Cole traded to Yankees for cash considerations (Nats lose 4-2)

Cole traded to Yankees for cash considerations (Nats lose 4-2)
SAN FRANCISCO - A.J. Cole's time with the Nationals is officially over, but he's going to get another chance to pitch in the big leagues. With the Yankees. The Nats announced tonight they traded Cole to the Yankees for cash considerations, receiving something in return for the right-hander who had been designated for assignment on Friday. Cole opened the season as the Nationals' No. 5 starter but was moved to the bullpen after two starts, once veteran Jeremy Hellickson (a late spring...

Cole designated for assignment, Torres added to bullpen

Cole designated for assignment, Torres added to bullpen
LOS ANGELES - Needing a fresh arm in their bullpen after a taxing series at Citi Field, the Nationals promoted veteran right-hander Carlos Torres from Triple-A Syracuse and made the decision to cut ties with A.J. Cole. Cole, who was out of options, was designated for assignment and now is available to any other club to claim off waivers over the next week. If he clears waivers, the Nationals could then either outright Cole to the minors or release him. General manager Mike Rizzo had been...

Ryan Sullivan: Struggling Cole needs a change of scenery

Ryan Sullivan: Struggling Cole needs a change of scenery
On Wednesday evening, the weary Nationals bullpen suffered a collapse and got smoked like a Willie Nelson cigarette, to the tune of nine runs in the eighth inning. The dagger came when A.J Cole, now pitching in relief after losing the fifth starter role to Jeremy Hellickson, served up a mammoth grand slam home run to Yoenis Céspedes. This elevated Cole's ERA this season to 13.06 and left many Nationals fans, myself included, wondering what the next step is for Cole's career in...

Will Hellickson start Monday in New York? (Nats lose 6-5)

Will Hellickson start Monday in New York? (Nats lose 6-5)
The Nationals have not yet named a starter for Monday night's series opener against the Mets. That in itself offers a hint that the club is preparing to add veteran Jeremy Hellickson to its big league roster and send him to the mound at Citi Field. A.J. Cole is on turn to make the start, but the right-hander (who was roughed up in his season debut before improving in his second outing) has been spotted in the Nationals bullpen several times this weekend. Hellickson, meanwhile, was initially...

Cole rebounds with much improved second start

Cole rebounds with much improved second start
A lot of good to build on from right-hander A.J. Cole's second start. Last week in Atlanta in his first start of 2018, Cole got roughed up. He allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings. This time, Cole allowed an early home run, settled in, then allowed another solo shot, but that was it. A much better result for Cole, as he went 5 1/3 innings, allowing only two runs on four hits. It was a no decision for Cole, as the Braves dropped the Nationals 5-3, in 12 innings. "He did a great job,"...

Nats rally twice to tie but can't finish the job, lose 5-3 in 12

Nats rally twice to tie but can't finish the job, lose 5-3 in 12
They got the start they needed from A.J. Cole. They got the big blast they needed from Matt Adams to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. And they got the clutch hit they needed from Howie Kendrick to keep the game going in the bottom of the 11th. But the Nationals bullpen could not post a zero when the club most needed one in extra innings, and so a wild Wednesday matinee on South Capitol Street ended in frustrating fashion for the home club, which suffered a 5-3 loss in 12 innings and...

Game 12 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 12 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
What a different 48 hours makes. When this series began, the Nationals were reeling from a five-game losing streak, with questions about the big picture starting to percolate. Now, thanks to back-to-back dominant performances from Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, they're seeking a series sweep of the Braves and a whole new outlook on life. In order to pull that off, though, they'll need a far better performance from A.J. Cole this afternoon than they got last week in Atlanta, when he was...

Despite his rough start, Martinez sees Taylor building on at-bats

Despite his rough start, Martinez sees Taylor building on at-bats
Nationals center fielder Michael A. Taylor has yet to get into a nice groove early in 2018, but he showed some signs of consistency in a couple of at-bats in Sunday night's 6-5 loss to the Mets. After starting the game 0-for-2, Taylor singled in the fifth and then added an RBI single in the seventh that tied the game at 5-5. Unfortunately, he struck out in the ninth with the bases loaded and one out. The pitches that got him off of Mets reliever Seth Lugo were a slider, a curveball and then a...

Cole pushed back, Hellickson still in Florida

Cole pushed back, Hellickson still in Florida
A.J. Cole will remain in the Nationals rotation for now. But he'll be pushed back a couple of days. With Jeremy Hellickson continuing to breathe down his neck. Friday's off-day afforded the Nats the opportunity to adjust their rotation, and they've decided to have Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg remain on a five-day schedule and start Monday and Tuesday against the Braves. Cole now will slot in behind Strasburg and start Wednesday's series finale against Atlanta, hoping for much better...

Hellickson throws solid six innings in Florida warmup game

Hellickson throws solid six innings in Florida warmup game
ATLANTA - The Nationals continue to stretch out veteran right-hander Jeremy Hellickson in West Palm Beach, Fla., and he is on schedule to be game-ready in the next week or two. "He actually pitched two days ago," manager Davey Martinez said. "He did good. Six innings, 92 pitches. He's doing well. His next start is Saturday. He's basically just trying to get ready. We want him to be consistent, stretch him out, so that he's ready to go. "Now it's just getting him consistent. Six innings,...

Liz Barr: Formidable foursome gets Nats off to fast start

Liz Barr: Formidable foursome gets Nats off to fast start
Welcome back to baseball. You hear that sound in the air? The sound of home runs leaving the park, bags being swiped and an umpire ringing up a strike three call? That means the Nationals are at it again. They've been hitting, running and, most importantly, pitching. The Nationals arguably have the best four-man starting rotation in the National League, and after the first turn through the rotation, the starting pitching was on display. The group of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio...

Cole struggles and leaves before end of 4th (Braves win 13-6)

Cole struggles and leaves before end of 4th (Braves win 13-6)
ATLANTA - A fast start for both teams to begin play in game two. Ryan Zimmerman slammed a two-run shot off of Braves starter Julio Teheran in the first. Zimmerman deposited a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall in the top of the first. The Nationals also enjoyed a RBI groundout courtesy of Bryce Harper. The Braves quickly answered with four runs on three hits off of Nats starter A.J. Cole. The big blast a three-run shot by Preston Tucker. After one, the Nats trailed for the first time this...

Martinez on lineup, Cole, Murphy, Hellickson and more

Martinez on lineup, Cole, Murphy, Hellickson and more
ATLANTA - The pregame drama for the Nationals and their 4-0 record was manager Davey Martinez submitting a lineup that originally had Bryce Harper batting second. About a half an hour later, Martinez switched the lineup back to Anthony Rendon at No. 2 and Harper in the No. 3 hole. "That was a misprint," Martinez said. "That's something I thought about. I kind of construct lineups a few days in advance. It's something that I was thinking about looking at and I must have said it. When I...

Murphy moves on to field running; Hellickson update

Murphy moves on to field running; Hellickson update
ATLANTA - Daniel Murphy moved from the treadmill to running on the field today, another positive update as the veteran recovers from offseason microfracture right knee surgery that has placed him on the disabled list to begin the season. "I thought it went well," Murphy said of running on the field. "Well, the grass doesn't really move. But obviously it's more realistic. As far as being limited in my pace I would say no. Yeah, same pace." Murphy said his rehab focus continues to be about...

Cole will open as No. 5 starter, but Hellickson is strong in debut

Cole will open as No. 5 starter, but Hellickson is strong in debut
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Nothing that happened tonight - barring injury - was going to change the Nationals' plan to open the season. A.J. Cole will be the No. 5 starter. Jeremy Hellickson will need more time to get himself up to speed after signing a minor league contract one week ago. Manager Davey Martinez made all that official earlier this afternoon. "We're going to open up with A.J. Cole being the fifth starter," Martinez said. "He's had a good camp. I like the way he threw all...

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros and Marlins

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros and Marlins
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's not exactly ideal to have to play split-squad games this late in the spring. But with an odd number of teams training in both Florida and Arizona, somebody has to split up (or be off) every day of the exhibition season. So the Nationals drew the short straw tonight and will be playing a pair of games: home against the Astros (6:05 p.m. on MASN) and road against the Marlins (7:05 p.m.). Davey Martinez will be staying here in West Palm Beach to watch A.J. Cole start...

Fedde optioned to Triple-A to begin season (Nats lose 12-5)

Fedde optioned to Triple-A to begin season (Nats lose 12-5)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Nationals expect Erick Fedde to be a significant part of their big league rotation for a long time. But that day won't be coming quite yet. Fedde was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse this afternoon, a move the organization's top pitching prospect had sensed was likely for a while, certainly since the Nationals signed veteran Jeremy Hellickson last week. Though he didn't make the major league roster, Fedde did make an impression on the Nationals' new coaching staff,...

Nats won't get "too cute" with No. 5 starter this time around

Nats won't get "too cute" with No. 5 starter this time around
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - There have long been differing opinions around baseball on the proper way to use a No. 5 starter. Should he pitch every fifth game, regardless of any off-days on the schedule? Should teams take advantage of that schedule and skip over the worst starter in the rotation in favor of the best starters? Should teams view that position as something of a revolving door, shuttling different starters back and forth from the minors in an attempt to control their workload? The...

Martinez reveals rotation order, Rizzo says Cole will make club

Martinez reveals rotation order, Rizzo says Cole will make club
JUPITER, Fla. - Max Scherzer will start opening day for the Nationals. That news, though made official by manager Davey Martinez this morning, was never in doubt. Asked when he made the decision, Martinez replied: "The day I got the job." Perhaps more interesting than the fact Scherzer will be on the mound March 29 in Cincinnati against veteran right-hander Homer Bailey is how the rest of the Nationals rotation will be configured behind him. Martinez revealed that this morning, as well....

Cole trying to make late case to remain No. 5 starter

Cole trying to make late case to remain No. 5 starter
JUPITER, Fla. - Common sense says A.J. Cole's shot at making the Nationals rotation took a major hit Friday when the club signed veteran Jeremy Hellickson to a minor league contract. Hellickson's deal may not officially include a guaranteed spot on the big league roster, but it's tough to see the Nats (or the 30-year-old right-hander) striking this arrangement without an implicit understanding. Cole, of course, can't allow himself to think that way. Until someone tells him otherwise, his...