Nats News
10-14-14: The Washington Nationals had the best record in the National League in 2014 and drew the winner of the NL Playoff Game in the San Francisco Giants. Washington finally got a chance to see their ace Stephen Strasburg in a postseason game but the results were not as they had hoped for. Washington lost the game as Strasburg was shaky and went on to lose the second game of the NLDS to end the week on the brink of elimination. Washington is now preparing to head out on the road and into San Francisco for the remainder of the NLDS hoping to return home for a deciding Game Five in the series.
In Game Three of the NLDS San Francisco headed home looking for the sweep of the Washington Nationals. The Giants sent their ace Madison Bumgarner to the mound to face off against the Nationals Doug Fister in what turned out to be an old fashioned pitcher’s duel. The game was scoreless heading into the seventh inning when Asdrubal Cabrera knocked in two and Bryce Harper added a third run to put Washington up 3-0. Bumgarner’s night was done after the 7th inning as he finished with 7.0 innings pitched and three runs allowed, two earned, while Fister finished with 7.0 shutout innings of his own. Bryce Harper added a 9th inning home run off Jean Machi while Brandon Crawford added a ninth inning RBI that was too little too late as the game ended with Washington winning 4-1. Washington forced a Game Four while San Francisco still led the series 2-1 in the best of five set.
In Game Four San Francisco tried to finish the series at home and wanted to avoid heading back to Washington for a decisive fifth game by sending Ryan Vogelson to the mound. Washington looked to send the series home and keep their World Series hopes alive by sending Gio Gonzalez to the mound in a must win game for the Nats. This was another pitcher’s duel as Gonzalez went 4.0 innings allowing two runs, none earned, before handing the ball to the Washington bullpen. Harper doubled in a run in the 5th inning to pull within 2-1 and Bryce added a solo home run in the 7th inning off Giants reliever Hunter Strickland to tie the game for the Nationals. Washington handed the ball to Matt Thornton for the bottom of the 7th and he immediately gave up the lead on a Gregor Blanco RBI single to give San Francisco a 3-2 lead heading into the 8th inning. Sergio Romo pitched a perfect 8th inning for the Giants setting up San Francisco’s closer Santiago Casilla to pitch the 9th inning looking for the series clinching victory. Casilla made things interested with a 9th inning walk but struck out another batter in a 3-2 Giants victory. San Francisco won the NLDS 3-1 and headed to the NLCS to take on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Washington will head home as manager Matt Williams and company have a lot to go over and evaluate after another disappointing trip to the postseason. The Nationals now face many important decisions including what to do with the likes of Anthony Rendon, Ryan Zimmerman, and Adam LaRoche.
10-7-14: The Washington Nationals won the National League East division title this season and drew the Wild Card Playoff winning San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series. San Francisco was fresh off their victory and blowout of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Wild Card round and looked to extend their eight game playoff winning streak in Washington. There was not a single Nationals ticket not sold for this game as the fans filed into Nationals Park for what was scheduled to be a pitcher’s duel five game set. The Game One matchup put the Nats ace Stephen Strasburg up against the revived Jake Peavy for the Giants. The media surrounded Strasburg as he made his first postseason start of his young career and in his first contest lasted 5.0 innings allowing two runs, one earned, while striking out just two. Peavy countered with 5.2 IP of shutout baseball of his own while striking out and walking three batters each. Peavy handed the ball to his recently reliable bullpen and the combination of Javier Lopez, Jeremy Affeldt, Sergio Romo, and Santiago Casilla combined for 2.1 IP of shut out baseball. The only hiccup for the Giants pen was the pair of solo home runs that reliever Hunter Strickland served up to Bryce Harper and Asdrubal Cabrera. San Francisco took an early lead in the series by winning the game 3-2 and taking a 1-0 series lead over Washington. The Giants also extended their playoff winning streak to nine straight games.
In Game Two the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants played one of the longest games in postseason history as the fans were entertained by nine innings of free baseball during this 18 inning campaign. The game started with Jordan Zimmerman starting for the Nationals and Tim Hudson starting for the Giants and ended with a Tanner Roark loss and a Hunter Strickland save in a San Francisco 2-1 victory to take a 2-0 series lead. Washington held a 1-0 lead in the contest until the ninth inning when Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval tied the game with a two out RBI single scoring second baseman Joe Panik off Zimmerman who was searching for the complete game shutout. Hudson was off the hook for a loss he did not deserve after pitching 7.1 innings of one run ball striking out eight Nationals players. As the game headed into the Top of the 18th inning the Giants sent first baseman Brandon Belt to the plate and he connected with a solo home run off Roark making Yusmeiro Petit the winning pitcher for the Giants. Washington could not get anything going in the bottom of the 18th and fell to the Giants digging a bigger hole in the series. Washington will now have to win three games in a row if they want to reach the National League Championship Series.
10-1-14: The Nats are getting no love heading into the postseason. Washington cruised to the top seed in the NL and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. What makes Washington dangerous entering October is the fact that they have three staff's aces. The Nats have Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg, and Doug Fister to round out the top three of their rotation. Strasburg has a 20-inning scoreless streak heading into the postseason. They will play the winner of the Pirates/Giants wildcard game in the NLDS.
9-30-14: The Washington Nationals current first baseman Adam LaRoche feels like it may be time to move on from the team after the 2014 season. It is well known that the Nationals will likely want to make room for Ryan Zimmerman at first base with the emergence of Anthony Rendon at third base. LaRoche has a $15 million club option for next season and if that is declined he would instantly become one of the better free agents available on the market this winter. The Nationals went into the 2014 postseason the way every team wants to, on a hot streak. On the final game of the season Nats starting pitcher Jordan Zimmerman threw a no hitter, the first in the franchise’s history since moving to Washington from Montreal in a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. Coincidentally it was the Marlins and today’s starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez that threw a no hitter on the final day of the 2013 season. There is always that one amazing play that saves the no hitter and that play came on the last out of the game from left fielder Steven Souza. Souza entered the game as a defensive replacement for Ryan Zimmerman and ultimately saved the no hitter with an amazing catch on a ball that looked to be over his head and out of his reach. Washington finished the 2014 season with a 96-66 record and won the National League East division title.
9-25-14: The Nationals have taken full advantage of how awful the NL East is this season, posting a 41-29 in-division record on the year. They added to that with series wins against the Braves and Marlins last week. They remain the most complete team in the NL heading into the postseason. Their rotation is as good as any in baseball. The Nats have a 2.5-game lead over the Dodgers for the best record in the NL, and they'll look to lock down home field with two more games at home against the Mets. They finish up the season with a four-game series against the Marlins at home.
9-23-14: The Washington Nationals clinched a playoff spot this week as the team will head to the postseason in manager Matt William’s first season as the club’s skipper. Washington has also agreed to a minor league deal with son of former Phillies legend Lenny Dykstra when the team agreed to a one year deal with Cutter Dykstra this week. One member of the Nationals minor league system that will not be joining Dykstra is Eury Perez as he was designated for assignment by the team this week to make room for recently claimed Pedro Florimon. Florimon was an infielder in the Minnesota Twins organization and is likely to be more of an option for the 2015 season rather than this season for Washington. Florimon would not be eligible for the postseason this year since he was acquired after the August 31st trading deadline. Perez had missed a big chunk of the 2014 season with a fractured toe but had recently been activated off the 60 day DL. Perez was ranked as the Nationals 20th best prospects before the season and finished the year with a .310/.371/.409 triple slash with 26 stolen bases. It will be unlikely that Perez, who currently plays at Triple-A, will clear waivers and return to the Nationals this week. Perez used his last option this year and is currently blocked in Washington by Denard Span, Michael Taylor, and Brian Goodwin among others in the outfield.
9-18-14: With the Orioles celebrating a division crown an hour north of Washington in Baltimore, the Nats were busy collecting their second division title in three seasons. Tanner Roark pitched seven strong innings of shutout ball, while Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen preserved the win. Ian Desmond homered deep into the Turner Field seats Tuesday night as Washington is heading back to the postseason.
9-16-14: The Washington Nationals have moved Rafael Soriano out of their closer role and have no intentions of moving him back any time soon. Soriano has been tinkering with his mechanics as of late but has yet to instill much faith from manager Matt Williams. Whether Soriano’s $15 million vesting option for the 2015 season has anything to do with the Nationals actions or whether Drew Storen is just that good remains to be seen. Washington is likely to decline their club option for Soriano anyway if the option does not vest so he is very likely to reach free agency after the 2014 season. Even with the struggles of Soriano the Nationals have been able to open up a 10.5 game lead over the second place Atlanta Braves in the AL East division and currently have an 85-63 record on the season. Washington will look to clinch a playoff spot and NL East division championship next week with a couple victories and a few Atlanta Braves losses.
9-12-14: The Nationals remain the NL’s best team despite dropping a series to the Phillies this past weekend. The team has cooled off a bit since its 10-game winning streak in August, going 9-8 in its last 17 games, but it still looks to have as complete a roster as any team in baseball. Adam LaRoche getting hot which will help the offense and the starting rotation is one of the best in the majors. Their bullpen is a bit of a concern, but they should be ready to make a deep postseason run.
9-9-14: The Washington Nationals have been consistent all season long offensively and on the mound which explains why the team has a commanding lead in the NL East division. The entire starting lineup, including the oft injured Ryan Zimmerman, has hit above league average this season as the team has quietly had one of the better offensives in all of baseball in 2014. Speaking of Zimmerman his hamstring tear is improving and a mid to late September return is looking likely for Washington. The return of Zimmerman will cause major problems in Washington as Adam LaRoche, Anthony Rendon, Asdrubal Cabrera, and the rest of the Nationals infield has played extremely well. The Nationals depth may force Zimmerman to bounce around the field when he returns playing left field, third base, and first base giving manager Matt Williams regulars some much needed rest before the postseason.
9-4-14: A sweep at the hands of the Phillies last week snapped a 12-1 streak for the Nationals. So far,
they’ve split two games with the Dodgers this week and wrap up the week with a three game
series against the Phillies. Washington is the best all-around team in the NL heading into the
month of September.
9-2-14: The Washington Nationals are running away with the NL East division race leading the Atlanta Braves by six games at the end of the week. Washington has been coasting a bit in the division and has gone 5-5 in their last 10 games to keep pace at the top. Washington has gotten the most out of their trade with the Cleveland Indians that sent Zach Walters and Jose Ramirez to Cleveland for Asdrubal Cabrera. Cabrera has played a stellar second base for the Nationals, although his bat has left something to be desired, and Washington has not missed the production of Walters or the defense of Ramirez just yet. Washington has a 99.4% chance of making the postseason according to MLB.com and the team has one of the highest run differentials in all of baseball with a +106 making this team a team to be reckoned with when the postseason starts up next month.
8-27-14: At 15-5 in their last 20 games, the Nationals are the hottest team in baseball right now. That span included a 10-game winning streak and a stretch with five walk-off wins in six games. That’s incredible to think about. They have dropped two straight games to the lowly Phillies, but they are simply finding ways to win games as of late. That will only help them come October. Their 7.5 game lead over the Braves is the largest division lead in baseball right now, and they currently have the best record in the NL.
8-26-14: The Washington Nationals have announced that outfielder Nate McLouth will miss the remainder of the 2014 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. McLouth signed a two year deal with Washington this offseason worth $10.75 million with a third year club option worth $6.5 million. In response the Nationals signed former Cubs outfielder Nate Schierholtz to a minor league deal and stashed him in Triple-A for the time being. One player that is no longer with the team is Carlos Pena who was released this week from his minor league contract after struggling with the Rangers in the big leagues and in Triple-A in 2014. The Nationals currently sit at 75-54 and have a commanding eight game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division.
8-20-14: The Nationals are in cruise control in the NL East thanks to the Atlanta Braves' rough patch over the last two weeks or so. They beat the Diamondbacks on Tuesday and have a six-game lead in the standings. They played great down the stretch last season going 18-9 in September, and they look poised for another late-season surge. This time, though, they need to make the most of the postseason.
8-19-14: The Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles are in the middle of a small legal battle this week over the MASN television network. Both teams are laying claims to the majority of the television network and the Orioles are fighting the roughly $55 million annually that was awarded to the Nationals in a previous court hearing over the network. A litigator ruled that, at least for now, the Nationals could not ask for more rights and fees associated with MASN but this may become a drawn out legal battle before it’s all said and done. All and all the on the field product in Washington remains strong as the team has a commanding six game lead in the division over the Atlanta Braves with a 69-53 record. The Nats are hot sporting a 8-2 record in their last 10 games while Atlanta has only gone 6-4 in that same span.
8-13-14: The Nationals were beaten by Atlanta head-to-head over the weekend, but thanks to the Braves' recent slide after that series, the Nats hold a five game lead in the NL East standings. Even with Bryce Harper struggling mightily, Ryan Zimmerman injured and both Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg pitching below expectations, Washington still looks like one of the best teams in the National League. The Nats have split with the Mets this week and wrap up the week with a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
8-12-14: The Washington Nationals have acquired left handed relief specialist Matt Thornton from the New York Yankees in an August revocable waiver trade. The Nats claimed the southpaw off waivers and were allowed to take Thornton for his contract which equates to roughly $4.5 million for this season and next. This will likely take the Nationals out of the Neal Cotts sweepstakes as they showed interest in the Texas Rangers reliever earlier in the month. The Nationals also tried to acquire Andrew Miller at the deadline from the Boston Red Sox and may have finally got that final piece to their bullpen for the playoff push. The Nationals have been patient with center fielder Bryce Harper through all the speculations that the 21 year old should be sent down to Triple-A to figure out his swing. Manager Matt Williams quickly shot down any speculation that this was the direction the team was heading in and was angered by the remarks.
8-6-14: Nationals’ lefty Gio Gonzalez gave up four runs and six hits over six plus innings of work as the Nats were soundly defeated by the Mets 6-1 Tuesday night. There should be concern in Washington right now. The Nats do have a three game lead in NL East over the struggling Braves, but the Marlins are charging hard and third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who is on the DL since injuring his right hamstring July 22, has a grade-three strain and could miss six weeks.
8-5-14: The Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles are in the middle of a dispute over the jointly owned Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. The jointly owned television channel has been heavily disputed by both teams and the battle will head to litigation. Even with the distractions off the field the team continues to produce on the field as Washington leads the NL East division by 3.5 games over the Atlanta Braves. The Nats got some reinforcements at the July 31st trading deadline when they added Asdrubal Cabrera from the Cleveland Indians for infielder Zach Walters. The trade made some people around the league scratch their head as Walters has a big bat and is an infielder that could have helped place the injured Ryan Zimmerman but many in the Nationals organization think he was blocked on his way to the major leagues. Cabrera is a free agent at the end of the season and will try and solidify the Nationals infield for the rest of the season.
7-30-14: The Washington Nationals are starting to put some space between them and the second place Atlanta Braves in the NL East division even after losing third baseman Ryan Zimmerman to another DL stint. Zimmerman was placed on the 15 day DL with a hamstring injury that will force Anthony Rendon back to third base and Danny Espinosa back to second base. Washington approached the Texas Rangers about the availability of their third baseman Adrian Beltre and were quickly turned down before talks got off the ground. The Nationals need a left handed pitcher in their bullpen and have been linked to the Boston Red Sox lefty Andrew Miller. Boston announced they are shopping Miller this week so the Nationals may be the most aggressive suitor for Miller this season.
7-28-14: The Nationals are looking very good as they moved back atop the National League East. Adam LaRoche and Ian Desmond led the offense to a successful week. Unfortunately, the team placed Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain, and Stephen Strasburg has struggled on the road this season, as he suffered yet another loss away from home on Wednesday.
7-24-14: Adam LaRoche broke out of his awful July slump with a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning, Anthony Rendon had three hits and the Washington Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 7-4 on Tuesday night. Nats third baseman Ryan Zimmerman left the game in the sixth inning with a strained right hamstring. Zimmerman missed 44 games with a fractured right thumb earlier this season. This was Washington’s fourth straight win and they increased their NL East Division lead to two games over Atlanta, which lost to the Marlins on Tuesday.
7-21-14: The Washington Nationals are enjoying the success of closer Rafael Soriano in 2014 and automatically get his services in 2015 if Soriano’s vesting option vests with 32 more games finished this season. If the option does not vest Soriano has publicly stated that he would be willing to sign an extension or another free agent deal with the Nationals to keep him in Washington. The Nationals also signed their first round pick from the 2014 draft in Erick Feede to a deal worth $2,511,100. This was the maximum amount the Nationals could give the Tommy John surgery victim without forfeiting future draft picks in the draft. In turn the Nationals will not be able to sign second rounder Andrew Suarez or ninth round pick Austin Byler to get the Feede deal done.
7-19-14: The Nationals are in a battle with the Atlanta Braves for the top of the National League East. If Washington cannot win the majority of the games that Stephen Strasburg starts, a divisional title will be difficult to get. Kyle Lohse outpitched Strasburg on Friday as the Nationals dropped the game to the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-2.
7-17-14: A series win against the Phillies last weekend pulled the Nationals into a tie atop the NL East standings heading into the break. They have dealt with a rash of injuries in the first half and could be poised for a nice second-half run if they stay healthy. Keeping Bryce Harper healthy will obviously be important. The Nats will need to add another lefty in the bullpen, but for the most part, Washington is as strong as it gets in the NL.
7-15-14: The Washington Nationals have had a pair of extensions rejected by second baseman Ian Desmond and are now said to be in the market for a young shortstop. The Nats have offered Desmond two separate seven year deals, the first being worth $85.5 million and the second worth $98 million, and were told no on both. The Nats will likely be willing to shop Desmond after this season. Not during the season in the middle of a pennant race, and could either ask the Chicago Cubs or Arizona Diamondbacks about their shortstop depth. The Nats could retain Desmond for the 2015 season at a reasonable salary and give a potential shortstop one more season of development before plugging him in a full time position. The Nats go into the break in a tie with the Atlanta Braves in the NL East with a 51-42 record. The Nats own the tiebreaker with the Braves so the division lead is theirs at the halfway point.
7-14-14: Although the Nationals have struggled recently, they have played better than the Atlanta Braves and are back atop the National League East. Washington played well against the Chicago Cubs, but lost two of three games against the Baltimore Orioles. In the final game of the Nationals’ series with the Orioles, Ian Desmond took a pitch off his right hand and was forced to sit out Friday night. Unfortunately, the injuries did not stop there as Jordan Zimmermann left Friday’s game with a right bicep cramp and will skip the All-Star Game.
7-10-14: Bryce Harper will have to wait at least one more day to break out of his slump after Tuesday night's game between the Nationals and Orioles was postponed by rain. The game was called following a delay of around 2 hours, 30 minutes. The matchup will be made up on Aug. 4. The teams will continue the home-and-home series in Baltimore on Wednesday night. Harper came into the game stuck in a 4-for-24 slump since his return from the disabled list on June 30. The Nats are tied for first-place in the NL East with Atlanta.
7-7-14: The Nationals have been looking very good recently, but they seem to not be able to figure out the Chicago Cubs. After Washington swept the Colorado Rockies, the team had an off day before hosting the Cubs for a morning start on July 4. Jason Hammel, who was recently traded to the Oakland Athletics, outpitched Tanner Roark to get Chicago the victory, but Jayson Werth did hit a home run for the second straight game.
7-3-14: Stephen Strasburg bounced back from his worst outing of the season with 7 2/3 strong innings of work Tuesday night as the Nationals' were victorious, 7-1, over the Colorado Rockies. Jayson Werth had two doubles and three RBIs for the Nats. Strasburg tied his career high by allowing seven earned runs in only 4 2/3 innings in his last start and was 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA over his last three starts. Not good numbers at all. Tuesday Strasburg struck out eight and walked one while giving up one. Washington is a ½ game back of Atlanta for the NL East lead.
7-2-14: The Washington Nationals have released former New York Yankee farm hand Christian Garcia after yet another less than stellar season. Garcia battled all the way back from a Tommy John surgery and even reached the majors in 2012 before battling another injury in 2013. Garcia missed the 2013 season with a torn flexor tendon and was pitching quite well in Triple-A before being released. The Nationals were leading the National League East division last week but have since handed the top spot back to the Atlanta Braves, at least for now, as these two teams go back and forth. The Nats are 43.38 and only a half-game behind the Braves for first place.
6-30-14: The Nationals, who are fighting with the Atlanta Braves for the top spot in the National League East, have hit a speed bump this past week. Their four-game winning streak ended on Wednesday in Milwaukee. Stephen Strasburg could not get much by the Brewers, so Milwaukee blew out Washington that afternoon. Then, the Nationals dropped the first two games of their series with the Chicago Cubs. However, Wilson Ramos is back from the disabled list, and he has continued to hit well.
6-26-14: Ryan Zimmerman’s two-run home run in the 16th inning lifted the Nationals to a 4-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday night. Nationals’ fans and players must be happy Zimmerman ended the game because Washington manager Matt Williams told first baseman Adam LaRoche to get ready to pitch the bottom of the 16th had the game remained tied. Bryce Harper went 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs in his second rehab start for Potomac against Salem. That is a good sign for Nats’ fans. Washington has a slim two game lead on Atlanta in the NL East.
6-24-14; The Washington Nationals may end up trading Danny Espinosa after Bryce Harper comes back from his injury. The Nationals will have too many good players and not enough spots to play them all. Harper will return to centerfield and the Nats would move Ryan Zimmerman to third base, Anthony Rendon to second base, and keep Adam LaRoche at first base making Espinosa expendable. The Nationals are now leading the American League East after taking the top spot from the struggling Atlanta Braves and look to be getting hot and healthy just as the right time for the club.
6-18-14: Anthony Rendon doubled twice and drove in three runs, and the Nationals held on to open a six-game home stand with a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros. The win also keeps Washington in first-place in the NL East. Ryan Zimmerman, who came into the game 9 for 50 since coming off the disabled list, added two doubles and two RBI. Some good news for Nationals fans is that Bryce Harper took two-handed swings Tuesday for the first time since injuring his left thumb back on April 25.
6-17-14: The Washington Nationals are posturing on the availability of center fielder Denard Span and first basemen Adam LaRoche quickly shooting down the idea that either will be available this trading deadline. The Nationals seemingly have to do something when Bryce Harper comes back to make room for Ryan Zimmerman, Harper, Span, Anthony Rendon, and LaRoche on the same team. The Nationals may be ready to add some pieces to this logjam as well as the trading deadline as they find themselves only a half-game behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East division and are fighting with the Miami Marlins for one of the Wild Card spots. The Nationals are playing worse than their run differential would suggest as the Nats currently have the second best run differential in the entire National League and are still barely above .500.
6-10-14: The Washington Nationals have basically come out and said that Ryan Zimmerman will be their starting first basemen for the club in 2015. Anthony Rendon has taken over at the hot corner due to the lingering shoulder issues with Zimmerman. The move makes sense getting both big bats in the lineup at once and takes some of the pressure and the wear and tear off Zimmerman’s right shoulder. The biggest loss may be that of another big bat in Adam LaRoche. The Nats have also thrown around the idea of keeping LaRoche and maximizing their offense while giving up a little bit on the defensive side of the ball and playing Zimmerman in left field. With the young and speedy Bryce Harper in center field he can make up for some of the lack of range Zimmerman is presumed to have. Placing Zimmerman in left field, Harper in center field, and Jayson Werth in right field would presumably make Denard Span and his $9 million in salary available via trade as soon as this offseason. The Nationals selected Erick Feede with their first pick in the 2014 MLB First Year Players Draft on Thursday. The Nats also drafted the first basemen and son of Cal Ripken Jr., Ryan Ripken, in the draft.
6-3-14: The Washington Nationals have been linked to UNLV starting pitcher Erick Fredde with their 18th overall pick in this year’s MLB First Year Player Draft. Fredde was a shoe in for a Top 10 selection before falling to Tommy John surgery. The Nationals seem willing to wait and rehab Fredde in hopes that he comes back better and stronger from the surgery. The Nationals have gotten much more than expected out of Anthony Rendon both with the bat and his glove at third base and have decided that injured Ryan Zimmerman will not only play third base when he comes back from his shoulder issues but will also play some innings at first base and in left field.
5-28-14: The Washington Nationals first basemen Tyler Moore may be on his way out of Washington as the Texas Rangers have shown interest in his since the news of Prince Fielder being gone for the remainder of the season. Nothing seems imminent at this point but the Rangers seem to be looking at every available first baseman to replace the All Star first basemen. Moore may be expendable in Washington now that Adam LaRoche has been activated off the 15 day disabled list. The Nats are searching for upgrades as consistency as they have dropped to third place in the National League East division behind the Atlanta Braves and the surprising Miami Marlins. The Nats will look to trade some of their bullpen depth, most notably Tyler Clippard or Ross Detwiler to upgrade at key offensive positions.
5-21-14: The Washington Nationals ace Gio Gonzalez has been roughed up in consecutive starts and has been placed on the 15 day DL with shoulder inflammation. The Nationals sparked some speculation this week when they had injured third basemen Ryan Zimmerman working out in left field, although any change of position was quickly shot down by the team and by Zimmerman himself. Nats manager Matt Williams indicated that Zimmerman was not ready to take grounders in the infield during batting practice just yet and he was moved to left field to work out to keep Zimmerman from getting stir crazy. Williams did work the media a little though by saying that in an emergency situation he would be more than comfortable and willing to use Zimmerman in the outfield.
5-15-14: The Washington Nationals have seen the Atlanta Braves struggle for the last two weeks of May baseball and have not been able to capitalize on the string of losses. The Nationals are in second place in the National League East division but are just 4-6 in their last 10 bass games. The Nationals have had their fair share of injuries though with Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos, Ryan Zimmerman, and Doug Fister most notably going down for disabled list stints this season. The Nationals have a very deep and an extremely consistent bullpen that has kept their heads above water. The bullpen has been so consistent that the Nationals are rumored to be willing to make Clippard available in trades this July for some offensive help.
5-7-14: The Washington Nationals are in an absolute dog fight for the crown of the National League East division right now with the first place Atlanta Braves. The Nats are looking to keep that longevity at the top by trying to lock up their starting pitching and have had little success lately. News broke that Washington tried to lock up Doug Fister to a long term extension after acquiring him this offseason and was turned down for a long term commitment. The Nats also tried to lock up Jordan Zimmerman long term this offseason but eventually settled on a two year deal that did not buy out any of his free agency years. Now the Nats are trying to survive the losses of Ryan Zimmerman to a shoulder injury and Bryce Harper with a thumb injury and still compete until their All Stars get back into action.
4-28-14: The Washington Nationals have had an up and down start to the 2014 season but look to be right in the thick of things in the National League East division. The Nats are over .500 after the first month of the season even though they lost their All Star third basemen Ryan Zimmerman for a considerable amount of time due to a shoulder injury. Luckily for Washington the Nationals have been enjoying a bounce back season from Danny Espinosa and have gotten good production from their new third basemen Anthony Rendon. The Nationals are enjoying typically good seasons from Stephen Strasburg, Tyler Clippard, Jordan Zimmerman, and Raphael Soriano and should be right in the discussion for the playoffs all season long.
4-21-14: The Washington nationals are off to a good start with a record of 11–8 and are +5 and run differential so far on the young season. The second-place nationals, will host the Los Angeles Angels this week for interleague play in his last outing Stephen Strasburg struck out nine Cardinals giving up only two runs. Unfortunately his efforts went unrewarded as he was given a no decision. Strassburg after being hammered by the Mets on opening day has struggled with an ERA over five. If you can somehow become consistent this season that would be a great weapon for the nationals later on in the season if they want to make the postseason push.
4-14-14: The Washington Nationals have been mediocre over the past week, while three straight losses have dropped them from a very nice 7-2 start to 7-5, where they are nestled into second place in the NL East. The week started positively, as the Nats took care of business in a three game series sweep over the Miami Marlins. Their next three losses came in a 0-3 series loss to the Atlanta Braves, however, as Washington’s pitching gave up a combined 23 runs. Star ace Stephen Strasburg leads the team with a blistering 28 strikeouts, but still has just one win in three tries.
4-7-14: The Nats had their bats swinging right from the get go in week one, as they took down the New York Mets in emphatic fashion, winning 9-7, 5-1 and 8-2 in a sweep of their first series of the year. Things got a little tougher when the bats died down at home against the Atlanta Braves, but the Nats were at least able to prevent a sweep by taking game three, 2-1. While Stephen Strasburg has yet to earn a win in 2014, he’s been on fire through two starts, racking up 16 strikeouts, but also giving up 10 earned runs. Despite the inconsistency from their ace, the Washington Nationals are still off to a solid 4-2 start after one week.
4-1-14: The Washington Nationals couldn’t get a win in nine innings in their first game of the 2014 MLB season, so they took care of business in the 10th, instead. Shortstop Ian Desmond hit a sacrifice fly in the final inning to cap a wild comeback bid to give the Nats a thrilling 9-7 opening day win over the New York Mets. Facing three deficits at different points of the game, the Nationals stormed back thanks to a two-out double by Denard Span in the ninth inning.
3-27-14: The Washington Nationals jumped on the opportunity to sign Kevin Frandsen after the Philadelphia Phillies outrighted him off the team and made the infielder a free agent. Ross Ohlendorf was placed on the 60 day disabled list to make room on the Nats 40 man roster for Frandsen after he signed a Major League contract worth $900K plus incentives. This signing came on the heels of the Nats releasing infielder Jamey Carroll and pitcher Chris Young. The team had lots of interest in trades for Young before they released the former New York Met. The time is now for the Nationals as Bryce Harper has added muscle and looks to be a legitimate MVP candidate for Washington in 2014. The Nationals will look to rebound with a healthy Stephen Strasburg and make a run at a National League East division and World Series title starting on Opening Day in 2014.
3-20-14: The Washington Nationals. The Nationals are a .500 team in the Grapefruit League this season but have a 3-7 record in the last 10 games which is never encouraging if you lose closer to Opening Day. Speaking of Opening Day, in no surprise to anyone, the Nationals have named Stephen Strasburgh as their starter for game one on March 31 against the New York Mets. Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmerman will follow with a couple "TBD" to follow. The Nats are still in the midst of a fifth starter competition and have aslready assigned Jordan Detwiler to the bullpen this season. The Nats also got in a little bit of trouble with the Federal Aviation Administration after using small drone planes to take pictures of their spring training facility without permission, whoops. Bryce Harper is bulked up and ready to smash home runs this season all the way to the World Series.
3-13-14: The Washington Nationals were one of the most disappointing teams from 2013 and are looking to be vastly improved in 2014. That improvement starts in the spring and the Nats have shown their Natitude with a strong record in the Grapefruit League thus far. The Nats have a very young and exciting team with Bryce Harper bulking up like a mad man after being booted from center field and the emergence of Wilson Ramos and Anthony Rendon to go with the addition of Doug Fister in the starting rotation. The Nationals have a real shot to contend and win the National League East title and earn a berth to the World Series if the pitching of Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmerman, and company can hold down the fort.
3-5-14: Heading into the 2014 season young stud Bryce Harper has been told that he might find himself batting fifth in the nationals batting order this upcoming season. Washington manager Matt Williams said that he feels most comfortable with Bryce Harper batting fifth. It was also reported that young starting pitcher Stephen Strausburg has been working on a slider which would be a devastating combination with his already established electric fastball. The nationals also signed left-handed pitcher Mike Gonzalez to a minor-league contract which also includes an invite to their spring training facility to audition for a job with the big league roster.
1-24-14: The Nationals were able to avoid arbitration with their All-Star Pitcher Jordan Zimmermann by agreeing to terms on a 2 year $24 million but their biggest move of the offseason was trading for right handed Doug Fister. Those two moves will sure up Washingtons rotation for 2014 as they now have three great pitchers with Stephen Strasburg at the top of the rotation.
1-7-14: The Washington nationals and veteran outfielder Nate McClouth have agreed to a two year deal worth $10.7 million. McClouth will join a crowded and talented outfield and will likely be in the fourth position on the depth chart. Earlier in December the Nationals made a trade with the Oakland A's acquiring left-handed pitcher Jerry Blevins in exchange for outfielder Billy Burns. For spring-training the Washington nationals will head to Florida to compete in the grapefruit league.
12-9-13: The Washington nationals should regret shutting down there young pitcher Stephen Strasburg two years ago when the team had a chance to do some serious damage in the playoffs. A team can never know when we'll have a chance to win the division again and the nationals made that mistake and regretted it last season as they missed out on the playoffs. While still young and promising the nationals fail to season opportunity to take control of struggling division and last year the Atlanta Braves ran away with it. Don't count this team out however behind the leadership of veteran Jason Werth and the young strong right arm of Stephen Strasburg this team can be a foreign in the sides of anyone. The nationals also added right-hander Doug Fister with the trade involving the Detroit Tigers. Sister is a capable right-hander in the middle-of-the-road station.
8/21/13 - After winning the division last season the Washington nationals have had a disappointing follow-up campaign. At 61 – 64 they're 15 games back out of first place. Starting pitcher Dan Haren picked up the win last night in Chicago against the cubs in a 4-2 win. Bryce Harper recorded two hits for the nationals in that win. After facing the cubs the nationals will travel to Kansas City to face the Royals for interleague play. Stephen Strasburg is having a nice year with an ERA of 2.93. The nationals have a record of six and four in the last 10 games.
7/18/13 - The Washington Nationals have been a surprise disappointment through the first half of the season. Unable to follow up Their surprise season last year Many will question their decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg. At 48 – 47 the nationals are in second place. After the break the nationals will embark on a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Stephen Strasburg will take the mound For the first game of the series. The nationals have only scored 357 runs this season and that ranks 26th overall in the majors.
7/7/13 - Two Washington Nationals will be headed to Citi Field with the National League all-stars. Outfielder Bryce Harper was voted in by the fans and will start in his second ASG appearance. RHP Jordan Zimmermann will be making his 1st appearance in the midsummer classic.
6/12/13 - Last year was a surprisingly good year for the Washington Nationals. Winning 98 games along with a division title, the Nationals are a young team on the rise for sure. Currently in second place, behind the Braves, the Nats will square off against the Colorado Rockies and the Cleveland Indians as part of a 9 game road trip. Jordan Zimmerman is having a great year on the mound with a record of 9-3 and an ERA of just 2.00. Young star Stephen Strasburg is averaging 8.64 strikeouts per nine innings but is currently on the DL. Ian Desmond leads the team in batting average at a .277 clip.
