Ross and Kyle McGowin collectively gave up three hits and six total baserunners through seven innings. You'd think that would be enough to put the Nats in position to win. Or at least to have a...
Yan Gomes is out of the Nationals lineup for the third straight day with a tight right hamstring, and until the veteran catcher can comfortably squat behind the plate for an entire game without being hindered, he'll remain out of the Nationals lineup.
"This is going to be a day-to-day thing with him," manager Davey Martinez said in his Zoom session with reporters before today's game in Philadelphia. "The position he plays, with him squatting and stuff, I just want to make sure that he can...
The Nationals managed to turn two runs and six hits into a win Friday night. They did so thanks to Max Scherzer's dominance over 7 2/3 innings, then Daniel Hudson and Brad Hand's relief work after that. In order to win today in Philadelphia, they're either going to need a comparable effort from Joe Ross and any relievers who follow him or a much more complete offensive showing.
A more complete offensive showing would be nice, especially against Phillies right-hander Spencer Howard, who...
Juan Soto became Juan Soto again - not on the two-run homer he hit for the Nationals in the eighth inning Tuesday night in Atlanta, not on the two-run homer he hit in the fifth inning Wednesday night in Atlanta.
Juan Soto became Juan Soto again when he took an outside fastball from Braves left-hander Max Fried and hit a line drive single to left in the top of the fourth Tuesday, driving in a pair of teammates. The ball left his bat at a modest 93.7 mph and traveled a mere 245 feet in the...
If they were going to produce a three-game winning streak and win a key road series against a division rival, the Nationals were going to need quality and length today from Patrick Corbin, plus a continuation of the power display their lineup showed the previous 48 hours.
They almost got the first. They didn't come close to getting the latter.
Corbin was outstanding for five innings, but wilted during a four-run bottom of the sixth that spoiled his start, and the Nationals lineup was rendered...
When Kyle Schwarber walked into Davey Martinez's office this morning in Atlanta, the Nationals left fielder told his manager his right knee was still sore after a hard landing while attempting to make a diving catch Wednesday night. Martinez told Schwarber he wouldn't be starting this afternoon's series finale against the Braves, but to get treatment on his knee, and then if he thinks he can pinch-hit later in the game, to let him know.
"I couldn't even get the words out," Martinez...
The Nationals have a chance this afternoon to take three of four from the Braves, and who saw that coming a few days ago? They've put themselves in position with a combination of power at the plate (four homers the last two nights), one gutsy start on short rest (Jon Lester) and a whole lot of innings out of their bullpen (11 innings the last two nights).
Now if they're going to take the series in this early start in Atlanta, they're going to need quality innings out of Patrick Corbin. At...
There's no secret to Yan Gomes' success throwing out baserunners this season. Just a lot of hard work and some attention to getting the ball out of his hand as quickly as possible.
Whether it's complicated or not, the mere fact Gomes is throwing out so many opponents is music to the Nationals' ears. After struggling mightily in this department in recent years, they're finally reaping the benefits of a catcher who can stop the running game cold in its tracks.
With another pinpoint throw...
The Nationals hadn't been in very many games like this in 2021. Back-and-forth affairs with late-night swings of leads and emotions were the norm during their championship run in 2019 and also were a regular occurrence during their disappointing 2020 season.
This year? Most games saw one team take an early lead and hold it late, with very little late drama. That made tonight's contest down in Atlanta feel like some kind of blast from the past. An old-fashioned, tension-filled showdown with a...
The Nationals have placed Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day injured list with a neck strain after sending the right-hander back to Washington for an MRI.
Kyle McGowin, who was already in Atlanta as part of the club's traveling taxi squad, was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to take Strasburg's roster spot and provide another fresh arm for tonight's game against the Braves, in which Jon Lester will be starting on short rest the day after Strasburg's 1 1/3-inning start added more strain to the...