Rotation questions abound after Fedde blasted by Braves

Rotation questions abound after Fedde blasted by Braves
As the focus has remained squarely on their bullpen, which has been in need of upgrades since opening day, lurking underneath the surface of the Nationals' red-hot summer has been the question of rotation depth. Would Mike Rizzo need to acquire a No. 5 starter before the July 31 trade deadline? Rizzo last week insisted such a move wasn't necessary, that he liked his team's back-of-the-rotation options. Besides, the longtime general manager pointed out, starting pitchers usually are...

Bruised foot still sore, Adams out of lineup again

Bruised foot still sore, Adams out of lineup again
If he could play, Matt Adams surely would have been in the Nationals' lineup tonight, with Davey Martinez wanting the lefty slugger batting fifth against Braves right-hander Julio Teheran. The drop-off to Howie Kendrick (who happens to be 6-for-18 with three doubles in his career vs. Teheran) isn't all that steep. But under normal circumstances, Adams would be the choice tonight. "Oh, yeah," Martinez said. "Howie has pretty good numbers against this guy, but you still want Matt in...

Game 107 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 107 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
Why was Monday night's win so important for the Nationals? Because it allowed them to take early control of this three-game series with the Braves, who are now the ones facing some pressure to bounce back and not let their lead in the division dwindle to 3 1/2 games. The Nationals still have plenty of work to do to take this series, and they face a stiff challenge tonight with Erick Fedde - not Max Scherzer - getting the start. Fedde hasn't faced Atlanta yet this season, but he's quietly put...

Soto shows off improved glove with leaping grab at wall

Soto shows off improved glove with leaping grab at wall
The ball went flying off Adam Duvall's bat and all eyes immediately turned toward Juan Soto in deep left field to gauge just how well Duvall had hit it. The way he calmly backtracked to the wall, Soto certainly seemed to have a bead on it. But when he ran out of real estate and had to leap, the crowd at Nationals Park held its collective breath, waiting to see which side of said wall it would come down on. Only Soto knew for sure he was going to haul it in. "I never thought it's going to be...

Rendon's slam lifts Nats a step closer to Braves (updated)

Rendon's slam lifts Nats a step closer to Braves (updated)
He stepped to the plate with the bases loaded, two outs and a ballgame between the division's top two clubs tied in the bottom of the sixth. The crowd, which had been fairly docile all night, only stood to urge the batter on once he got to a 2-0 count and the scoreboard began pleading with everyone to "Get On Your Feet!" Once they rose, they didn't sit down again until Anthony Rendon had crushed the ball 412 feet to left field, circled the bases, danced through a line of teammates in the...

Scherzer placed on IL, Fedde recalled (updated)

Scherzer placed on IL, Fedde recalled (updated)
Max Scherzer spent a grand total of 20 days on the injured list in his first 11 1/2 seasons as a big league pitcher. Among all his other achievements during a potential Hall of Fame career, his ability to take the ball every turn through the rotation for more than a decade stood out as especially rare in today's game. Now a lingering back injury is guaranteed to keep the Nationals ace sidelined at least 26 total days in the span of a month, all during a critical portion of the season in which...

After surviving Dodgers, banged-up Nats now host Braves

After surviving Dodgers, banged-up Nats now host Braves
The Nationals survived their weekend series with the Dodgers. That's probably the best way to describe what took place the last three days on South Capitol Street, where the majors' hottest team of the last two months took on the majors' best team of the entire season and suffered a pair of frustrating losses before bouncing back to win Sunday's finale. Given the matchup and the state of their pitching staff, the Nats couldn't complain about the 1-2 result. Nor their 3-4 overall record...

Scherzer's chances of facing Braves dwindling (Nats win 11-4)

Scherzer's chances of facing Braves dwindling (Nats win 11-4)
Max Scherzer's chances of missing another start against the Braves appear to be growing, leaving the Nationals again facing the prospect of a critical series with the National League East leaders without the services of their ace. Scherzer, still dealing with a lingering upper back injury that has limited him to one start in the last three weeks, has not yet thrown a ball since receiving a stem cell injection Friday for what he described as a "mild strain" of the rhomboid muscle on top of...

Muscle strain leaves Scherzer's status up in the air

Muscle strain leaves Scherzer's status up in the air
Though he felt fine in the immediate aftermath of Thursday's start against the Rockies, Max Scherzer cautioned all along he wouldn't know he was in the clear from his lingering back injury until he saw how he felt after he woke up today. So when Scherzer arose this morning and felt tightness in his upper back, he was frustrated but not surprised. And now the Nationals ace again faces uncertain status for his next start. Scherzer had an MRI taken earlier today, and that test revealed what he...

Scherzer set to return Thursday (and face Braves three times)

Scherzer set to return Thursday (and face Braves three times)
Barring any setbacks in the next 48 hours, the Nationals plan to activate Max Scherzer off the injured list for Thursday's series finale against the Rockies, a decision they are admittedly making in part because it would then line him up for several key starts the rest of the season ... including a potential wild card game in October. Yep, they've extrapolated the schedule out that far, just to make sure. More on that in a moment. Of more immediate consequence, Scherzer continues to pass...

Nationals' streaks end in lopsided loss to Braves

Nationals' streaks end in lopsided loss to Braves
ATLANTA - If the streak was going to end, this probably felt like the night it would happen, with the backup to the backup starter on the mound. If a member of the Nationals rotation was going to take a loss for the first time in 28 games, Joe Ross was a good candidate. And yet tonight's 7-1 loss to the Braves can't really be pinned on Ross, who did all the Nats could have asked of him under the circumstances. He gave them a chance to win. "He looked good," manager Davey Martinez said. "He...

Zimmerman appears to re-injure heel (Nats down 3-0)

Zimmerman appears to re-injure heel (Nats down 3-0)
ATLANTA - Ryan Zimmerman's return from plantar fasciitis appears to have lasted only three weeks. Zimmerman winced as he ran down the first base line for an infield single in the top of the second inning tonight at SunTrust Park and had to depart the Nationals' series finale against the Braves. The Nationals didn't immediately announce a reason for Zimmerman's departure, but it appeared he aggravated the same right heel injury that sidelined him from late April through late June. The...

Scherzer aiming to return Thursday, Voth heads to IL

Scherzer aiming to return Thursday, Voth heads to IL
ATLANTA - The Nationals are preparing for Max Scherzer to return to the rotation Thursday afternoon and start their series finale against the Rockies. Scherzer, who hasn't pitched since July 6 due to an inflamed bursa sac underneath his right shoulder blade, continues to feel better from a cortisone shot he received earlier in the week. Manager Davey Martinez said the right-hander is scheduled to throw a full bullpen session Monday afternoon at Nationals Park. "We'll see how that goes,"...

Game 98 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 98 lineups: Nats at Braves
ATLANTA - The Nationals have a chance to take three of four from the Braves with a win in tonight's series finale. They would've loved to have Max Scherzer on the mound for this one, as originally hoped, but that won't happen. They planned to have Austin Voth on the mound, but that won't happen either. The right-hander has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right biceps tendinitis. So it's Plan C, and that's Joe Ross. It's been a weird season for Ross, to say the least. He's...

Nats-Braves games have become must-see TV

Nats-Braves games have become must-see TV
ATLANTA - Sean Doolittle, still on something of an emotional high after notching a five-out save Saturday night, was asked about the significance of extending himself beyond his normal workload for this particular game. "I think just where we're at right now in the season - the standings, against the Braves, especially after losing a tough one last night - I don't know if tonight was necessarily a must-win game, but it was definitely a big win for us," he said. "It was kind of all hands on...

Doolittle gets five outs to preserve Nats' tense win (updated)

Doolittle gets five outs to preserve Nats' tense win (updated)
ATLANTA - Davey Martinez wasn't willing to use Sean Doolittle in the ninth inning Friday night. He was willing to use his closer in the eighth inning tonight. And the Nationals manager was rewarded for his aggressive pitching maneuver with a nip-and-tuck victory that ensures his team will at worst split this weekend's series against the division leaders. Doolittle, making his first appearance in a week, recorded five outs to preserve the Nationals' 5-3 win over the Braves, a tense affair...

Voth's start in question, Scherzer throws pain-free (Nats up 4-3)

Voth's start in question, Scherzer throws pain-free (Nats up 4-3)
ATLANTA - Austin Voth may not be able to make his start in place of Max Scherzer on Sunday night, but Scherzer's chances of starting later in the week jumped up significantly after the Nationals ace was able to throw off a bullpen mound today for the first time since he went on the injured list. Since it became clear Scherzer wouldn't be ready to return from his back injury in time to face the Braves this weekend, Voth has appeared to be the logical candidate to start Sunday night's series...

Game 97 lineups: Nats at Braves

Game 97 lineups: Nats at Braves
ATLANTA - The Nationals are attempting to pick themselves up off the mat after Friday night's crushing loss. But in order to do that, they'll need to take down the Braves' ace tonight. Mike Soroka, the 21-year-old owner of a 10-1 record and 2.24 ERA, takes the mound at SunTrust Park. He hasn't take a loss since April 18 against the Diamondbacks. The Nats got a brief look at the right-hander last month in D.C., but you'll remember he had to depart after only two innings when he was hit by a...

Rookie Robles rising to occasion in big moments

Rookie Robles rising to occasion in big moments
ATLANTA - The bottom of the ninth at SunTrust Park last night left a sour taste in the Nationals' mouths. But it couldn't completely wash away the brief moment of exuberance they felt in the top of the ninth when Victor Robles provided his latest bit of late-game heroics. Robles' game-tying, two-run homer with two outs against Braves closer Luke Jackson was a jaw-dropping moment for the Nationals rookie, who has provided several of them already this season. "That was an unbelievable home...

Nats lose after wild, head-scratching ninth inning (updated)

Nats lose after wild, head-scratching ninth inning (updated)
ATLANTA - They had just watched Victor Robles provide the latest in a summer full of jaw-dropping, inspiring moments to bring the Nationals back from the dead. Down to their last out in what had been a sleepy night at SunTrust Park for 8 2/3 innings, the Nats had just tied the game on Robles' monster home run off Braves closer Luke Jackson. And then, chaos. And confusion. And a dispiriting, 4-3 loss to Atlanta that opened up manager Davey Martinez to all sorts of questions and criticism for...