Nats need a good week, but then many more after that

Nats need a good week, but then many more after that
This is the most important week of the Nationals' season to date. It's impossible not to acknowledge that, even within a clubhouse on South Capitol Street that typically tries to avoid looking at the big picture. "We've got to win those games," right fielder Adam Eaton said of the seven upcoming games against the Phillies and Braves. "It's important. We're trying to chase at this point. Not to put too much emphasis on it, but we need to play some really competitive baseball." The...
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Nats score early and often in rout of D-backs (updated)

Nats score early and often in rout of D-backs (updated)
It's been an uphill grind since opening day for the Nationals, who perpetually seem to dig themselves into a hole, then attempt to climb their way out of it simply to salvage the situation and keep themselves within striking distance in the standings. It's happened countless times already this season, and it happened again this weekend. The Nats took the field this afternoon needing to beat the Diamondbacks just to emerge with a four-game split. As has so often been the case, they pulled it...
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Barraclough lands on IL with nerve irritation (Nats up 10-3)

Barraclough lands on IL with nerve irritation (Nats up 10-3)
The Nationals, recognizing they couldn't afford to keep Kyle Barraclough on their active roster much longer, decided to place the struggling reliever on the injured list today with what the team is calling radial nerve irritation. Barraclough had not previously reported any issues with his arm, according to manager Davey Martinez, and he offered up no injury-related explanation for his performance Saturday when he gave up three runs and retired only one of the five batters he faced. But...
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Game 71 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks

Game 71 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks
Too often this season, the Nationals have found themselves needing to win a series finale simply to avoid getting swept or to salvage a split. If it feels like this team has been playing catch-up for 2 1/2 months now, it's because that's exactly what it has been doing. So today's scenario is a familiar one: The Nats need to beat the Diamondbacks just to salvage a four-game series split, all this before opening up a huge week with the Phillies and Braves coming to town. It'll be Aníbal...
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How long can Nats stick with struggling Barraclough?

How long can Nats stick with struggling Barraclough?
As damaging as Trevor Rosenthal's early season performance was to the Nationals bullpen, Kyle Barraclough's struggles have had nearly as much of a negative impact on that group as a whole. Barraclough, who like Rosenthal was acquired early in the offseason by general manager Mike Rizzo, was supposed to join his fellow right-hander as setup men for Sean Doolittle, offering manager Davey Martinez experience and success in that role over the last three seasons for the Marlins. Rosenthal's...
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Strasburg pounded early, Nats can't rally vs. D-backs (updated)

Strasburg pounded early, Nats can't rally vs. D-backs (updated)
Stephen Strasburg, more often than not, has pitched deep into games this season and at worst given the Nationals a good chance to win. The Nats lineup, more often than not, has battled late even when trailing and at worst brought the tying run to the plate and given the team a good chance to win. When neither of those regular developments occurred this afternoon on South Capitol Street, the end result was the ugliest, least-inspiring loss this team has suffered in a while. With four early home...
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After waiting it out, Nats avoid having to put Adams on IL

After waiting it out, Nats avoid having to put Adams on IL
When Matt Adams had to depart Monday night's game in Chicago with what he believed was an oblique injury, the Nationals understandably had reason to worry this was serious. "I'm a little concerned," manager Davey Martinez said that night. "Whenever it's an oblique, that's going to be days missed." Adams did miss three days, but that's all he missed. He's back in the lineup for this afternoon's game against the Diamondbacks, and it turns out the injury wasn't to his oblique after...
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Game 70 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks

Game 70 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks
The Nationals don't often oversell injuries, but it looks like perhaps they did with Matt Adams this week. When Adams departed Monday night's game in Chicago with an oblique strain, manager Davey Martinez admitted he was concerned. And the club considered placing the big slugger on the injured list. But they decided to hold off for a couple of days and see if Adams responded well to treatment, and sure enough he was able to pinch-hit Friday night and now is back in the lineup this...
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Improving Nats now face critical 11-game homestand

Improving Nats now face critical 11-game homestand
Unless you've been traveling around the country with them, you probably haven't seen very much of the Nationals in person the last three weeks. They may be finally playing their best baseball, going 12-5 since a late-May sweep in New York, but only six of those 17 games have taken place in D.C.: four against the Marlins, two against the White Sox. So the Nats will be a sight for sore eyes tonight when they take the field for the opener of an 11-game homestand, their longest of the season. And...
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With improvement in all phases, Nats inching back into race

With improvement in all phases, Nats inching back into race
They had just been swept in ugly fashion in New York. Their bullpen was a disaster. Their defensive play was sloppy. Their manager's job security was being questioned. The Nationals were 12 games under .500 on May 24, 10 games back in the National League East, and few gave them any chance of resurrecting themselves at that point. Only a handful of teams this century had managed to even finish with a winning record after playing so poorly through their first 50 games. As the team returned home...
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Another Corbin dud ends Nats' road trip with a thud (updated)

Another Corbin dud ends Nats' road trip with a thud (updated)
CHICAGO - Just as the Nationals as a whole are rounding into shape and finally resembling a team capable of going on a sustained run, one of the most important members of their rotation - a bright spot even as the team was struggling early on - has turned into one of their biggest concerns. Patrick Corbin, pitching like an All-Star only three weeks ago, has now turned in three consecutive sub-par outings, including tonight's latest effort during a 7-5 loss to the White Sox that put a damper on...
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Adams avoids injured list for now (Nats down 7-2)

Adams avoids injured list for now (Nats down 7-2)
CHICAGO - Davey Martinez was admittedly concerned about Matt Adams' strained left oblique after Monday night's game. "Whenever it's an oblique, that's going to be days missed," the manager said following his team's otherwise uplifting 12-1 thumping of the White Sox. But today brought encouraging news about the slugger, enough to keep him from going on the injured list for now. "Actually, he's a lot better than we anticipated," Martinez said this afternoon. "He woke up today and he's...
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Game 67 lineups: Nats at White Sox

Game 67 lineups: Nats at White Sox
CHICAGO - Matt Adams has been a big part of the Nationals resurgent lineup, which has scored an MLB-high 6.44 runs per game since May 24, so his potential loss from an oblique strain wouldn't be ideal. That said, with Howie Kendrick and Brian Dozier both red-hot at the moment, there's room for both to start on the right side of the infield most days. And Ryan Zimmerman appears to be inching closer to a return himself. So the Nats might not suffer too much if Adams ends up on the injured list...
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Rendon only fifth in early NL All-Star voting

Rendon only fifth in early NL All-Star voting
CHICAGO - Anthony Rendon has an awful lot of ground to make up if he's going to even have a chance of being elected the National League's starting third baseman for the All-Star Game. Despite leading all NL third basemen in several statistical categories, Rendon currently ranks fifth at his position in the first round of balloting released today by Major League Baseball. That's the highest rank for any Nationals player so far. Brian Dozier is ninth among second basemen, with Trea Turner 10th...
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Rosenthal returns with scoreless ninth, Adams strains oblique

Rosenthal returns with scoreless ninth, Adams strains oblique
CHICAGO - Davey Martinez wanted to find a low-pressure situation to ease Trevor Rosenthal back into a big league game, and with his team up five runs entering the ninth inning Monday night, this looked like a good situation to do it. By the time Rosenthal actually entered from the right field bullpen, it had become a great situation to do it. The Nationals had tacked on six insurance runs in the top of the ninth, so now Rosenthal was able to pitch with a 12-1 lead. Of course, that also...
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Sánchez cruises again, Nats bats explode in 12-1 win (updated)

Sánchez cruises again, Nats bats explode in 12-1 win (updated)
CHICAGO - The Nationals signed Aníbal Sánchez over the winter because they believed the veteran right-hander could duplicate his bounceback 2018 season with the Braves by virtue of his ability to induce weak contact. For six weeks, it looked like a colossal mistake. Sánchez couldn't get ahead of hitters, he couldn't keep himself from issuing free passes and he couldn't keep his ERA under 5.00. A two-week stint on the injured list with a strained hamstring followed, and when...
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Martinez on picking DH, using Rosenthal again (Nats lead 4-1)

Martinez on picking DH, using Rosenthal again (Nats lead 4-1)
CHICAGO - The Nationals' lineup wasn't exactly built with American League baseball in mind, but the lineup Davey Martinez will be fielding the next two nights in a quick interleague series with the White Sox certainly fits the profile. Martinez recently has had room to start only two of the three players who make up the right side of his infield: Howie Kendrick, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams. That was less of a problem when Dozier was slumping or Adams was on the injured list, but now all three...
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Game 66 lineups: Nats at White Sox

Game 66 lineups: Nats at White Sox
CHICAGO - Good afternoon from whatever this stadium is called these days. To me, it'll always be Comiskey Park. Or, actually, New Comiskey Park, since the original one was across the street. The Nationals make their third-ever trip here to the South Side, having won two of three both in 2011 ("The John McLaren Series") and in 2016 ("The Beat Up on Mat Latos and James Shields Series"). This is a different White Sox team, but just as they did last week in D.C., the Nats do catch a bit of a...
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Kendrick's gaudy numbers earning veteran All-Star praise

Kendrick's gaudy numbers earning veteran All-Star praise
SAN DIEGO - Howie Kendrick stepped to the plate in the top of the eighth Sunday afternoon, the Nationals and Padres tied. It was his first at-bat of the game, manager Davey Martinez having hoped to give him a well-earned day off, but now needing his veteran utilityman to pinch-hit in a key spot. Inside the visitors' dugout, the Nationals - to a man - just knew something big was about to happen, courtesy the 35-year-old they affectionately view as a grandfatherly figure. "I feel like when...
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With historic homer barrage, Nats win series finale (updated)

With historic homer barrage, Nats win series finale (updated)
SAN DIEGO - The first one, a pinch-hit rocket to left by Howie Kendrick, was impressive both because of the situation and the fact it gave the Nationals a lead in the top of the eighth. The second one, a 402-foot shot to center by Trea Turner, drew some oohs and aahs because it had now extended the Nationals' lead to two runs in very short order. The third one, another blast to center by Adam Eaton, was reason for some to drop their jaws and others to boo Padres reliever (and former Nats...
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