On the 40-man decisions and trade rumors

On the 40-man decisions and trade rumors
Pedro Florimon, we hardly knew ye. The utility infielder, who the Nationals claimed off waivers from the Twins in mid-September, is now heading to the Pirates after Pittsburgh claimed him off waivers yesterday. Three organizations in a little over two months. The life of a professional baseball player can be an interesting one. The Nationals set their 40-man roster yesterday, adding A.J. Cole, Brian Goodwin, Wilmer Difo and Matt Grace and dropping Florimon and Ryan Mattheus. Despite Difo having...

Nationals add four to 40-man roster, release Mattheus; Pirates claim Florimon

Nationals add four to 40-man roster, release Mattheus; Pirates claim Florimon
The Nationals this afternoon selected the contracts of right-hander A.J. Cole, left-hander Matt Grace, infielder Wilmer Difo and outfielder Brian Goodwin. By adding these prospects to the 40-man roster, the Nationals protect them from the Rule 5 draft, which will be held Dec. 11 in San Diego at the Winter Meetings. To make room for those four players, right-hander Ryan Mattheus was placed on outright assignment and elected free agency, while infielder Pedro Florimon was claimed off waivers by...

Nats recall outfielder Michael A. Taylor, right-hander Ryan Mattheus (with lineups)

Nats recall outfielder Michael A. Taylor, right-hander Ryan Mattheus (with lineups)
The Nationals expanded their roster further this afternoon, recalling outfielder Michael A. Taylor and reliever Ryan Mattheus from Triple-A Syracuse Taylor, 23, is back with the Nationals for the second time this season after hitting .304 with a .390 on-base percentage and a .526 slugging percentage in 110 games with Double-A Harrisburg and Syracuse. After recording 17 doubles, two triples, 22 home runs, 61 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 98 games, Taylor was named the Double-A Eastern League...

Gonzalez headed to DL for first time in his career (updated after MRI)

Gonzalez headed to DL for first time in his career (updated after MRI)
Remember last night, when Matt Williams said there was nothing physically wrong with left-hander Gio Gonzalez, who sounded as if he was contradicting his manager by saying he just had to pitch through an unspecified issue? Well, chalk one up for Gonzalez, who this morning was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career. The problem: left shoulder inflammation. Since joining the Nats in 2012, Gonzalez's 35 victories are tied for the most in the majors by a southpaw with...

Treinen to start Tuesday, Mattheus optioned (with McLouth update)

Treinen to start Tuesday, Mattheus optioned (with McLouth update)
We have finally learned who will start Tuesday night (or, shall I say, later on today) for the Nationals. It'll be right-hander Blake Treinen, who will be called up from Triple-A Syracuse. Right-handed reliever Ryan Mattheus will be optioned to Syracuse to make room for Treinen on the roster, manager Matt Williams announced after tonight's 4-0 Nats win, which featured a 3-hour, 17-minute rain delay. This will be Treinen's first major league start. He made a brief stint with the Nats...

Mattheus on his return to the Nats

Mattheus on his return to the Nats
Reliever Ryan Mattheus is back with the Nationals for the first time since the club left Viera, Fla., in March. The Nats called up Mattheus and sent starting pitcher Taylor Jordan to Triple-A Syracuse. Mattheus found out last Thursday that he would be returning to the Nats after he was ejected from a game. Mattheus threw one pitch against Indianapolis in the eighth inning. The ejection came one night after Syracuse and Indianapolis exchanged bean balls with one another. "It caught me a...

Nats recall Ryan Mattheus, option Taylor Jordan to Triple-A

Nats recall Ryan Mattheus, option Taylor Jordan to Triple-A
HOUSTON - The Nationals announced this afternoon that they've recalled right-handed reliever Ryan Mattheus from Triple-A and optioned right-hander Taylor Jordan to Syracuse. The move almost certainly means that the Nats will go with a four-man rotation for now, skipping what would have been Jordan's turn on Sunday against the Phillies, and they will have an eight-man bullpen with the addition of Mattheus. Off-days in the schedule yesterday and Thursday will allow the Nats to skip...

As injuries mount, Nats rely on "next man up" mentality

As injuries mount, Nats rely on "next man up" mentality
HOUSTON - In the NFL, there's a saying that is used quite frequently when a team has to deal with a key player getting injured. "Next man up," is what coaches, general managers and players will often utter when a valuable contributor heads to the trainer's room. That's a mentality that the Nationals have needed to adopt this season as one player after another has landed on the disabled list for weeks on end. When Wilson Ramos went down, Jose Lobaton and Sandy Leon had to step up and...

Nats cut Carroll, Young, Moore, Mattheus and Cedeno; Barrett makes roster (updated)

Nats cut Carroll, Young, Moore, Mattheus and Cedeno; Barrett makes roster (updated)
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals made a host of roster moves following today's 7-3 win over the Mets, a couple of which are a bit surprising. The team has released infielder Jamey Carroll and right-hander Chris Young, and optioned first baseman Tyler Moore, right-hander Ryan Mattheus and left-hander Xavier Cedeno to Triple-A Syracuse. Manager Matt Williams also informed right-hander Aaron Barrett, the closer at Double-A Harrisburg last season, that he's made the Nats' opening day...

Injuries improve Roark's chances of breaking camp with Nats

Injuries improve Roark's chances of breaking camp with Nats
VIERA, Fla. - With each day Ryan Mattheus and Ross Ohlendorf remain sidelined, Tanner Roark chances of breaking camp with the Nationals - once thought to be a long shot - improve a little more. Mattheus, a right-handed reliever, and Ohlendorf, the righty who employs the old-school windup and was mentioned as a possibility for either the bullpen or the competition for the fifth starter's spot, have spent most of spring training watching other pitchers make an impression. Manager Matt Williams...

Williams confident in Soriano despite slow start, Mattheus returns to the mound

Williams confident in Soriano despite slow start, Mattheus returns to the mound
VIERA, Fla. - Rafael Soriano's numbers this spring aren't pretty. The Nationals closer has made two Grapefruit League appearances so far, each an inning long. In those two innings of work, Soriano has allowed seven runs on eight hits. He's struck out three and walked none, but the right-hander's location hasn't been good, and it's led to poor results. Statistics only mean so much in spring training, but it's hard to ignore the level to which Soriano has been hit around early on. The...

Fister to throw Tuesday (with Ohlendorf, Mattheus, M. Gonzalez updates)

Fister to throw Tuesday (with Ohlendorf, Mattheus, M. Gonzalez updates)
VIERA, Fla. - Manager Matt Williams said this afternoon that right-hander Doug Fister, who has been sidelined since his first spring training appearance last Sunday with inflammation in his right elbow, is progressing and will throw off flat ground tomorrow. The Nationals have been taking a cautious approach with Fister, treating the elbow issue with anti-inflammatories and ice, and Williams said that enough of the inflammation has cleared that Fister can get back to playing catch...

Williams wants to get a closer look at Jordan (plus lineups and other notes)

Williams wants to get a closer look at Jordan (plus lineups and other notes)
VIERA, Fla. - Former NFL quarterback Doug Flutie is here at Space Coast Stadium today, wearing a personalized No. 22 Nationals jersey. Flutie, who went to Boston College, also has shorts with a Red Sox logo on them, repping two organizations at once. I guess we can let that slide. Flutie took batting practice in the Nats' third hitting group today and spent some time talking to players and team staffers. The former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Bowler actually has a pretty good swing and...

G. Gonzalez works two scoreless, plus updates on the rotation and more (updated)

G. Gonzalez works two scoreless, plus updates on the rotation and more (updated)
VIERA, Fla. - Gio Gonzalez has completed two scoreless innings of work against a Mets split squad in his spring debut, allowing one hit and striking out one. It was an easy two frames for Gonzalez, who surrendered a Kirk Nieuwenhuis single through the hole on the left side with one out in the first, only to then get Andrew Brown to tap out to catcher Jhonatan Solano and Brandon Allen to fly out to center. In the second, Gonzalez got Wilmer Flores to fly out to right, then struck out Eric...

Werth set to play tomorrow, Mattheus cleared to start throwing (M. Gonzalez note)

Werth set to play tomorrow, Mattheus cleared to start throwing (M. Gonzalez note)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Jayson Werth's spring debut might have been bumped back a few days, but he's now scheduled to appear in his first Grapefruit League contest tomorrow against the Mets. Werth was originally scheduled to start in right field for the Nationals on Sunday, but he was scratched from the lineup due to a right biceps strain. Manager Matt Williams said today that Werth has progressed over the last couple of days, and is expected to be in the starting lineup for tomorrow's...

Looking back and looking ahead, plus Mattheus update

Looking back and looking ahead, plus Mattheus update
VIERA, Fla. - Jayson Werth is the only Nationals starting position player who won't appear in one of the Nats' first two spring training games, but manager Matt Williams says that's by design. Werth typically eases his way into spring, and the Nats had planned to give the right fielder these first two games off. Werth is perfectly healthy, Williams says, and he'll be in the Nats lineup tomorrow when they host the Marlins. "He's right on schedule," Williams said. "No variation to his...

Notes from Williams' daily session with the media

Notes from Williams' daily session with the media
VIERA, Fla. - Matt Williams met with the media this afternoon, as he does every afternoon in spring, and discussed a variety of topics. Here's a sample platter from that afternoon session with reporters: On Ryan Zimmerman getting his first work this spring at first base during early drills: "He's got great hands, man, so he's really good at it. ... We worked with his footwork around the bag. That's an important thing for a guy that may get a chance to move across the diamond for a couple...

Mattheus day-to-day with inflammation in his chest

Mattheus day-to-day with inflammation in his chest
VIERA, Fla. - An MRI taken yesterday afternoon has revealed that Nationals reliever Ryan Mattheus has costochondritis, which is inflammation of the cartilage that attaches the ribs to the breastbone. Doctors have told Mattheus he's day-to-day at this point. Mattheus first started feeling pain in his upper chest after throwing his second bullpen session of spring, back on Feb. 18. He was shut down for a few days, but when the pain didn't dissipate, the Nationals sent Mattheus for an MRI in...

Harper will stay in left, Clippard comes through bullpen session OK

Harper will stay in left, Clippard comes through bullpen session OK
VIERA, Fla. - While Bryce Harper was the Nats' starting left fielder for the vast majority of last season, he essentially backed up Jayson Werth in right, starting 16 games out there, and also started eight games in center in place of Denard Span. Harper's versatility and arm strength allows him to play all three spots, and former Nats manager Davey Johnson took advantage of that, sliding Harper around the outfield as needed. This year, new Nats manager Matt Williams says that for the most...

Mattheus shut down due to chest injury, Clippard returns to workouts

Mattheus shut down due to chest injury, Clippard returns to workouts
VIERA, Fla. - While the rest of the pitchers in his throwing group took part in their first live batting practice sessions of spring today, Ryan Mattheus remained sidelined with what he said is an upper chest injury. Mattheus has been shut down since Tuesday, he revealed today, after feeling discomfort in the chest following his second bullpen session of spring. He will undergo an MRI and will wait on the results, which will reveal exactly what's going on that's causing the...