Game 161 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

Game 161 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates
It's not necessarily high on their priority list right now, but the Nationals do still have a chance to win 99 games this season and thus set a new franchise record. To get there, they need to win both tonight and Sunday afternoon against the Pirates, which is far from an impossible task. And it only helps to have Max Scherzer on the mound tonight for his final regular season start. The ace right-hander enters tonight with a 2.55 ERA and needing to have a strong outing if he wants to leapfrog...

Offense reminds what it can do with Werth and Zimmerman homering

Offense reminds what it can do with Werth and Zimmerman homering
The Nationals lineup was back to where it was supposed to be from opening day in a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh on Friday, minus center fielder Adam Eaton, who is out for the season with a major knee injury. The lineup delivered with a pair of electrifying innings where it contributed multiple hits -- the sixth and the eighth. The offense even put together four hits in five at-bats in the first inning to plate an early run. The game was put away in the eighth inning, when Ryan Zimmerman and Jayson...

Strasburg strong run to the finish line, now prepares for Chicago

Strasburg strong run to the finish line, now prepares for Chicago
If there was a start Stephen Strasburg wanted to have to get him tuned up right before the postseason begins next week, this was the one. Strasburg fired 7 2/3 shutout innings and Ryan Zimmerman had a pair of homers with four RBIs as the Nationals rolled the Pirates 6-1. Strasburg did not allow a hit until there was two outs in the fifth. He struck out eight, walked two and scattered two hits to improve to 15-4. He did all of this on just 98 pitches, 63 for strikes. "Just like you put in a lot...

With all hands on deck, Baker can finally put out his lineup of choice

With all hands on deck, Baker can finally put out his lineup of choice
For the first time in a long time, the Nationals finally have their projected starting lineup back. And it comes with three games left in the season. The question is will Dusty Baker use this same lineup for the postseason. Probably not. Baker has placed Bryce Harper in the No. 2 hole to maximize the number of at-bats he can get during a game if he wants him to only go six or seven innings. Harper got the day off Thursday after two games in Philadelphia. Harper had admitted he was a little bit...

Game 160 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates

Game 160 lineups: Nats vs. Pirates
The Nationals are prepping their starters for the National League Division Series and if tonight's starter Stephen Strasburg is the Game 2 starter, he will have eight days off. Game 2 of the NLDS is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7. Strasburg has had a tremendous year, going 14-4 with a 2.68 ERA. Tonight is a good test for the Nats hitters, facing a very good right-hander in Gerrit Cole (12-11, 4.23) for Pittsburgh. Right fielder Bryce Harper back in the lineup batting second. Manager Dusty...

What Doolittle hopes to learn from first blown save

What Doolittle hopes to learn from first blown save
It was bound to happen eventually, at least that's how the Nationals figured it. Sean Doolittle had been perfect since his acquisition from the Athletics in July, going 21-for-21 in save opportunities. Could they reasonably expect that conversion rate to remain at 100 percent straight through the end of their season? So maybe Thursday night's blown save against the Pirates - especially considering the fact the Nationals still came back to win 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth - wasn't the worst...

With a heavy heart, Jackson proud to pitch well in his final start

With a heavy heart, Jackson proud to pitch well in his final start
Nationals right-hander Edwin Jackson arrived Thursday night for his start against the Pirates having allowed 22 earned runs in his last four starts, losing three of those games. So for Jackson to give the Nats six solid innings and allowing only two runs on four hits while striking out seven was a nice way to end the regular season. The Nats were able to win the game in walk-off fashion 5-4 thanks to a clutch bottom of the ninth single down the right field line by Alejandro De Aza. The win was...

Baker credits success to leadership in clubhouse; plus Minor League awards

Baker credits success to leadership in clubhouse; plus Minor League awards
With four games remaining on the regular season schedule and the division decided weeks ago, manager Dusty Baker is hearing questions about the upcoming post season start to dominate his pregame news conferences. The Nationals know they will face the defending champion Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series beginning Friday, October 6 at Nats Park. Thursday against the Pirates, Baker was asked how he would set the lineup for this weekend. In game one, Bryce Harper is taking a day...

Harper sitting tonight, plans to play rest of weekend

Harper sitting tonight, plans to play rest of weekend
Bryce Harper is not in the Nationals lineup tonight, but Dusty Baker wants to make sure you know nothing's wrong with the star outfielder. Really wants you know. "No, nothing," the manager said. "No. Don't be alarmed. Nothing. Again, nothing." The Nationals simply don't want to push Harper too much too fast on the heels of his return from a major left knee and calf injury. After playing a total of nine innings in right field and taking seven plate appearances the previous two nights in...

Goodwin in Florida, could make NLDS roster (Nats lose 7-5)

Goodwin in Florida, could make NLDS roster (Nats lose 7-5)
PHILADELPHIA - Brian Goodwin probably won't be returning to play for the Nationals in the regular season. Which doesn't mean he might not still return to play for them in the National League Division Series. Goodwin, out since Aug. 13 with a strained groin, has left the club and is now in West Palm Beach, Fla., playing in instructional league games. The outfielder will stay there through the weekend, manager Dusty Baker said, and could use that as a springboard to joining the active roster...

Gonzalez walks five in 4-1 loss, but "felt good"

Gonzalez walks five in 4-1 loss, but "felt good"
PHILADELPHIA - For only the third time this season, left-hander Gio Gonzalez walked five batters in a game. Two walks to begin the third inning came around to score, igniting a three-run outburst that helped to lift the Phillies past the Nats, 4-1. Gonzalez had walked seven against the Diamondbacks May 3 and five against the Cubs June 26. It was a rare sight to see Gonzalez not commanding his pitches. Maybe it had something to do with the way home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz was calling the...

Harper with three at-bats in return: "It felt good to be back"

Harper with three at-bats in return: "It felt good to be back"
PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper returned from the disabled list with three at-bats Tuesday in the Nats' 4-1 loss to the Phillies. On defense, he was tested early and made a good play retrieving a double down the right field line off the bat of Aaron Altherr in the first inning. Harper's footwork and speed to the ball, plus the turn and throw, were a good signal that his knee and calf could take the quick starts and stops necessary in a big league game. "He looked pretty good," manager Dusty...

Bullpen doing its job again, but what's up with Romero usage?

Bullpen doing its job again, but what's up with Romero usage?
PHILADELPHIA - The bullpen shined again Monday. Four relievers, three of them left-handers, shut out the Phillies for the final 10 outs of the game in a 3-1 Nationals win. A key battle occurred in the sixth. Starter A.J. Cole notched two outs to begin the frame. But the Phillies sandwiched a single in there by Odúbel Herrera, who had earlier crushed a solo shot. 101 pitches into Cole's start, the Nats decided to go to the bullpen to try to get out of the frame. Left-hander Oliver Pérez...

Baker says Harper has flu-like symptoms, Rendon's foot sore

Baker says Harper has flu-like symptoms, Rendon's foot sore
PHILADELPHIA - With all the positive steps forward Bryce Harper had made these last few weeks as he recovered from knee and calf injuries, it appeared that the 2015 National League MVP would return to the lineup Monday night as the Nats took on the Phillies in their first game of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park. But Harper was not in the lineup and was also not listed on the active roster when the club posted lineups three hours before the game. Nationals manager Dusty Baker confirmed...

Harper just waiting for green light to return (Nats win 4-3 in 10)

Harper just waiting for green light to return (Nats win 4-3 in 10)
NEW YORK - Bryce Harper has taken batting practice multiple times. He has run the bases. He has shagged fly balls. He has worked on throws from the outfield. He has hit in two simulated games against Nationals minor league pitchers. At this point, there's only one thing left for Harper to do: play in an actual game. And at this point, there's only one thing left for the Nationals to decide: when to let their star slugger do that. That decision hadn't been made as of late this afternoon, or...

Looking at NLDS roster cases for Jackson, Robles, De Aza

Looking at NLDS roster cases for Jackson, Robles, De Aza
NEW YORK - It's no secret the Nationals are using the final two weeks of the regular season to make some final evaluations of players who are in the mix for the handful of postseason roster spots up for grabs. Which makes games like Friday night's at Citi Field - a 7-6 loss to the Mets - meaningful, but in a different way than most have been all season long. "We have the luxury," manager Dusty Baker said. "We don't like to lose, but we have the luxury of trying to find out what they can...

Rookies get chance to play, make NLDS roster case (Nats lose 7-6)

Rookies get chance to play, make NLDS roster case (Nats lose 7-6)
NEW YORK - Dusty Baker had a logical reason for fielding a lineup entirely of backups and rookies tonight against the Mets. Given the fact the Nationals didn't arrive in New York til 3:30 a.m. following their series finale in Atlanta, the veteran manager thought it would be a good time to let his regulars rest. Which isn't to say Baker is sacrificing this game. He made that perfectly clear. "Number one, I'm not putting them in to paint," he said. "I'm putting them in to win." Baker has...

Why Nats' wholesale lineup changes caused mass confusion

Why Nats' wholesale lineup changes caused mass confusion
ATLANTA - Everything was moving along nicely. The Nationals had just scored a run in the top of the eighth, cutting the Braves' lead to 3-2. They weren't necessarily going to complete the comeback and win the game, but neither were they going to incite mass chaos on the field that led to an eight-minute delay ... Er, maybe they were. What transpired between the time R.A. Dickey recorded the final out of the top of the eighth and the time Sammy Solís threw his first pitch of the bottom of...

Nats' sloppy performance results in 3-2 loss (updated)

Nats' sloppy performance results in 3-2 loss (updated)
ATLANTA - Tanner Roark pitched well, but not well enough to overcome some sloppy defense behind him, a lack of offense from his teammates and a bizarre wholesale lineup change by the Nationals in the eighth inning. The end result was a 3-2 loss to the Braves, who thanks to R.A. Dickey's pitching gem won the last of the 19 head-to-head matchups between these division opponents for 2017. (The Nats narrowly won the season series, 10-9.) The Nationals trailed much of the night in this one, unable...

Drew, Goodwin push to return (Nats lose 3-2)

Drew, Goodwin push to return (Nats lose 3-2)
ATLANTA - Stephen Drew knows the odds are stacked against him. He hasn't played in two months, and he still almost certainly needs surgery this winter for a tear in his abdomen. But the veteran infielder has been able to ramp up his workouts over the last week, and today in addition to taking batting practice he also ran extensively at SunTrust Park. All that leaves Drew with one simple goal in mind: Try to make it back to play again for the Nationals before the end of the regular...