MLB cancels first two series after deadline passes with no deal

MLB cancels first two series after deadline passes with no deal

For the second time in three years, the Major League Baseball season will not start on time. And for the first time in 27 years, it's because of a labor dispute.

Unable to come to terms with the MLB Players Association on a new collective bargaining agreement before the league's self-imposed, once-postponed 5 p.m. deadline today, commissioner Rob Manfred officially announced opening day will not take place as scheduled March 31, then added he has canceled the first week of the regular season.

MLB pushes back deadline as sides move close to deal

MLB pushes back deadline as sides move close to deal

For much of Monday, the prospect of the first postponed opening day due to a labor fight looked inevitable. As representatives of Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association gathered yet again at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., for yet another day of negotiations, even the most optimistic observers were left believing a deal couldn't be reached in time to satisfy the league's Feb. 28 deadline to ensure an on-time start to the season.

Game 135 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

Game 135 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
With their losing streak at seven games, the Nationals will send left-hander Josh Rogers to the mound against the Mets in the nightcap of today's doubleheader. Gametime is scheduled for 6:55 p.m. after the extra-inning loss in the opener, and "Nats Xtra" pregame will air at 6:30 p.m. on MASN. Rogers was 7-3 2ith a 3.70 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for Triple-A Rochester. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Nats on June 4, three days after he was released by the Orioles. The...

Game 115 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 115 lineups: Nats at Mets
And we're back. Seven innings down, seven more to go before the Nationals can finally get out of New York and return home after a long week. Erick Fedde brings a 4-8 record and 5.15 ERA to his late-afternoon start. The last time Fedde faced the Mets, on June 18, he pitched seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts to bring his season ERA to 3.33. Over the eight starts since, the right-hander is 0-4 with a 7.75 ERA. In two starts against the Mets this season, Fedde has only...

Game 114 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 114 lineups: Nats at Mets
Well, the opener of this evening's pseudo-doubleheader did not go as the Nationals would've hoped. Despite twice holding a three-run lead, they wound up losing to the Mets 8-7, done in by an inexperienced bullpen that is suddenly being asked to pitch high-leverage innings against a team still in the pennant race. They'll have to hope for a better result in the nightcap, a scheduled seven-inning game that is supposed to begin at 8 p.m. but is now being delayed because of another big storm...

Game 103 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs (plus roster moves)

Game 103 lineups: Nats vs. Cubs (plus roster moves)
Hey, don't forget: There's still a baseball game to be played tonight! After the Nationals made six franchise-altering trades over the last 24 hours that netted them 12 new prospects for eight veterans, manager Davey Martinez's new-look team now has to turn its attention to a three-game series against the Cubs, who will also have a new-look roster. Originally, it appeared that Jon Lester was tonight's scheduled starter, but since he was traded to the Cardinals at the last minute, Paolo...

Game 102 lineups: Nats at Phillies

Game 102 lineups: Nats at Phillies
As if there hasn't been enough drama already today, there's still another ballgame to be played in Philadelphia! The Nationals and Phillies face off one more time, with another scheduled seven-inning game. And with a big line of thunderstorms bearing down on the area at some point later this afternoon, it may be a good thing the game is only scheduled for seven innings. Patrick Corbin gets the start, one day after he was originally supposed to pitch. The left-hander may be hours away from...

Game 92 lineups: Nats vs. Padres

Game 92 lineups: Nats vs. Padres
There is one more game to play today, one more game for the Nationals before they are through a grueling stretch against the National League West's three contenders that has left their season on the brink. They've gone 2-11 against the Dodgers, Giants and Padres entering this series finale with San Diego. It's been pretty ugly. But there's a chance to salvage one win now, with Max Scherzer on the mound for today's originally scheduled nine-inning game. Scherzer, of course, looked great for...

Game 82 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

Game 82 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers
Good morning from Nationals Park - and, yes, it was morning when last we spoke. Less than 11 hours after they wrapped up a rain-delayed 5-3 loss to the Dodgers, the Nationals are back to work for their annual Independence Day morning game, needing a win to avoid a four-game sweep at the hands of the defending World Series champs. They will do so with a lineup that remains depleted. Trea Turner is out for the fourth straight day with a left finger injury. Yan Gomes also isn't catching today,...

Game 68 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

Game 68 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
The Nationals need to do more at the plate in the nightcap of today's doubleheader against the Mets. They scored one run in Friday night's game and still somehow won. They scored one run in today's opener and unsurprisingly lost. They need a more productive showing in this one against Robert Gsellman, the first of several relievers who are expected to take the mound for New York. Manager Davey Martinez's lineup is close to the one he put out there earlier today. Yan Gomes will catch instead...

Game 61 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

Game 61 lineups: Nats vs. Giants
The Nationals pitching staff is by no means in great shape right now, but it's in better shape than it might've been had Erick Fedde not delivered five scoreless innings in the opener of today's doubleheader against the Giants. That performance has given Davey Martinez the luxury of starting Jefry Rodriguez in the nightcap but not needing the right-hander to go too deep if he's not up for it. You may remember Rodriguez from 2018, when he pitched in 14 games (eight starts) and posted a 5.71...

Game 59 lineups: Nats vs. Giants

Game 59 lineups: Nats vs. Giants
Hello from Nationals Park, which hasn't hosted a ballgame in 11 days. Yeah, it's been a while. The Nationals return home from a nine-game road trip in which they went 4-5, used up a lot of pitchers and took a very late-night flight back from St. Petersburg, Fla., to get here for tonight's series opener against the Giants. They may be a bit bleary eyed at this point, and the forecast of on-and-off showers won't help. Here's what will help: For the first time since the 2019 World Series,...

Game 48 lineups: Nats vs. Brewers

Game 48 lineups: Nats vs. Brewers
Who's ready for seven more innings of baseball in the rain? The Nationals and Brewers are going to give it a try, hoping the conditions at least allow for play as they did during this afternoon's contest. As always, stay tuned and don't be surprised if there are delays or even a postponement. Stymied by Freddy Peralta in the opener, the Nationals will see if they can get something going against a left-hander: Brett Anderson, who has had an up-and-down start to his season. Because the Brewers...

Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Reds

Game 46 lineups: Nats vs. Reds
After winning the completion of Wednesday night's suspended game, the Nationals now attempt to sweep this not-really-a-doubleheader against the Reds, hoping to get a big-time start from Stephen Strasburg and avoid using the relievers they needed to close out the earlier 5-3 win. Strasburg was pretty good in his first start off the injured list, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Orioles, though he pretty clearly was running out of gas by the fifth. The Nats will hope the right-hander...

Game 3 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 3 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
Who's ready for some more baseball? With the opener of today's doubleheader in the books, the Nationals and Braves will get right back at it with another seven-inning game on South Capitol Street. And because of the events of Game 1, in which Erick Fedde lasted only 1 2/3 innings, the Nats really could use a quality (and long) start from Stephen Strasburg. The veteran right-hander built his arm up as much as needed during spring training, even with that brief calf injury scare in mid-March....

Game 59 lineups: Nats vs. Mets

Game 59 lineups: Nats vs. Mets
The Nationals are about to complete their sixth doubleheader of the season. That's a lot of twinbills in a normal year, let alone a 60-game season. And they've done just fine on these long days of baseball. They entered today with one sweep and four splits. And after taking the opener from the Mets 4-3, they have a shot at another sweep and at worst another split. All things considered, that's not bad. Aníbal Sánchez makes his final start of the season, and potentially his final start...

Game 37 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 37 lineups: Nats at Braves
In the second game of the Nationals' doubleheader against the Braves, right-hander Wil Crowe will make his second major league start, looking to help the Nats stop a week-long skid. With the 7-1 loss in the opener, the Nats have lost a season-high seven games in a row, their longest losing streak since June 18-25, 2016. On Aug. 22, despite allowing only two earned runs, Crowe took a 5-3 loss to the Marlins in the second game of a doubleheader. He tossed 3 2/3 innings, scattering six hits,...

Game 24 lineups: Nats vs. Marlins

Game 24 lineups: Nats vs. Marlins
Major league debuts are always special. But how about two starting pitchers making their major league debuts against each other? That's a rare special occasion. Tonight we'll witness it when Wil Crowe and Sixto Sánchez square off in the nightcap of this 14-innings doubleheader between the Nationals and Marlins. Crowe isn't as highly touted as Sánchez, who was the key piece Miami got from Philadelphia in the J.T. Realmuto trade, but he's no slouch. The Nationals' second-round pick in...

Game 19 lineups: Nats at Orioles

Game 19 lineups: Nats at Orioles
BALTIMORE - If you haven't heard, the Nationals have started this 60-game season with a 7-11 record. And if you haven't heard, the equivalent record in a 162-game season would be 19-31. Yes, with 30 percent of the 2020 season completed, the Nats are playing at exactly the same pace they played at through the first 30 percent of the 2019 season. But wait, there's more. At this point last season, the Nationals were scoring 4.38 runs per game. This season, they're scoring 4.39. Their on-base...

Game 16 lineups: Nats at Mets (Doolittle to IL, Romero promoted)

Game 16 lineups: Nats at Mets (Doolittle to IL, Romero promoted)
For all the issues they've got right now - and there are issues - the Nationals have a chance today to win a series against a division rival. A four-game series, at that. After taking the first two games at Citi Field, then dropping Wednesday night's not-so-pretty contest, the Nats go back at it against the Mets this afternoon for the finale. The forecast in New York (just like here in D.C.) isn't great, but they'll give it a go and hope for the best. The Nationals really need quality...