After a string of games against the National League East's remaining contenders, the Nationals now take a break for a quick interleague series. They'll host the Blue Jays tonight and Wednesday afternoon (weather permitting), which means a little bit of a reunion. It was just a few weeks ago that Brad Hand was dealt to Toronto in exchange for Riley Adams. We don't know if we'll see Hand out of the Blue Jays bullpen tonight or not, but we will see Adams in the Nats lineup. The rookie catcher...

The Nationals are going to have a say in the outcome of the National League East race this season. Not because they're likely to climb back into contention after trading away eight veterans for 12 prospects two weeks ago. But because the final two months of this season will see them face the three teams still angling for what could be an ugly division title a bunch, and the outcome of those games is going to have a real impact on how everyone finishes in the standings. Just in the last...

These are the games that will be worth watching, no matter the outcome, no matter the Nationals' sinking place in the standings. When Josiah Gray takes the mound the rest of the season, it will amount to something close to must-see TV. And when another young prospect acquired in last week's trade deadline sell-off delivers a game-flipping homer with two outs in the ninth as Riley Adams did tonight to produce a stunning, 3-2 victory over the Braves? Well, the Nats couldn't draw up a scenario...

The Nationals aren't playing winning baseball right now, not anything close to winning baseball. They enter tonight's game in Atlanta having dropped five in a row and 23 of 32 overall. So the focus, of course, turns to individual performances, especially those who figure into the club's long-term plans. So tonight we get an opportunity to watch one of the key building blocks again: Josiah Gray. The 23-year-old right-hander, one of the key prospects acquired from the Dodgers for Max Scherzer...

Riley Adams was in Worcester, Mass., on Thursday, preparing to play that night for the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate against Red Sox prospects, when he learned he needed to get to Rochester, N.Y., instead. He had just been traded to the Nationals for closer Brad Hand. After an emotional goodbye with his longtime teammates from the Blue Jays' system, the 25-year-old catcher made his way to Rochester, and on Friday he was in the Red Wings lineup, going 0-for-3 with two walks. And he was ready...

The Nationals optioned Wander Suero to Triple-A Rochester this afternoon, demoting the struggling reliever in hopes of getting him straightened out after a series of late-inning meltdowns that culminated with a blown save Monday night. Suero was one of two players removed from the active roster prior to tonight's game, joining catcher René Rivera, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow contusion. To fill those spots, the Nationals called up just-acquired catcher Riley...

The first of several deals the Nationals are expected to make over the next 28 hours was finalized today when closer Brad Hand was traded to the Blue Jays for catching prospect Riley Adams. The trade was announced by the Nats during the first inning of their game against the Phillies but apparently processed prior to first pitch, because outfielder Yadiel Hernandez was recalled from Triple-A Rochester and immediately placed on the active roster. Hand was among the most likely of the Nationals'...