Strasburg leaves in third inning with apparent injury

Strasburg leaves in third inning with apparent injury
What should have been among the most encouraging moments of the season's final month - Stephen Strasburg returning to the mound after a brief stint on the disabled list - instead turned into a potential nightmare scenario for the Nationals and their $175 million right-hander, who had to depart in the top of the third inning with an apparent injury that left the ballpark in stunned silence. Strasburg grimaced after throwing each of his last two pitches: a fastball to Braves pitcher Mike...
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After unexpected DL stint, for Drew "it's definitely time to go"

After unexpected DL stint, for Drew "it's definitely time to go"
When Stephen Drew came down with the flu shortly after the All-Star break, the veteran infielder couldn't have anticipated he wouldn't be able to make a full return to the Nationals for another seven weeks. Then again, how could anyone have anticipated that seemingly innocent illness would lead to an inner-ear condition that left Drew with extreme bouts of dizziness that resembled vertigo and made many daily routines, let alone anything that takes place on a baseball field, difficult to...
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Barrett determined to make full recovery from "traumatic" injury

Barrett determined to make full recovery from "traumatic" injury
The road to recovery from Tommy John surgery is long and lonely, and tests the mind just as much as it tests the reconstructed elbow of a pitcher. Aaron Barrett was far down that road in late July, a full 11 months removed from his surgery and fully confident he'd be ready to pitch in a big league game for the Nationals after only one more month of rehab. Barrett was standing on a mound on one of the practice fields in Viera, Fla., on July 22, 10 pitches into a scheduled 20-pitch simulated...
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Ross throws off mound, ready to ramp up workload again

Ross throws off mound, ready to ramp up workload again
BALTIMORE - Joe Ross threw off a bullpen mound today, the right-hander's first such throwing session in three weeks, and finally appears ready to ramp up his rehab in an attempt to rejoin the Nationals' rotation for the stretch run. Ross, out since July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, threw roughly 25-to-30 pitches off the mound in the visitors' bullpen at Camden Yards this afternoon and was admittedly "excited" about how things went. "It feels really good. That's why I'm pretty...
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Strasburg, Nationals describe DL stint as precautionary

Strasburg, Nationals describe DL stint as precautionary
BALTIMORE - Stephen Strasburg didn't think the stiff elbow he's been experiencing lately was significant enough to keep him from pitching tonight, but the Nationals told their ace right-hander not to chance it, preferring to have him make what they hope will be a brief stint on the disabled list before returning for the stretch run. "They thought it was best interest to let it recover now, instead of trying to gut it out and essentially be not available later on," Strasburg said this...
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Zimmerman, Lobaton set to return from DL on Friday

Zimmerman, Lobaton set to return from DL on Friday
ATLANTA - Ryan Zimmerman and Jose Lobaton are on their way to Atlanta and are expected to be activated off the disabled list in time for Friday night's game at Turner Field, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said today. Both Zimmerman and Lobaton completed a three-day rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse, emerging with no issues and convincing club officials they're ready to return. "They're on the way now," Baker said prior to the Nationals series opener against the Braves. "There's a...
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Harper still sidelined as nature of injury is questioned

Harper still sidelined as nature of injury is questioned
Bryce Harper once again is not in the Nationals lineup, and there doesn't seem to be any more clarity to what exactly is keeping the struggling slugger from playing. Or when he'll be ready to return. The Nationals continue to refer to Harper's ailment as a "stiff neck," with manager Dusty Baker also mentioning a recurring "spasm." But late this afternoon, Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci reported that Harper "has been playing through a right shoulder injury for the past two months,"...
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Harper sits again with stiff neck, return uncertain

Harper sits again with stiff neck, return uncertain
Bryce Harper's stiff neck, which forced him from the Nationals game three days ago, is still preventing the struggling slugger from playing tonight. Harper is out of the lineup for the Nationals' series opener against the Indians, a somewhat surprising development given the way he and the team downplayed the significance of the injury when it first became public Saturday night. "It's the same thing," manager Dusty Baker said. "We were hoping that these couple days (would help). A stiff...
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Zimmerman out for fourth straight game (Nats win 5-1)

Zimmerman out for fourth straight game (Nats win 5-1)
Ryan Zimmerman is out of the Nationals lineup for the fourth straight game, his left wrist still too bruised from the fastball that struck it Sunday afternoon in San Francisco. Zimmerman initially was hopeful he wouldn't need to miss more than a day or two after getting hit by Santiago Casilla's pitch in the ninth inning at AT&T Park. He has participated in some drills during batting practice, but he's still experiencing pain when swinging a bat. Multiple X-rays taken the day of the...
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Sore shoulder ends Ross' rehab, Drew has inner ear issue

Sore shoulder ends Ross' rehab, Drew has inner ear issue
Joe Ross won't be rejoining the Nationals' rotation nearly as soon as initially thought, not after the right-hander was pulled off his rehab assignment due to lingering shoulder soreness. Ross was due to pitch for one of the club's minor league affiliates this weekend, his third rehab start since going on the disabled list July 3 with right shoulder inflammation, and manager Dusty Baker indicated earlier this week he would probably be ready to return to the team after that. But Ross...
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X-rays on Zimmerman's hand negative, Ross nearing return

X-rays on Zimmerman's hand negative, Ross nearing return
PHOENIX - Ryan Zimmerman appears to have avoided serious injury, but the Nationals first baseman is out of tonight's lineup with a sore left wrist one day after it was struck by a pitch. Multiple X-rays taken on Zimmerman's wrist came back negative, according to manager Dusty Baker, who was breathing a sigh of relief after getting the news, knowing others who have been hit in a similar fashion (most notably Jayson Werth last season) have wound up missing months. "We dodged a bullet that...
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Dizziness lands Drew on disabled list; Difo recalled

Dizziness lands Drew on disabled list; Difo recalled
CLEVELAND - The illness that made Stephen Drew unavailable to the Nationals for six days last week has now landed him on the disabled list. Drew was placed on the 15-day DL this morning after a recurrence of the dizziness that plagued him last week while he was out with what the club initially called "flu-like symptoms." The veteran infielder no longer has those traditional symptoms, but he continues to feel dizzy, so the club is now referring to his ailment as "vertigo-like symptoms." Drew...
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Ross healthy again, but will need another rehab start

Ross healthy again, but will need another rehab start
CLEVELAND - Joe Ross is back with the Nationals this week, part of their traveling contingent for their interleague series against the Indians. But he's not back in their rotation just yet, still needing to make at least one more rehab start before he can be activated off the disabled list. Ross made the first of his rehab starts Sunday at Single-A Hagerstown, tossing three scoreless innings on 43 pitches. The right-hander said he emerged from that outing with no shoulder issues, but he...
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Murphy out for third straight day, Rendon scratched with flu

Murphy out for third straight day, Rendon scratched with flu
The Nationals suddenly find themselves with a serious dearth of healthy infielders. Daniel Murphy is out of the lineup for the third straight day with a sore hamstring suffered in Tuesday's All-Star Game. Anthony Rendon was a late scratch due to flu-like symptoms. Add in Ryan Zimmerman, who has been on the disabled list since July 7 with a strained ribcage muscle, and the Nationals are taking the field for today's series finale against the Pirates without three of their regular starting...
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Strasburg's MRI shows "nothing serious" (we're underway)

Strasburg's MRI shows "nothing serious" (we're underway)
The Nationals remain optimistic that the injury that landed Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list isn't serious and that the right-hander will be able to return to their rotation soon after getting a positive report from medical tests administered over the last two days. Results of Strasburg's MRI confirmed the Nationals' initial diagnosis of a strained upper back, encouraging news for the club. "Nothing serious," manager Dusty Baker said. "As we had hoped it wasn't." Strasburg was...
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Jonathan Papelbon to begin rehab Monday at Potomac

Jonathan Papelbon to begin rehab Monday at Potomac
Jonathan Papelbon's return to the Nationals bullpen may only be a handful of days away. Papelbon will begin a rehab assignment with high Single-A Potomac on Monday night, the minor league affiliate announced, suggesting the injured closer is nearly ready to come back from a strained ribcage muscle. Out since June 13 with what officially is considered a strained right intercostal muscle, Papelbon traveled with the Nationals throughout their just-completed road trip and had been playing catch...
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Belisle ready but expects to continue rehab at Harrisburg

Belisle ready but expects to continue rehab at Harrisburg
Matt Belisle believes he's ready to come off the disabled list and rejoin the Nationals bullpen. The club, however, wants the veteran right-hander to continue his rehab assignment. So after three appearances at high Single-A Potomac, Belisle is now expected to head to Double-A Harrisburg. Belisle, out since April 26 with a strained right calf, pitched two innings last night for Potomac, allowing two runs on four hits (one of them a homer). He also struck out three. That came after two...
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Ben Revere finishes rehab, will join Nationals in Chicago

Ben Revere finishes rehab, will join Nationals in Chicago
KANSAS CITY - The Nationals are getting their leadoff man back at last. Now they hope he helps complete a lineup that has sorely missed him for the last month. Ben Revere has completed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse and will meet the Nationals in Chicago tonight, manager Dusty Baker said. The club won't decide for sure when to activate the center fielder off the disabled until he is checked out in person, but there's a good chance he'll be in the lineup for Thursday night's...
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Updates on Rendon, Zimmerman, Arroyo and Revere

Updates on Rendon, Zimmerman, Arroyo and Revere
KANSAS CITY - Any discussion of how the Nationals can improve their offensive production almost certainly starts with two struggling lineup members who have track records of success: Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman. The two infielders have lagged behind others through the season's first month, combining for just one home run and nine RBIs (eight of them via Zimmerman). There are signs of encouragement, though. Or, at least, signs of bad luck that may change. Rendon, in particular, has been...
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Belisle lands on DL with strained calf, Solis recalled

Belisle lands on DL with strained calf, Solis recalled
Unable to wait and see how severe Matt Belisle's calf injury is, with more fresh arms needed for their bullpen tonight, the Nationals have placed the veteran right-hander on the 15-day disabled list and recalled lefty Sammy Solis from Triple-A Syracuse. Solis will be in uniform and available out of the Nationals bullpen for tonight's game against the Phillies, giving manager Dusty Baker a much-needed arm that can throw multiple innings in case something happens to starter Gio Gonzalez early...
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