FORT MYERS, Fla. - Michael A. Taylor was forced to prematurely depart today's exhibition game in the third inning, shortly after the Nationals center fielder injured his left knee making a diving catch.
Taylor's impressive catch of Byron Buxton's second-inning drive to right-center drew oohs and applause from the crowd at the Twins' spring training complex, but the reaction turned quiet as Taylor remained on the ground and manager Davey Martinez and director of athletic training Paul...
FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Nationals plan for both Tony Sipp and Howie Kendrick to hold significant roles on their roster this season. The question, with two weeks to go, is whether either will be on the opening day roster.
Sipp, whose signing of a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2020 was officially announced today, has thrown only one bullpen session so far, according to manager Davey Martinez, who spoke with the veteran lefty this morning in West Palm Beach before the Nationals boarded...
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Hello from the Gulf Coast side of the state. The Nationals have traveled across Alligator Alley for only the second time this spring, this time to face the Twins.
This is AnÃbal Sánchez's day to pitch, but the veteran elected to stay back in West Palm Beach and face minor leaguers on one of the back fields. So it'll be Erick Fedde getting his first actual start of the spring. Fedde, who has had an erratic camp to date, could certainly use a solid outing today, perhaps...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We are, believe it or not, only two weeks away from opening day. Yes, a mere 14 days from now Max Scherzer will be taking the mound at Nationals Park to face Jacob deGrom and the Mets in the opener not only of a potentially dramatic season but of a potentially dramatic first two weeks to the season.
The Nationals play their first 11 games against the Mets and Phillies, two division rivals who made big moves this winter and spring to try to improve, one of those moves of...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Thoughts, observations and quotes from the Nationals' 8-4 victory over the Braves today ...
* Though he has been touting the Trea Turner-Adam Eaton 1-2 combo atop his lineup for the last week-plus, Davey Martinez has flip-flopped the duo in each of the last two games they've started. And today offered some evidence of the benefits of that arrangement.
Eaton led off the game drawing a walk, then moments later coasted around the bases on Turner's two-run homer to left....
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals had been interested in Tony Sipp all winter, but it took until this morning before they and the veteran left-hander could agree to terms on a contract.
Sipp, who in 2016 got a three-year, $18 million contract from the Astros, waited out the market, hoping for a significant contract. In the end, he settled for a one-year deal from the Nationals, with $1 million in guaranteed salary this season and a $2.5 million mutual option (or $250,000 buyout) for 2020,...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's been a busy morning already around here, with the Nationals having just signed veteran lefty Tony Sipp to a one-year contract and having apparently made some cuts from big league camp as well. (Saw at least four guys cleaning out their lockers earlier, but nothing has been officially announced yet.)
There's also a game to be played this afternoon, with the Braves making the long trek down the turnpike to face their division rivals. Kevin Gausman is today's...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are bringing in an experienced left-handed reliever after all.
The Nats have agreed to terms with veteran Tony Sipp on a one-year contract with an option for 2020, a source familiar with the deal confirmed. Sipp, 35, will need to pass a physical before the contract is official, but he's expected to report to spring training within the next few days.
Sipp fills an obvious need for the Nationals, though one club officials had been downplaying in significance...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's the simplest pitch in baseball. A first-pitch fastball, preferably taken for strike one.
But it's also the most predictable pitch in baseball. And it has burned Stephen Strasburg enough times over the years to convince him to start trying something different.
So during his Tuesday night outing against the Astros, Strasburg often eschewed that first-pitch fastball and instead opened up at-bats with a breaking ball or a changeup.
"I've always had a lot of...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Carter Kieboom stepped to the plate in the bottom of the second tonight, dug in and stared out at a pitcher who needed no introduction.
Yes, that was Justin Verlander, future Hall of Famer, preparing to deliver a pitch to Kieboom, potential future infielder for the Nationals. The gap in experience was striking: When Verlander made his first career World Series start for the 2006 Tigers, Kieboom had just turned 9.
"I think I'd be lying if I said I didn't know who was...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - As he has traveled across Arizona and Florida this spring, Tony Clark has spoken with players from countless ballclubs that were criticized for a lack of spending during the offseason. When he walked into the Nationals clubhouse today, the executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association found a group of players who shouldn't have had as much reason to criticize, given the aggressive approach to free agency this team took all winter.
And yet the...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have another night game this evening, one of five on the schedule this spring. And this one is worthy of a primetime matchup, because it's Stephen Strasburg versus Justin Verlander.
Strasburg makes his third Grapefruit League start, and he has yet to surrender a run in six innings of work. He'll look to continue that run tonight and extend himself deeper into the game.
Verlander will be facing a Nationals lineup that doesn't include many big names. With...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have another night game this evening, so that means there's some free time this morning. And since it's been a while since we did one of these, how about we take advantage of the free time for a spring training version of the Q&A?
Submit your questions in the comments section below, then check back for my answers. I'll do my best to offer up some insight (provided I actually have some).
JUPITER, Fla. - The question didn't really need to be asked, and the answer didn't really need to be given. But at this point, with 2 1/2 weeks to go, Davey Martinez figured he might as well make it official.
"I'm going to go out on a limb today and tell you that Max will be our opening day starter," the manager said this afternoon to open his postgame session following the Nationals' 3-2 exhibition loss to the Cardinals. "How's that?"
OK, so there was never any doubt about this one....
JUPITER, Fla. - Though his chances of returning from a strained left hamstring in time to make the Nationals' opening day roster are questionable, Howie Kendrick is beginning to take some steps toward his return.
Kendrick, who hurt himself running down the first base line six days ago, has begun riding a stationary bicycle and taking swings in the batting cage. Those are merely the first attempts at physical activity before he's cleared to ramp things up.
"He's coming along," manager Davey...
JUPITER, Fla. - There's nothing at stake this afternoon at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, but fans will be treated to a very nice spring training matchup featuring a whole lot of big names.
Max Scherzer makes his fourth start of the spring, and he'll be going up against a Cardinals lineup loaded with regulars. That means Matt Carpenter, Paul Goldschmidt, Marcell Ozuna, José MartÃnez, Yadier Molina and more. Not a bad test for Scherzer, who struggled a bit in his last outing against the...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - More thoughts and observations from Sunday's 6-4 exhibition victory over the Astros ...
* Teenage prospect Luis Garcia finally had the breakout game many had been waiting to see all spring, and it indeed was something to see.
Garcia, the 18-year-old shortstop who is the youngest player in any big league camp this spring, hadn't made a lot of noise in his first few weeks, with three hits in his first 15 at-bats. But he dazzled on Sunday, going 3-for-3 with his first two...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Pitching is about disrupting a hitter's timing, which traditionally is done via the changing of pitch speeds. But it can't hurt to try changing the speed of the actual delivery to the plate, which is exactly what Jeremy Hellickson is up to this spring.
Owner of a fastball that tops out at 90 mph, the Nationals right-hander knows he needs to find some other methods for keeping a hitter off-balance. So he's been tinkering around with a quick-pitch the last few weeks,...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Adrián Sanchez has already proven himself a valuable fill-in when the Nationals need help in the infield. Now he's trying to prove himself capable of filling in when the Nats need outfield assistance.
Sanchez is starting in left field this afternoon, his first foray into the outfield this spring but possibly not his last. With veteran second baseman/left fielder Howie Kendrick in danger of opening the season on the injured list due to a hamstring strain, there could...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's a quick turnaround for the Nationals, who following last night's 2-1 loss to the Marlins lost an hour due to daylight saving time and now are right back to work today against the Astros. At least they don't have to travel anywhere for this "road" game against their ballpark mates.
Jeremy Hellickson gets the start, and he has been very effective so far in two previous outings this spring, allowing one run on three hits over five total innings, striking out...