Mark Zuckerman

Top second-half storylines for the Nationals

Top second-half storylines for the Nationals
As the second half of the season arrives, we have a pretty good idea just what the 2017 Nationals are. This is perhaps the most talented team they've had during their now-six-year run of contention, with an imposing and deep lineup, dominant starters atop the rotation and an experienced and productive bench. This is also, of course, a team with one gigantic hole that could blow the entire thing up: a bullpen that desperately needs a midseason makeover. There's also reason to be concerned...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nats relieved to have Solís back; J. Turner is DFA

Nats relieved to have Solís back; J. Turner is DFA
ST. LOUIS - When Sammy Solís landed on the disabled list way back on April 19 with what he was told was some minor inflammation in his elbow, he assumed he'd be back pitching for the Nationals within two weeks. Then two weeks became two months, Solís forced to shut down for a period of time and then start a throwing program over from scratch after learning he actually had nerve irritation in his elbow. So forgive the left-hander for putting a wide smile on display this afternoon as he...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nats working to finalize minor league deal with Francisco Rodríguez

Nats working to finalize minor league deal with Francisco Rodríguez
The Nationals are finalizing a minor league deal with Francisco Rodríguez, hoping the veteran closer might resurrect himself after a horrible start to his season in Detroit that got him released last week. The deal isn't done yet, but a club source said it is expected to be completed soon. At that point, Rodríguez would report to Triple-A Syracuse and attempt to right his wayward ship in a low-pressure environment. Rodríguez, 35, owns 437 saves and a 2.86 ERA over 16 big league...
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Mark Zuckerman

More on the bullpen, Difo's debut in center and Storen's return

More on the bullpen, Difo's debut in center and Storen's return
There were no shortage of noteworthy developments in last night's 6-5 10-inning win. We've already addressed a few of them - the game-winning rally, Brian Goodwin's two-homer night, Stephen Strasburg's struggles in the humidity - but let's run through some more items of interest before turning the page to today's game ... * The Nationals bullpen was good. Really good. Like, five scoreless innings good. When Strasburg was pulled after five innings and 95 pitches, the notion that the Nats'...
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Mark Zuckerman

Baker makes plea for bullpen help, discusses Alexandria shooting

Baker makes plea for bullpen help, discusses Alexandria shooting
Dusty Baker is tired of talking about his bullpen. But every time the subject comes up, the Nationals manager finds new ways to express his opinion and perhaps drop even more hints at the front office to address the club's biggest - only? - glaring hole. "They've all struggled," Baker said of a bullpen that enters play today with a 5.02 ERA (second-worst in the majors) and .808 opponent OPS (tied for worst in the majors). "Which one would you pick out to replace? Cause I hear people from...
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Mark Zuckerman

Unlikely Albers-Glover combo has stabilized Nationals bullpen

Unlikely Albers-Glover combo has stabilized Nationals bullpen
SAN FRANCISCO - Maybe everyone should have listened to Koda Glover a couple of weeks ago when the rookie reliever insisted the beleaguered Nationals bullpen would be just fine. Glover reiterated that sentiment Tuesday night after closing out the Nationals' 6-3 victory over the Giants that included the latest in a string of dominant performances by this relief corps. "What'd I tell you earlier? We're starting to roll. We're fine," Glover said. "Like I said when everybody was kind of...
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Mark Zuckerman

After three days of rest, can Nats bullpen hit the reset button?

After three days of rest, can Nats bullpen hit the reset button?
What's the most important thing to happen to the Nationals over the last three days? Is it their offensive explosion last night against the Mariners? Big-time starts from Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross? Some encouraging results at the plate for Trea Turner? Those are all nice developments, but perhaps the most important one has involved the part of the roster that basically has not been used during this mini stretch: the bullpen. With Strasburg going 7 2/3 innings on Sunday in Atlanta, then a...
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Mel Antonen

Looking at closer issues around baseball

Looking at closer issues around baseball
The Nationals lead the National League East despite a bullpen that brings daily turbulence. This week at Nationals Park they will see first-hand that they aren't the only team with late-inning issues. The Nationals' bullpen ERA (5.40) is 29th in baseball. Seattle's bullpen has the highest ERA in the majors at 5.44, while San Diego is 27th at 5.04. The Mariners and Padres play in D.C. this week. Edwin Díaz, and his blazing fastball, was the Mariners closer at the season's start, but he...
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Mark Zuckerman

Bolstered by Glover and Kelley, bullpen puts up zeros in victory

Bolstered by Glover and Kelley, bullpen puts up zeros in victory
Lost among the excitement of Bryce Harper's walk-off homer last night was the fact it would not have been possible if not for some stellar work by the Nationals bullpen, which turned in its best collective effort in weeks. After Tanner Roark was pulled with two outs in the fifth and his pitch count at 110, a quintet of Nationals relievers combined to toss 4 1/3 scoreless innings, keeping the game tied 4-4 to set the stage for Harper's game-winning blast in the bottom of the ninth. It's...
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Mark Zuckerman

Kelley and Glover on track to return from DL on Friday

Kelley and Glover on track to return from DL on Friday
They won't, by their mere presence alone, turn the Nationals bullpen from a major problem into a major asset. But the anticipated return this weekend of both Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover from the disabled list certainly won't hurt the Nats' attempt to stabilize the shakiest unit on their roster. The Nationals haven't made final decisions yet, but both Kelley and Glover are on track to be activated off the disabled list Friday and be available to pitch in their series opener against the...
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Mark Zuckerman

While lineup soars, bullpen continues to concern Nationals

While lineup soars, bullpen continues to concern Nationals
The Nationals lineup, in case you hadn't heard, is really good. As the calendar shifts from April to May, the Nats as a team lead the majors in runs, hits, doubles, RBIs, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. And on an individual level, either Ryan Zimmerman or Bryce Harper now leads the majors in runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, walks, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS. What's not to like about this team? Well, besides the...
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Mark Zuckerman

Treinen out as closer; Nats will "mix and match" Kelley, Glover

Treinen out as closer; Nats will "mix and match" Kelley, Glover
ATLANTA - Blake Treinen is no longer going to pitch the ninth inning for the Nationals, but the club isn't going to designate one replacement closer for now, choosing instead to split those duties between veteran Shawn Kelley and rookie Koda Glover. The decision was made in the wake of Treinen's latest near-meltdown Tuesday night, when the right-hander entered with a 3-0 lead in hand over the Braves and proceeded to give up two singles and issue two walks (one with the bases loaded) while...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nationals promote Albers, designate Guthrie for assignment

Nationals promote Albers, designate Guthrie for assignment
PHILADELPHIA - Needing a fresh arm after four consecutive days of extensive bullpen use, the Nationals purchased the contract of Matt Albers this morning, ensuring the veteran right-hander will be available if needed during today's series finale against the Phillies. Jeremy Guthrie, who was rocked for 10 runs in only two-thirds of an inning Saturday night, was designated for assignment to clear a roster spot. It was an unceremonious, but necessary, end to Guthrie's 24 hours with the...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nationals relievers cope with first blown lead of 2017

Nationals relievers cope with first blown lead of 2017
During the first week of the season, when everything is magnified, it's easy to fall into the trap of drawing long-term conclusions on both positive and negative developments. Two games into their season, the Nationals bullpen looked like a strength, their new closer up to the challenge. Three games into their season, that same bullpen looks like a weakness, the new closer unable to deliver when he really needs to deliver. Truth be told, neither answer is fair at this ridiculously early...
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Mark Zuckerman

How Baker and Maddux manage late-inning bullpen usage

How Baker and Maddux manage late-inning bullpen usage
For all the attention, ink and pixels devoted this spring to the question of who would be pitching the ninth inning for the Nationals in 2017, Dusty Baker knew all along that was a short-sighted take on the situation. "I'm always stressing to our guys: Let's win the seventh, eighth and ninth, if necessary," the manager said. "Which we did the other day." Indeed, the Nationals' opening day victory over the Marlins was made possible by their performance in the game's final three innings,...
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Mark Zuckerman

With closer named, Nats bullpen has chance to be exceptional

With closer named, Nats bullpen has chance to be exceptional
While everyone spent the last seven weeks - or, actually, the last 5 1/2 months - worrying about who was going to be the Nationals closer in 2017, a slightly more important fact might well have been glossed over: This team could have a really good bullpen in 2017. And that's not just touting the company line. Stop for a moment and consider the seven men most likely to comprise the Nats' relief corps come Monday afternoon ... Blake Treinen Shawn Kelley Koda Glover Joe Blanton Sammy Solís...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nathan on unconditional release: "I get it"

Nathan on unconditional release: "I get it"
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Joe Nathan and Matt Albers did just about everything within their power to convince the Nationals to make them part of their opening day roster. In the end, the club simply didn't have space for either veteran in its deep bullpen. The Nationals granted both Nathan and Albers their unconditional releases this morning, beating a noon Eastern time deadline that required the pitchers either to be told they had made the club or else be paid a $100,000 retention bonus to...
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Mark Zuckerman

Nathan making his case, but do the Nats have room for him?

Nathan making his case, but do the Nats have room for him?
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Joe Nathan hasn't been in this particular position - less than two weeks to go until opening day, trying desperately to make a big league roster, utterly unsure if it's going to happen - in quite some time. The 42-year-old reliever had for well more than a decade used spring training simply to prepare himself for the regular season, knowing he was locked in as his team's closer. And the only times that wasn't the case was because he was recovering from one of his two...
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Mark Zuckerman

Tough bullpen decisions looming for Nationals

Tough bullpen decisions looming for Nationals
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - We're just about getting to that point when the Nationals have to start making some tough roster decisions. And none they face over the final two weeks of spring training may be tougher than how to divvy up the last few spots in their bullpen. Forget the competition for closer. That's an issue itself, but the more complicated competition is for the sixth and seventh jobs in what no matter what looks like a deep relief corps. Barring some unforeseen development, five...
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Mark Zuckerman

No closer? No problem, insist members of Nats bullpen

No closer? No problem, insist members of Nats bullpen
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Shawn Kelley doesn't know who the Nationals closer is going to be to start the season. Neither does Blake Treinen nor Joe Nathan nor Joe Blanton nor Dusty Baker. (Well, maybe Baker knows deep down who he intends to have pitching the ninth inning, but he's publicly insisting that decision hasn't been made yet.) To outsiders, this appears to be cause for concern, maybe even a major problem. How can a team as good as the Nationals, a team trying to win its fourth...
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