Rosenthal makes rehab appearance with Harrisburg (Nats win 5-2)

Rosenthal makes rehab appearance with Harrisburg (Nats win 5-2)
LOS ANGELES - Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal participated in a rehab game tonight for Double-A Harrisburg. He tossed a scoreless inning for the Senators, striking out one and walking none. He fired 11 pitches in the seventh inning at Hartford, eight for strikes. Nationals manager Davey Martinez talked about Rosenthal's status prior to that rehab appearance. "We'll see how he feels after today's game," Martinez said. "We'd like for him to go back and pitch a couple more...
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Soto returns to lineup, feels "really good right now"

Soto returns to lineup, feels "really good right now"
LOS ANGELES - Nationals welcomed back slugging left fielder Juan Soto after missing 10 days due to back spasms. He last played in a game May 1 and is batting third tonight against the Dodgers. The Nats went 3-6 without Soto. Soto was hitting .248 with a .368 on-base percentage and a .467 slugging percentage, and he still leads the team with 22 RBIs and is tied for the lead in homers with six. He has five doubles, 19 walks and 16 runs scored. "Yeah, he said he's really good to go," said...
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Game 39 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

Game 39 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals and Dodgers are now all even at one game apiece in their four-game set at Dodger Stadium. The Nats won the opener 6-0 and the Dodgers won 5-3 on Friday night. The Nationals did some good things Friday but ultimately were unable to solve Kenta Maeda. They ended up with only four hits. The defense made some plays with Brian Dozier and Anthony Rendon shining, but also had a misstep when Adam Eaton could not make a play in right field and the ball got behind him. Today...
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Pederson too much for Sánchez in 5-0 Nats loss

Pederson too much for Sánchez in 5-0 Nats loss
LOS ANGELES - Right-hander Aníbal Sánchez had trouble finding a way to get Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson out. Pederson's two monster home runs were the big hits as the Los Angeles Dodgers rolled to a 5-0 win over the Nationals on Friday night. Sánchez could not finish five innings and fell to 0-6. The series is now even at one game apiece. David Freese added a two-run homer in the seventh off of Matt Grace. After the Nats opened with a 6-0 shutout Thursday night, the Dodgers returned...
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Soto takes full BP; Doolittle can handle workload (Nats fall 5-0)

Soto takes full BP; Doolittle can handle workload (Nats fall 5-0)
LOS ANGELES - It looked like normal pregame preparation for left fielder Juan Soto on Friday night, prior to the second game of the Nationals' series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. That is a very good sign for Nationals manager Davey Martinez and Soto. The slugger is on course to be activated Saturday. He has been on the injured list since May 1 with back spasms. "He's doing good," Martinez said. "He's going to do full activity today. Ground balls, fly balls, hit, on...
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Game 38 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

Game 38 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals came to play in game one in their 6-0 win over the Dodgers. Howie Kendrick and Patrick Corbin were the biggest heroes, but the Nats also were able to do a couple of things they've had trouble doing in the season's early going: scoring runs in multiple innings and having their bullpen shut down the opponent in the final two innings. The 6-0 win is the first shutout of the Dodgers in Nationals history. The Expos last shut out the Dodgers 3-0 on September 14, 1999....
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Kendrick locked in, Gomes on Corbin's outing and more

Kendrick locked in, Gomes on Corbin's outing and more
LOS ANGELES - The biggest element of the Nationals offense, one the team has been unable to consistently demonstrate for close to 40 games, is a power-hitting bat day in and day out. Juan Soto showed what he could do with the bat in 2018. Anthony Rendon raced out to a hot start this season but was then slowed by the hit by pitch on his elbow in Miami on April 20. Matt Adams has shown flashes of his "Big City" bat, but the injury bug bit this slugger as well courtesy a left shoulder...
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Corbin gem and Kendrick rocket carry Nats to 6-0 win

Corbin gem and Kendrick rocket carry Nats to 6-0 win
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals arrived in Chavez Ravine Thursday to begin a four-game set against the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers desperate to get their offense going to take pressure off their pitching staff. Mired in a four-game losing streak and fresh off a rough series sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, in which they scored only six total runs, the Nats tallied three runs quickly to set the tone in the opener against the Dodgers. They added three more tack-on runs late to help...
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Game 37 lineups: Nats at Dodgers (Parra signed)

Game 37 lineups: Nats at Dodgers (Parra signed)
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals arrive at Chavez Ravine looking to snap their longest losing streak of the season (four) and having lost 13 of their last 18 games. They are currently eight games under .500 for the first time since September 17, 2011 (71-79). The three-game sweep at the hands of the Brewers was the first sweep versus Milwaukee since May 2011. Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (2-1) allowed six runs, but only three earned, in the game's first two frames of a 7-3 setback. Second baseman...
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Would Harper accept hometown discount from Nats?

Would Harper accept hometown discount from Nats?
The offseason free agency talk continues centering around the Nationals' biggest free agent of their young history in outfielder Bryce Harper. The Washington Post reported a couple of weeks ago an offer to Harper of $300 million over 10 years with no player opt-outs. The New York Post reported this weekend the latest rumor about the possibility of big-name players such as Harper and another current free agent, Manny Machado, going to the same team, say the Phillies. But how remote is the shot...
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Storylines abound as disrespected Red Sox battle title-hungry Dodgers in World Series

Storylines abound as disrespected Red Sox battle title-hungry Dodgers in World Series
The Brewers' run at making the World Series for the first time since 1982 was refreshing, but the 114th World Series that starts Tuesday has a rare storyline. The last time the Red Sox and Dodgers played in the World Series was 1916, and the Dodgers weren't even the Dodgers: They were the Brooklyn Robins, named for their manager, Wilbert Robinson. (The Robins became the Dodgers in 1932 and then moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.) The Red Sox won the 1916 series in five games. Babe...
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More on Madson's recovery and possible move to Dodgers

More on Madson's recovery and possible move to Dodgers
Nationals right-handed reliever Ryan Madson detailed this week upon his return how his personal trainer, Jay Schroeder of EVO UltraFit in Phoneix, Ariz., diagnosed and treated the lumbar nerve root irritation that had kept him out of action and on the disabled list. Schroeder employs something called an ARP (Accelerated Recovery Performance) wave machine, which uses pads that attach to Madson's skin and shoot electrical currents through his body, helping to relieve pain and soreness. The goal...
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Dodgers hope new arrival Machado will help them maintain control of NL West

Dodgers hope new arrival Machado will help them maintain control of NL West
The Dodgers, Manny Machado's new team, have a chance to get into the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. After the first six weeks, the Dodgers appeared to be going nowhere. Thanks to a season-ending elbow injury, shortstop Corey Seager, who will return next season, played his final game for the Dodgers on April 29. On May 16, the Dodgers lost 6-5 in Miami to fall 10 games below .500 and 8 1/2 game back of the Diamondbacks in the National League West. So why would there be a need for a...
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Strasburg kept game close, but offense and bullpen falter in 7-2 loss

Strasburg kept game close, but offense and bullpen falter in 7-2 loss
The Nationals were swept in their two-day, three-game series against the Dodgers that wrapped up Sunday, losing the finale 7-2. Yasmani Grandal and Kiké Hernández crushed homers off of Stephen Strasburg and Yasiel Puig smacked a late two-run shot to put the game away. Strasburg kept his team in the game with 6 2/3 innings, but four walks and those two big hits were enough for the Dodgers to get the win. Strasburg threw 115 pitches, but the four walks were his most all season and most...
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Wieters update is promising, Goodwin slowed (Nats fall 7-2)

Wieters update is promising, Goodwin slowed (Nats fall 7-2)
Infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick will have surgery to repair his ruptured Achilles on Monday. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said he was devastated when he saw the injury occur in left field Saturday. "I've been around a long time," Rizzo said. "I kind of diagnosed it when he was laying on the warning track. It's unfortunate. It's a team leader, not to mention a really, really good player. You have to have a short memory in this game. As he was taken off, we got him the MRI, we...
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Game 45 lineups: Dodgers at Nats

Game 45 lineups: Dodgers at Nats
The Nationals head into Sunday seeking their first win in the three-game series versus the Dodgers. The Nats will also welcome one of the top prospects in all of baseball to Nationals Park, as 19-year-old Juan Soto joins the team, his contract having been selected this morning. He was with Double-A Harrisburg in Richmond on Saturday. Soto is the No. 15 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com and is considered the top power-hitting outfielder in the Nats system. To make room for Soto on the 25-man...
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Kieboom earns first big league hit, Harper RBI (Dodgers win 4-1)

Kieboom earns first big league hit, Harper RBI (Dodgers win 4-1)
The Dodgers got off to a quick start with a triple by Joc Pederson against Tanner Roark in the first inning. He came around to score on a sacrifice fly to left field by Yasmani Grandal. Roark labored 21 pitches in the first frame. In the third, Wilmer Difo and Spencer Kieboom singled. For Kieboom, it was his first Major League base hit. Bryce Harper's single to center scored Difo. Harper was seen wearing sport specs at the plate for the first time this season. Roark settled in to keep the...
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Game 43 lineups: Dodgers at Nats

Game 43 lineups: Dodgers at Nats
The Nationals' recent schedule has been interrupted so much by inclement weather it's almost like they have joined the National Football League: one game a week. Today the Nationals are scheduled to play a split doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tanner Roark will start the first game and Max Scherzer the second game. The Nats have not played a complete Major League Baseball game since last Sunday night at Arizona. Manager Davey Martinez released a lineup for Friday's game that...
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Nats and Dodgers washed out, split doubleheader Saturday

Nats and Dodgers washed out, split doubleheader Saturday
The Nationals' series opener against theDodgers has been postponed due to inclement weather. The announcement was made at 4:45 p.m. Friday's postponed game will be made up as part of a split-admission doubleheader on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. and the start time for Saturday night's regularly scheduled game has been adjusted from 7:05 p.m. to 8:05 p.m. Tickets for Friday's game should be used for the 2:05 p.m. game. The Nationals have realigned their pitchers for the doubleheader. Tanner Roark...
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Opposite dugout: Is it time to wave the white flag for the Dodgers? (updated)

Opposite dugout: Is it time to wave the white flag for the Dodgers? (updated)
Manager: Dave Roberts (3rd season) Record: 17-26 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: 3B Justin Turner (.462, 5 RBIs), 1B Cody Bellinger (6 HR, 19 RBIs), C Yasmani Grandal (.278 with 7 HR, 26 RBIs), LHP Alex Wood (0-4, 3.35 ERA), RHP Kenley Jansen (3.57 ERA, 6 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 2-1 Pitching probables: May 18: RHP Ross Stripling (0-1) vs. RHP Max Scherzer (7-1), 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 19: LHP Rich Hill (1-2) vs. RHP Tanner Roark (2-3), 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 20: LHP Alex Wood (0-4) vs. RHP...
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