Soto leads Nats to 16-game homer streak, plus Taylor update

Soto leads Nats to 16-game homer streak, plus Taylor update
The Nationals have now hit a homer in 16 consecutive games, setting a new club record. The 1999 Expos also hit a home run in 16 straight games. Juan Soto's two-run shot in the first inning gave the Nats a 2-1 lead. It was his 15th homer of the season. Last year, he hit 22 home runs. The Nats have combined to hit 28 homers in those 16 games. Soto had a homer and a triple in his first two at-bats. "All the guys, they're hitting the ball hard," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "The...

Will Nats' outfield defense be better if Harper moves on?

Will Nats' outfield defense be better if Harper moves on?
It wasn't a great season for Bryce Harper defensively, but MLBPipeline.com's Jim Callis cautions to not get too worked up about the phenom's numbers with a gloved hand. "What is a little odd to me is the defensive metrics fluctuate from year to year with the same guys," Callis said. "Like Harper, without looking at it, had horrific numbers (in 2018). I don't know if he will be back. But a couple of years ago, he wasn't bad at all (on defense)." One metric that measures fielding skill...

Game 75 lineups: Phillies at Nats

Game 75 lineups: Phillies at Nats
With a glut of healthy outfielders, it was a forgone conclusion that Michael A. Taylor would be the odd man out. Bryce Harper needs to play to get untracked, Juan Soto continues to sizzle and Adam Eaton can be a difference-maker at the top of the Nationals lineup when healthy. But instead of being the square peg trying to fit into the proverbial round hole, Taylor has made the most of the opportunities he's had, and is making manager Davey Martinez's choices more complicated. But even though...

Eaton "excited" to return, starts in right field (Nats win 7-5)

Eaton "excited" to return, starts in right field (Nats win 7-5)
The Nationals reinstated outfielder Adam Eaton prior to Saturday's game against the Giants. The club sent reliever Wander Suero back to Triple-A and released outfielder Rafael Bautista. Eaton had missed 52 games after sustaining an injury to his left ankle and undergoing surgery. He started and played right field. "It's good to be back. I'm excited," Eaton said. "I feel, really, way better than I did the first go-around. I'm excited to be back out there. My wife is excited for me to go...

Taylor displays power and glove prowess early (Nats win 9-5)

Taylor displays power and glove prowess early (Nats win 9-5)
MIAMI - Manager Davey Martinez spoke before Friday's game about how hard Michael A. Taylor has been working on having quality at-bats as he attempts to get out of a rough patch at the plate. Taylor was hitting only .157 with 22 strikeouts in his last 15 games. During batting practice, Taylor showed aggression in his swing with back-to-back homers over the center field wall, well past the 407-foot marker. That seemingly transferred to the game. In the second, facing Marlins starter José...

"MASN All Access" podcast: How Michael Taylor creates other birds as the Orioles logo

"MASN All Access" podcast: How Michael Taylor creates other birds as the Orioles logo
You've seen them on Twitter. You've liked them and shared them with your fellow Orioles fans. But exactly how do those pictures of other birds as the Orioles logo come to fruition? Paul and I have a special guest on this edition of the "MASN All Access" podcast, as Michael Taylor, founder and creater of the Other Birds as the Orioles Logo account on Twitter (@SmilingBirdLogo), joins us via Skype to discuss his artistic creations that have taken Birdland by storm. Michael gives us the...

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Astros in West Palm Beach
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Don't look now, but the Nationals are running a lot this spring. OK, last year's team with speedster Trea Turner atop the lineup swiped 108 bases, third-most in the National League. But Turner had 46 of those, and only two other players - Michael A. Taylor (17) and Wilmer Difo (10) - were in double figures. This spring, however, the Nats have already recorded 12 thefts, tied for 14th in the majors (they were knotted for eighth before yesterday's off-day). Why is this...

Taylor is Nats' most interesting spring player

Taylor is Nats' most interesting spring player
MLB.com's Richard Justice put out his list of the top 10 most interesting players and storylines to begin spring training. The Angels' Shohei Ohtani and the Orioles' Manny Machado headed this list. I was asked last week during "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" on MASN who I would pick as the most interesting player as the Nationals get going in spring training. It would be an obvious choice to pick second baseman Daniel Murphy (microfracture surgery, right knee) or outfielder Adam Eaton...

Reflecting on Werth with the Nats and where he might be next season

Reflecting on Werth with the Nats and where he might be next season
A few days have passed since the difficult Game 5 National League Division Series loss and reflection continues on the impact of left fielder Jayson Werth and whether or not 2017 was his final year in a Nationals uniform. Werth played seven seasons with the Nats from 2011-2017, the longest tenure for him with one team in his career. The Nats won 95 or more games in four of those seasons. In his first season with the Nats, the win total jumped from 69 to 80. That was the only season the Nats...

Goodwin returns, now will he make postseason roster?

Goodwin returns, now will he make postseason roster?
The first day of workouts at Nationals Park revealed a welcome sight as outfielder Brian Goodwin returned to the Nationals. Goodwin went through the entire 3 1/2-hour workout without a hitch: running, fielding, catching fly balls and spending extra time in the batter's box. Goodwin has been out since Aug. 14 with a left groin strain. Recently, he has returned to games and built at-bats at instructional league workouts in West Palm Beach, Fla. Goodwin hit .251 with 21 doubles, one triple, 13...

De Aza helps Roark's cause (Nats win 4-3)

De Aza helps Roark's cause (Nats win 4-3)
The Nationals got on the board first against the Phillies and Aaron Nola in the first of four games Thursday night at Nats Park. With one out in the second, Michael A. Taylor reached on a throwing error by first baseman Tommy Joseph and promptly stole second base. With two outs, Alejandro De Aza lined a single to left field to score Taylor for a 1-0 Nationals lead. Tanner Roark allowed a solo homer off the bat of Jorge Alfaro in the third. It was Alfaro's second homer of the season and came on...

Trying to steal signs on the Nats? That is a difficult task

Trying to steal signs on the Nats? That is a difficult task
Manager Dusty Baker calls it the toughest coaching job on the field. It's the job of the third base coach. That coach gets criticized every time a runner is thrown out at the plate and rarely gets the credit when another runner scores. Some fans have taken to calling Nationals third base coach Bobby Henley, "Send-ley," due to his aggressive style. Henley has never worried about that and actually loves to be aggressive with his runners to force the defense to have to make the play. The job is...

Newcomers and veterans mixing well makes for strong Nats clubhouse

Newcomers and veterans mixing well makes for strong Nats clubhouse
In a team sport like baseball, chemistry on and off the field, specifically how each teammate treats the other, how they motivate and help each other, regardless of age or experience, goes a long way in how good the overall club can be in a highly competitive professional atmosphere. The Nationals enjoy a double-digit lead in their division due in large part to the talent they have on the field. But with all the injuries they have endured through the first 4 1/2 months of the season it might be...

Strasburg likely Monday in Potomac for rehab start; plus injury updates

Strasburg likely Monday in Potomac for rehab start; plus injury updates
Nationals manager Dusty Baker had the latest on how close Stephen Strasburg is to returning to the rotation. "It's not written in stone but he had a good session the other day," Baker said. "He's supposed to go out here pretty soon for a rehab assignment." Pitching coach Mike Maddux said Strasburg's most recent bullpen session went well and that he is building stamina. His likely rehab assignment is Monday night for high Single-A Potomac at home in Woodbridge, Va., against Salem. Maddux...

Taylor working to be selective in his swings

Taylor working to be selective in his swings
When Adam Eaton went down with a season-ending injury, there was some concern that Michael A. Taylor would not be able to hit for average and contribute offensively the way the Nationals needed him to. No need for that concern now. Taylor is hitting .273 with 11 homers and 30 RBIs in his first 62 games of the season. On Sunday, he hit his third homer in the past two games, a two-run shot, which accounted for all the offense for the Nats in a 6-2 loss to the Reds. It marked the third time this...

Turner, Taylor go for career highs in 18-3 rout

Turner, Taylor go for career highs in 18-3 rout
Trea Turner and Michael A. Taylor reached career highs in hits, and Joe Ross pitched seven solid innings as the Nationals crushed the Reds 18-3 before a sellout 40,139 at Nats Park. Turner went 5-for-5 with five singles, four runs, and a walk and two RBIs, setting a career high in hits. After some rough patches early in June, Turner has raised his average to .275. "I feel better," Turner said. "I feel like it starting to come around. I feel more comfortable. Found some holes today. I felt...

Difo starts as Taylor continues to nurse undisclosed injury

Difo starts as Taylor continues to nurse undisclosed injury
Wilmer Difo will make his first start in center field tonight in the series opener against the Reds, due to the undisclosed injury to Michael A. Taylor. As in Miami, manager Dusty Baker did not give any further details as to why Taylor is out of the lineup again. "I told you the other day he was hurting," Baker said. "He feels better today. Just didn't feel it was worth a chance in him going back to where he was. We will see. They'll work on him during the course of the game. Might be able...

Werth keeps rolling to 38th birthday, teammates take notice

Werth keeps rolling to 38th birthday, teammates take notice
ATLANTA - Veteran left fielder Jayson Werth was born on this date, May 20, 1979. He turns 38 today and is still rolling along at a successful rate. Right fielder Bryce Harper says he respects the way Werth goes about his business each season. "Definitely a lot of guys on this team can learn from that and learn the type of way to go about it and the way he takes care of his body," Harper noted. "What he eats and what he puts in it. Gets the job done. Works out every single day and works hard...

Turner and Taylor's improved hitting will spark Nats offense

Turner and Taylor's improved hitting will spark Nats offense
Here are some promising hitting notes for Trea Turner and Michael A. Taylor. In Sunday's first game, Turner hit the ball hard which was a good sign after an unusually quiet week. Turner was 0-for-13 at Philadephia and 2-for-11 against the Orioles. In Game 1 on Sunday at home against the Phillies again, Turner crushed a two-run homer, finishing only 1-for-5. But manager Dusty Baker said the hitting statistics don't tell the whole story. "He hit three balls on the nose," Baker said. "Had...

Scherzer OK after comebacker scare

Scherzer OK after comebacker scare
There is much that could be said about the Nationals bullpen right now. And yet, what else can be said about that group except that it is a mess and requires nightly manipulating by Dusty Baker that occasionally works and frequently does not. The Nationals won tonight's doubleheader finale over the Phillies, 6-5, thanks to Michael A. Taylor's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth that made up for Matt Grace and Jacob Turner blowing a lead moments earlier. And they won because the last man...