Breaking down Werth's latest epic home run at-bat

Breaking down Werth's latest epic home run at-bat
We've seen him do it so many times now during his Nationals career, we've come to expect that every time Jayson Werth engages in a long at-bat late in a ballgame, he's going to cap it off with a home run. Werth, of course, doesn't actually do that every single time. But he sure does it a lot. And it certainly did it Wednesday night to ignite the Nationals' ninth-inning rally that ended in a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Orioles. With an 11-pitch epic battle against right-hander Brad Brach,...

Nats take advantage of last at-bat for "best win of the year"

Nats take advantage of last at-bat for "best win of the year"
The Nationals had become too familiar in recent days with the slow trudge off the field after losing a road game in walk-off fashion. It's the worst feeling in baseball, and they had experienced it Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia and again Tuesday night in Baltimore. So, if nothing else, the Nationals took the field tonight on South Capitol Street knowing they could not lose another walk-off. And if they played their cards just right, they might even put themselves in position to win one of...

Strasburg kept trusting his stuff despite early runs for the Orioles

Strasburg kept trusting his stuff despite early runs for the Orioles
Just like his team, Stephen Strasburg didn't allow a rocky second inning to ruin his whole start. The Orioles tallied three runs on four hits in the frame, highlighted by three singles in a row from the bottom of the order. Suddenly, the Nationals found themselves in an early deficit. Strasburg spoke about psychologically getting over the early deficit and focusing on his pitching. "Yeah, I was a little frustrated at the time," Strasburg said. "But talking with Mad Dog (pitching coach Mike...

Positive injury updates on Kelley, Glover and Drew

Positive injury updates on Kelley, Glover and Drew
Nationals reliever Shawn Kelley threw a simulated game of around 20-25 pitches prior to Wednesday's game with the Orioles. He threw to Stephen Drew and Trea Turner. Kelley has been on the disabled list since May 2 with a lower back strain. Kelley said the simulated game game went "very good. They asked me and I told them I'm ready. Hopefully, it's Friday." Kelley said this was the best day of his rehab and assured him his back was going to be fine. He said he actually gets more out of...

Game 34 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles

Game 34 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles
After a couple of frustrating losses in Baltimore, the Nationals now come home for the second half of this year's Battle of the Beltways, hoping to at least salvage a four-game split of the season series with the Orioles (which would match the best they've done against their interleague rivals for the last decade). Stephen Strasburg gets the start tonight, hoping to do what Max Scherzer did last night during a dominant performance. And then Dusty Baker can only hope his lineup scores enough...

Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies

Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies
PHILADELPHIA - Dusty Baker has been forced to mix and match in his bullpen early this season, especially in the last week as his best relievers have landed on the disabled list and other veterans have lost the faith of their manager. The Nationals were able to get by like this thanks to a lot of offense and some quality relief work from some unexpected sources, but it was probably too much to expect it to continue like this without a blip at some point. That blip came late this afternoon at...

Gonzalez lifted after five innings (Nats win 2-1)

Gonzalez lifted after five innings (Nats win 2-1)
The Diamondbacks used the long ball to jump out ahead in the top of the first. With one out, Chris Owings took a 2-1 Gio Gonzalez offering and deposited it 15 rows up in the left field section. It was his fifth homer of the season. Gonzalez wasn't out of the hot water just yet. Paul Goldschmidt singled and Jake Lamb walked. With two men on, only one out and a run in, Gonzalez bore down and struck out Yasmany Tomás and Brandon Drury. Robbie Ray, a former Nats prospect, struck out the side in...

Game 25 lineups: Nats vs. Mets (updated)

Game 25 lineups: Nats vs. Mets (updated)
The tide has turned for the Nationals, who in the last 48 hours have not only lost Adam Eaton to a season-ending ACL tear but also have lost two straight to the previously collapsing Mets. Now they need a win today just to avoid a three-game sweep. They'll be asking Joe Ross to bounce back from a ragged start in Colorado in which the right-hander lost velocity and appeared to lose stamina earlier than normal. Was that the thin Coors Field air or cause for concern? We'll perhaps get a better...

Monday notes on the lineup, Scherzer, Werth and tonight's starter

Monday notes on the lineup, Scherzer, Werth and tonight's starter
NEW YORK - Some more news and notes from Sunday night's 6-3 victory over the Mets, for anyone who couldn't stay up that late (or perhaps was watching the local hockey team come up big in overtime )... * There's a lot to like about what the Nationals are doing right now, and among the things to like the most is the way their lineup has come together. It's not just the talented hitters they have, though they have plenty of those. It's the way they're stacking up and putting each other in...

Game 18 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 18 lineups: Nats at Mets
NEW YORK - The Nationals are on Sunday Night Baseball, looking to complete a series sweep of the Mets and head out to Colorado on a seven-game winning streak. Max Scherzer gets the ball for this finale at Citi Field, looking forward to facing New York on the big national TV stage. Scherzer has been phenomenal against the Mets in his career, going 5-3 with a 1.83 ERA in 11 games (10 starts). Zack Wheeler makes his first start against the Nationals since 2014, before he endured his litany of arm...

Game 16 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 16 lineups: Nats at Mets
NEW YORK - Hello from Citi Field, where it's about 30 degrees colder than it was yesterday at SunTrust Park in suburban Atlanta. It's going to be quite chilly out there for the series opener between the Nationals and Mets, and that's not what you ideally want for a team dealing with several minor leg injuries. With that in mind, several regulars are not in tonight's starting lineup: Trea Turner (who has been activated off the disabled list), Jayson Werth (groin), Ryan Zimmerman and Matt...

Murphy scratched with leg tightness, plus more injury updates

Murphy scratched with leg tightness, plus more injury updates
ATLANTA - The Nationals aren't dealing with any major injuries right now, but they are dealing with a growing list of nagging injuries, and Daniel Murphy joined that list today. Murphy was initially penciled into Dusty Baker's lineup for tonight's series finale against the Braves but had to be scratched after telling his manager he was dealing with "tightness" in his right leg. The veteran second baseman had started all 14 games to date and had a 10-game hitting streak to open the season....

Pair of grand slams propels Nats to 14-4 win over Braves

Pair of grand slams propels Nats to 14-4 win over Braves
ATLANTA - Freddie Freeman may own the Nationals, but Bryce Harper's ownage of Julio Teheran supersedes even the mightiest of opponents. Harper added two more homers to his deep collection off Teheran, including a grand slam that helped the Nationals overcome Freeman's latest blast off them and propel them to a 14-4 victory tonight at SunTrust Park. Joe Ross bounced back from a shaky first inning in his first major league start of the season to pitch seven strong innings and earn the win. Ryan...

Werth injured on checked swing, leaves game (Nats win 14-4)

Werth injured on checked swing, leaves game (Nats win 14-4)
ATLANTA - Jayson Werth had to depart tonight's game after injuring himself on a check-swing in the top of the third inning, the latest Nationals player to go down in the season's first month. Werth checked his swing on a 1-0 pitch from the Braves' Julio Teheran in his second at-bat of the night and appeared to grimace, his left leg perhaps tweaked. After stepping out of the batter's box, he signaled to the dugout for Nationals director of athletic training Paul Lessard, who came out to talk...

Even in victory, Nationals left to fume after chaotic ninth

Even in victory, Nationals left to fume after chaotic ninth
ATLANTA - The Nationals won a ballgame tonight. They probably are going to have a new closer when they wake up in the morning. And, oh by the way, the final out of this game turned into a full-blown fiasco after an egregious mistake that led their veteran leader to go on a postgame tirade that delicately teetered the line between acceptable criticism of umpires and the kind of rant that typically leads to punishment from league officials. Just a run-of-the-mill Tuesday night in suburban...

It's early, but 10-game road trip provides Nats test of endurance

It's early, but 10-game road trip provides Nats test of endurance
It is still only April, but in any month this upcoming road trip would be a tough one. It's a 10-game, 11-day trip through Atlanta, New York and Denver. The Braves (5-6, winners of four straight) have a young team riding the emotion of opening a brand new baseball stadium they are proud to show the world. The Mets (7-6, losers of three straight) look to repeat their 2015 run to the World Series as the Nationals' toughest division rival. The Rockies (9-5, winners of two straight) have proven...

Gonzalez discovers uncharted territory: the eighth inning

Gonzalez discovers uncharted territory: the eighth inning
As Gio Gonzalez took the mound late Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park, his pitch count approaching triple digits and only a couple of empty slots remaining on the scoreboard, he couldn't help but recognize the rarity of this situation. "It was the eighth inning," the left-hander said. "I haven't seen one of those in a while." No, he most certainly hadn't. Gonzalez reached the eighth inning only once in the two previous seasons combined, so he truly was in uncharted waters when he...

Another magic moment for Harper to bail out victorious Nationals

Another magic moment for Harper to bail out victorious Nationals
Jayson Werth looked at Bryce Harper at some point this afternoon, having already seen his teammate hit one home run and deliver another opposite-field single to beat the opposition's shift. Harper, the 2012 National League Rookie of the Year and the 2015 league MVP, entered the day batting .300 and slugging .500, basically having done just about everything he could by age 24 to establish himself as one of the best players in baseball. Werth, though, is not as easily impressed as others. And...

Nats know they must clean up defense after Harper saves the day

Nats know they must clean up defense after Harper saves the day
Bryce Harper's dramatic walk-off three-run homer erased what could have turned into a nightmare couple of innings for the Nationals in Sunday's series finale against Philadelphia. Down 3-1, the Phillies rallied for a 4-3 lead heading to the last of the ninth. Thanks to Harper, the Nationals went on to win 6-4. But Jayson Werth committed a fielding error in the eighth, which aided the Phillies as they scored two runs on three hits. "That situation up two, you don't want to let the ball get...

Baker on lineup, Jackie Robinson Day, Wizards and Capitals

Baker on lineup, Jackie Robinson Day, Wizards and Capitals
Manager Dusty Baker decided to give left fielder Jayson Werth, catcher Matt Wieters and center fielder Adam Eaton a day of rest as the Nationals face the Phillies in a Saturday matinee. Chris Heisey, Michael A. Taylor and Jose Lobaton take their respective spots in the field. Baker confirmed it was justa day of rest and not for injury concerns. He also said the players went happy about sitting. "Wieters, I think, has only rested one day," Baker said. "Eaton hadn't rested any and Werth...