Former Orioles, ex-Nationals are heading to postseason in droves

Former Orioles, ex-Nationals are heading to postseason in droves
A year ago, there would have been no inkling that lefty Wade Miley could be a consequential pitcher in the 2018 postseason, not when you consider his league-leading 93 walks and 5.61 ERA last season for the Orioles. But as the postseason begins, Miley, 31, is one of a list of former Orioles and Nationals players with a chance to make the World Series, most of whom were on the rosters of the local nines at the start of 2018. Manny Machado bleeds Dodger blue and Zach Britton wears Yankees...

Glover, Suero could ascend into late-inning roles

Glover, Suero could ascend into late-inning roles
CHICAGO - For all the difficulty Sammy Solís and Greg Holland had in the sixth and seventh innings, ultimately costing the Nats the game, Koda Glover and Wander Suero pitched exceptionally well after that. And in doing so may have earned their manager's trust to start pitching in big situations like the ones Solís and Holland failed in at Wrigley Field. After Holland walked in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh, manager Davey Martinez summoned Glover to enter from the bullpen...

Miller's versatility becoming critical with exits of Kintzler, Kelley

Miller's versatility becoming critical with exits of Kintzler, Kelley
Reliever Justin Miller pitched a scoreless seventh inning Thursday night, taking over for starter Max Scherzer in the Nationals 10-4 win over the Reds in the series opener. He allowed one two-out single, but then got Jose Peraza to pop up weakly to catcher Matt Wieters to end the inning. Wieters bumped fists with Miller as if to say 'good job!" as the big right-hander worked his way back to the dugout. It symbolized the importance of Miller to the Nationals relieving corps. His position has...

Why the Nationals essentially stood pat: "Track record"

Why the Nationals essentially stood pat: "Track record"
They didn't buy, at least not in July. They didn't sell, at least not in the kind of significant way that had been suggested was possible. In the end, the Nationals essentially stood pat at the trade deadline, keeping Bryce Harper and everyone else on the current roster except for Brandon Kintzler, who was dealt to the Cubs for a Single-A reliever. So what message, then, did the front office just send a clubhouse full of players and a region full of fans who have spent the last four months...

Nationals send Kintzler to Cubs in lone deadline deal

Nationals send Kintzler to Cubs in lone deadline deal
If the Nationals were going to sell before today's trade deadline, they certainly had no shortage of veteran relievers on short-term contracts to offer up to other clubs. In the end, the guy they chose to move was a bit of a surprising one: Brandon Kintzler, who was dealt to the Cubs for Single-A right-handed reliever Jhon Romero. That was the club's only move before the 4 p.m. deadline. Kintzler, who turns 34 on Wednesday, had become a key late-inning reliever for the Nationals since his...

Ryan Sullivan: Nationals should be sellers at trade deadline

Ryan Sullivan: Nationals should be sellers at trade deadline
The 2018 season has been a constant struggle for the Nationals due to injuries to key performers and subpar performance from others. Presently, the Nationals have a record of 51-51 and are seven games behind Philadelphia in the National League East and 4 1/2 games back for a wild card berth. With the news of Stephen Strasburg returning to the disabled list, Washington's playoff chances are dwindling by the day. The stark reality is general manager Mike Rizzo and the Nationals should probably...

Kintzler helps Roark rediscover confidence in his sinker

Kintzler helps Roark rediscover confidence in his sinker
MILWAUKEE - Right-hander Tanner Roark was at his wit's end. He wasn't getting outs like he used to. Losses were piling up. So Roark went back to video of his 2016 campaign. That was the season he posted a career-high 16 wins and a 2.83 ERA. He made a slight tweak to his mechanics. But results still did not turn his way. Roark kept studying. He came to the realization that he had strayed away from what made him effective: his sinking fastball. He was not finishing well on this pitch. "For me,...

Kintzler returns, Rodriguez optioned, Hellickson on track

Kintzler returns, Rodriguez optioned, Hellickson on track
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Nationals reinstated right-hander Brandon Kintzler from the 10-day disabled list this afternoon and optioned-hander Jefry Rodriguez to Triple-A Syracuse. Kintzler had been on the DL since June 10 with a right forearm flexor strain and pitched an inning in a minor league rehabilitation assignment for Single-A Potomac on Sunday. "Yeah, he's ready to go," said manager Davey Martinez. "He did well. But the biggest thing is the arm felt good. So we get him back...

Clearly defined roles coming to back end of Nationals bullpen

Clearly defined roles coming to back end of Nationals bullpen
Very soon - perhaps as soon as Monday, if right-hander Brandon Kintzler gets through his minor league rehabilitation assignment this afternoon with Single-A Potomac without any issues - the Nationals will be able to set up their bullpen with the goal of shortening games to six or seven innings. That will require the back end relievers - Kintzler, righties Ryan Madson and Kelvin Herrera, and left-handed closer Sean Doolittle - to slot into more regular roles. Kintzler and Madson will handle the...

Zimmerman "about a week away" from rehab stint, Martinez says

Zimmerman "about a week away" from rehab stint, Martinez says
Nationals manager Davey Martinez says injured first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has been on the 10-day disabled list since May 12 (retroactive to May 10) with a right oblique strain, is progressing in his recovery and could be "about a week away" from beginning a minor league rehabilitation assignment, assuming he doesn't encounter a setback. "He's missed a lot of time," Martinez said before the Nationals' game against the Phillies on Saturday afternoon. "We've got to get him some...

Kintzler, Hellickson ready for rehab assignments

Kintzler, Hellickson ready for rehab assignments
Brandon Kintzler and Jeremy Hellickson each have passed significant throwing tests in the last few days and now are set to face minor league hitters this weekend in a final tune-up before returning to the Nationals' active roster. Kintzler threw a bullpen session Wednesday, his first since going on the disabled list with a flexor strain in his right forearm. The reliever focused on throwing fastballs during that mound session, so he'll do another round Friday and focus on his off-speed...

Martinez insists Taylor will play despite recent stretch on bench

Martinez insists Taylor will play despite recent stretch on bench
There has been no more productive hitter on the Nationals roster over the last two weeks than Michael A. Taylor. Since June 6, he's sporting a monstrous .545/.600/.636 offensive slash line, tops on the roster in each of those categories. So why has the hottest hitter on the team started only six of the team's 12 games during this stretch, none of the last three? The answer involves a combination of recent matchups with opposing pitchers, the emergence of Juan Soto as an offensive force in his...

Adams lands on DL with fractured left index finger

Adams lands on DL with fractured left index finger
Just when it looked like they were getting healthier, the Nationals found out today they're losing another key regular for some time. Matt Adams, who while trying to bunt Friday in Toronto took a pitch off his left hand, has been diagnosed with a fractured left index finger and placed on the 10-day disabled list. The Nationals aren't offering any firm timetable for Adams to return, but he won't be able to swing a bat until the facture is completely healed, and only after that will he be able...

Relievers thrilled with trade for Herrera, who will set up Doolittle

Relievers thrilled with trade for Herrera, who will set up Doolittle
Kelvin Herrera has been among the best closers in the American League this season, one of the best relievers, period, in the majors for several seasons. Sean Doolittle has been among the best closers in the National League this season, one of the best relievers, period, in the majors for several seasons. They're now teammates, along with Ryan Madson and Brandon Kintzler, each a proven quality late-inning reliever with closing experience. How, then, will this all shake out? And is there any...

Adams' finger in splint, X-rays inconclusive (Nats lose 2-0)

Adams' finger in splint, X-rays inconclusive (Nats lose 2-0)
TORONTO - Matt Adams, as surmised, is not in the Nationals lineup this afternoon. Now the club can only wait to find out how many more games (if any) the slugger is going to need to miss with an injured left index finger. Adams, who was struck by a pitch while squaring around to bunt Friday night, had an X-ray taken after the game, the results of which appear to have been inconclusive. Manager Davey Martinez said, "it didn't really show much." "You can't even tell," Martinez said when...

With Miller's surprising emergence, Nats bullpen a strength again

With Miller's surprising emergence, Nats bullpen a strength again
NEW YORK - Juan Soto stole the show Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. But let's not ignore the job the Nationals bullpen did to ensure Soto's two homers made the difference in a 5-4 victory instead of being mere footnotes in another frustrating loss. After starter Erick Fedde departed, having allowed four runs in five innings, the quartet of Justin Miller, Sammy Solís, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle combined to pitch four scoreless frames, the final three while protecting a one-run...

Kintzler familiar with forearm strain, goes to DL

Kintzler familiar with forearm strain, goes to DL
The Nationals placed right-hander Brandon Kintzler on the 10-day disabled list with a right forearm flexor strain. Kintzler said he has been dealing with this issue off and on for a nearly a month, and it turned into bigger problem this week. The reliever struggled Friday, recording only one out, allowing three runs on three hits with no walks, two strikeouts and a hit by pitch. Saturday, he hit another batter and allowed a double to Buster Posey. "(It) just got to the point where I really...

Bullpen weighs lack of use versus overuse after Strasburg leaves early

Bullpen weighs lack of use versus overuse after Strasburg leaves early
In a game where your starter lasts only two innings, the bullpen goes into action with all hands on deck. The only problem for the Nationals on Friday night in a 9-5 loss to the Giants was that it was the third time in the last five games the bullpen has had to go at least seven innings. On Saturday in Atlanta, the relievers pitched seven innings of a 14-inning contest. On Sunday, when Jeremy Hellickson left injured in the first inning, the bullpen had to log 8 2/3 innings. On Friday against...

Strasburg leaves with early injury, Nats fall to Giants in opener

Strasburg leaves with early injury, Nats fall to Giants in opener
A sellout crowd of 41,591, the vast majority wearing red and more boisterous than usual thanks to the good vibes still permeating through the city after Thursday night's Stanley Cup celebration, filed into Nationals Park this evening ready to celebrate the local baseball team. Two innings in, that crowd was murmuring and lamenting an all-too-familiar sight from this town's pre-championship days: the early departure of a star player due to injury. Stephen Strasburg lasted only two innings,...

Newcomers and old standbys deliver for Nats bullpen in win

Newcomers and old standbys deliver for Nats bullpen in win
BALTIMORE - As he watched his team squander opportunity after opportunity to tack on runs and give themselves something more than a 3-2 cushion this evening, Davey Martinez couldn't help but start worrying this was going to come back to haunt his Nationals before their game against the Orioles was complete. "You always think that when you have so many chances to score runs and you can't," the first-year manager said. "But the bullpen held their own today." Yes, they did. As they've been...