Bourque and Read clear waivers, sent to Triple-A

Bourque and Read clear waivers, sent to Triple-A
The Nationals continue to clear space on their 40-man roster. The club announced this afternoon that right-hander James Bourque and catcher Raudy Read have cleared outright waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Fresno. The 40-man roster is at 34 players. Bourque, 27, appeared in six games this season, finishing with a 1-0 record and a 6.75 ERA over four innings of relief. He appeared in one game in 2019, allowing four runs on three hits over two-thirds of an inning. Early on in the 2020 season,...

Updates on Adon, Cate, Wells, Bourque and Williams

Updates on Adon, Cate, Wells, Bourque and Williams
Here are some more updates on pitchers who were working at the alternate camp site in Fredericksburg, Va., during the regular season. A few of them have moved over to the instructional league in West Palm Beach, Fla., for the next month. This is third installment on pitchers who were working out in Fredericksburg. Top-rated prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge also were at the alternate site and have moved on to West Palm Beach. Right-hander Joan Adon is in Florida at instructional...

Barrett, Bourque placed on IL; Hernández, Espino join roster

Barrett, Bourque placed on IL; Hernández, Espino join roster
Aaron Barrett's latest return to the Nationals bullpen came to an abrupt halt due to another injury. And James Bourque's first opportunity to pitch regularly in the big leagues has also been cut short due to injury. Barrett, who made national headlines last season when he pitched in the majors three years after breaking his arm while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 10-day injured list today with a right triceps strain, one of a flurry of transactions announced by the...

Good friends Finnegan and Bourque keep Braves off board for win

Good friends Finnegan and Bourque keep Braves off board for win
Nationals relievers Kyle Finnegan and James Bourque managed to keep the prolific Braves offense off the board in extra innings in an 8-7, 12-inning win Friday night at Nats Park. Finnegan pitched two scoreless frames while Bourque earned his first major league win with a shutout 12th as the Nats prevented the Braves from coming back from a 5-0 deficit to win for the second night in a row. Finnegan walked the tightrope for two innings and managed to prevent the Braves from scoring a run even...

After disastrous ninth, Nats find a way to win in 12th (updated)

After disastrous ninth, Nats find a way to win in 12th (updated)
They already played this game Thursday night. Seriously, tonight's contest on South Capitol Street felt like a perfect carbon copy of the one that preceded it, the Nationals jumping out to an early five-run lead, their starter fading in the middle innings, their bullpen asked to hang on for dear life the rest of the way. It didn't work out in the series opener against the Braves. It did work this time. But only after a ghastly blown save in the top of the ninth forced a game-winning rally in...

Nats DFA Bonifácio, option Bourque to get roster to 28

Nats DFA Bonifácio, option Bourque to get roster to 28
In order to get down to the league-mandated 28-man roster by noon ET today, the Nationals optioned right-hander James Bourque to their Fredericksburg site and designated for assignment veteran Emilio Bonifácio. With the return of Wander Suero, Bourque's appearances would have diminished. Bourque appeared in two games, most recently 1/3 of an inning July 28 against the Blue Jays in which he walked Teoscar Hernández and induced a groundout by Cavan Biggio to end the ninth inning. On July...

Solid spring, summer have helped Bourque build confidence

Solid spring, summer have helped Bourque build confidence
James Bourque started Saturday's sim game at Nats Park. It was good for the right-hander to get some work in, because the Nationals will have five days between their last game, against the Blue Jays, and their next matchup, Tuesday against the Mets. Bourque pitched an inning against the Yankees July 25 and then 1/3 of an inning July 28 against the Blue Jays. So he will go a minimum of seven days without game appearances. And he's not the only one. Saturday was an important opportunity for...

Nats to open against Yankees in prime time

Nats to open against Yankees in prime time
The Nationals will open defense of their 2019 World Series title on July 23 at Nats Park against the New York Yankees, according to broadcast sources. The likely first pitching matchup is tantalizing, with former Astros star Gerrit Cole taking on Nats ace Max Scherzer. This was supposed to be the World Series Game 5 matchup until Scherzer had to be scratched due to back and neck spasms. Cole was the top offseason free agent acquisition for the Yankees. He is a three-time All-Star whose 2.50 ERA...

Notes on Bourque, Parra, Scherzer, Grace and Soto

Notes on Bourque, Parra, Scherzer, Grace and Soto
Nationals right-hander James Bourque had a day to think about his major league debut Sunday in the 9-6 win over the Marlins. He did allow a three-run double but also induced a 4-6-3 double play. He wished it had gone a bit better but was happy the Nats won the game. "I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be. I'm sure I looked it during the outing. Once I got on the mound and saw it was 60 feet, six inches away and the catcher and a plate, that was same thing. Just was getting a little rushed...

More on Sunday's win over the Marlins

More on Sunday's win over the Marlins
More on Sunday's 9-6 victory over the Marlins, which gave the Nationals their first three-game winning streak of the season ... * Howie Kendrick's value to this team can't be overstated. The veteran utility man has come through so many times for the Nationals when they've needed him to, and has proven to be so much more than a nice bat off the bench. Kendrick, who got things started Sunday with a solo homer in the bottom of the second and then drove in two more runs in the third, now has 28...

Ross returns to Fresno to be stretched out, Bourque promoted

Ross returns to Fresno to be stretched out, Bourque promoted
The Nationals converted Joe Ross into a reliever earlier this season, hoping the career change might both reinvigorate the erratic right-hander and help address the big league club's biggest need. Two months later, the Nats are shipping Ross back to the minors and appear to be converting him back into a starter. Ross was optioned to Triple-A Fresno this morning, his ERA (9.22) and WHIP (1.829) too high to warrant continued opportunities out of the major league bullpen. The Nationals promoted...

Harrisburg wins again, off to best start in franchise history

Harrisburg wins again, off to best start in franchise history
The amazing start to the 2019 season continued last night for Double-A Harrisburg in a 10-7 extra-inning win over Hartford. The Senators scored four runs in the eighth and four runs in the 11th to seal the victory. Harrisburg is a franchise-best 17-3 after 20 games, dating back to 1987. Chuck Taylor went 2-for-2 and drove in four runs after arriving as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. Starter Tyler Mapes allowed only one unearned run in five frames. Dan Jennings tossed 1 2/3 innings and allowed...

Read, Bourque are among Nats' first spring cuts (Cards win 3-2)

Read, Bourque are among Nats' first spring cuts (Cards win 3-2)
JUPITER, Fla. - The Nationals made their first cuts of camp this morning, and there were no real surprises among the seven players trimmed from the spring roster. Catcher Raudy Read was optioned to Triple-A Fresno, while right-hander James Bourque was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg. Five other players were reassigned to minor league camp: right-handers Ronald Peña and Wil Crowe, first baseman-outfielder José Marmolejos, catcher Tres Barrera and outfielder Chuck Taylor. "Just go down and...

Now that he trusts fastball, Bourque must focus on commanding it

Now that he trusts fastball, Bourque must focus on commanding it
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - James Bourque's epiphany came in fall instructional league when the Nationals devised a plan to force him to learn to trust his fastball. "They took the breaking ball away from me," he said. "They said they wanted to see just fastball/changeup." When minor league pitching coordinator Paul Menhart delivered the news, Bourque wasn't sure what to make of it. "The pitching coordinator called it my 'Linus blanket' and took that away from me," Bourque said. "For me,...

Mills, Pena and Bourque keep moving up to lift minor league bullpens

Mills, Pena and Bourque keep moving up to lift minor league bullpens
Right-handers Ronald Pena and James Bourque and left-hander Jordan Mills all did so well in helping high Single-A Potomac, they were moved up to Double-A Harrisburg. Pena went 2-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 38 appearances last season. Bourque made it into 41 games between the two clubs, garnering a 4-2 combined record with a 1.70 ERA. Mills went 2-3 with a 2.48 ERA with Potomac and Harrisburg and continued to pitch well in the Arizona Fall League. "That bullpen we had this year had some guys," said...

Bourque settling into workhorse role out of bullpen for Nats

Bourque settling into workhorse role out of bullpen for Nats
The high Single-A Potomac Nationals made it all the way to the Mills Cup Final with a complete team in 2018. A big part of their success came courtesy of the potent and out-eating bullpen. Right-hander James Bourque was a major link in that relieving corps before his promotion to Double-A Harrisburg on July 13. After the season was completed, the Nationals signaled what they think of the Michigan product by placing him on the 40-man roster. Potomac manager Tripp Keister said the P-Nats used...

Bourque's transition to bullpen goes well

Bourque's transition to bullpen goes well
Right-hander James Bourque spent his first few seasons in the system as a starter. But last season, he was moved to the bullpen. Bourque, 25, pitched well at the University of Michigan and caught the eye of the Nationals' area scout. In the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, the Nats selected the right-hander in the 14th round. But early on as a starter, he recorded a 5.05 ERA in 40 starts over two seasons for low Single-A Hagerstown. The Nats then decided to move Bourque from starter to reliever...

Nationals add righty reliever James Bourque to 40-man roster

Nationals add righty reliever James Bourque to 40-man roster
The Nationals this afternoon selected the contract of right-hander James Borque, adding the reliever to the 40-man roster to protect him from being exposed to the Rule 5 draft at next month's Winter Meetings. Bourque, 25, was 4-2 with six saves and a 1.70 ERA in 41 games between Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg in 2018. He led all Nationals minor leaguers (with a minimum of 50 innings) with 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings and 5.09 hits allowed per nine innings. He was third in the...

Instructional league wrap-up: RHP Wil Crowe

Instructional league wrap-up: RHP Wil Crowe
RHP Wil Crowe 24 years old Sevierville, TN University of South Carolina The 2017 top selection for the Nats, right-hander Wil Crowe won his first 11 decisions in 16 games (15 starts) with high Single-A Potomac, recording a 2.69 ERA. But after his promotion to Double-A, Crowe ran into some tougher competition and went 0-5 with a 6.15 ERA. So, instructional league was extremely valuable to Crowe, according to Nats pitching coordinator Paul Menhart. Coaches focused on Crowe getting more...

Minor league updates: Bourque, Rodriguez, Crowe, Ward, Gutierrez and Agustin

Minor league updates: Bourque, Rodriguez, Crowe, Ward, Gutierrez and Agustin
Right-hander James Bourque is looking good so far at high Single-A Potomac. The 24-year-old former Michigan Wolverine is 2-1 with a 1.69 ERA in 11 games with two saves. He was a 14th rounder in 2014. "James Bourque is having an outstanding start in Potomac, somebody that is now two years removed from Tommy John," said Nationals director of player development Mark Scialabba. "Plus fastball, curveball combination and some funk and deception in his delivery. He is someone to follow this...