Updates on Grace, Solis, Blanton and Mets series

Updates on Grace, Solis, Blanton and Mets series
NEW YORK - Manager Dusty Baker said the main reason the Nationals sent right-hander Trevor Gott back to Triple-A Syracuse today and brought up left-hander Matt Grace was the taxing outings Gott had to endure over the past two games. "The bullpen move was precipitated by the fact (Gott) had gone two innings yesterday and threw 50 and he had thrown the day before, and actually went longer than we wanted him to," Baker said. "But I told you yesterday was about bullpen preservation after about...

Game 66 lineups: Nationals at Mets

Game 66 lineups: Nationals at Mets
NEW YORK - Greetings from the Big Apple! The Nationals arrive in Flushing losers of five of their last seven, while the Mets have won five their last six. The Nats' lead over the Mets stands at 8 1/2 games. Left-hander Gio Gonzalez looks to improve on his outstanding start to the season - he's already 5-1 with a 2.91 ERA. Gonzalez beat the Mets 3-1 here April 22, 3-1. He went 6 1/3 innings, allowing only one run on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts. The Mets counter with...

Blanton goes on DL with shoulder inflammation, Grace recalled

Blanton goes on DL with shoulder inflammation, Grace recalled
PITTSBURGH - The Nationals hope a stint on the disabled list will do for Joe Blanton what pitching in big league games has not. Blanton was placed on the 10-day DL today with right shoulder inflammation, an ailment the veteran reliever mentioned to club officials Tuesday and may have played at least some role in his ragged start to the season. Blanton has a 9.49 ERA in 14 games, having surrendered 20 hits (six of those homers) in only 12 1/3 innings. He last appeared in a game Saturday but...

Game 36 lineups: Phillies at Nats Game 1 (Werth update)

Game 36 lineups: Phillies at Nats Game 1 (Werth update)
Still basking in the glow of another Bryce Harper walk-off gem against Philadelphia, the Nationals and Phillies embark on a day-night doubleheader on Mother's Day in the nation's capital. The two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth Saturday night was Harper's second walk-off this season against the Phillies and fifth of his career. Game 1 features left-hander Gio Gonzalez against right-hander Jeremey Hellickson. Manager Dusty Baker has elected to rest left fielder Jayson Werth, who has dealt...

Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies

Bullpen can't finish off sweep, Nats lose 6-5 to Phillies
PHILADELPHIA - Dusty Baker has been forced to mix and match in his bullpen early this season, especially in the last week as his best relievers have landed on the disabled list and other veterans have lost the faith of their manager. The Nationals were able to get by like this thanks to a lot of offense and some quality relief work from some unexpected sources, but it was probably too much to expect it to continue like this without a blip at some point. That blip came late this afternoon at...

Kelley lands on DL with strained lower back, Grace recalled

Kelley lands on DL with strained lower back, Grace recalled
PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals hoped they'd have Shawn Kelley available out of their bullpen tonight after he missed the last two days with an illness. Turns out they're going to be without him a while longer after they placed him on the 10-day disabled list with a strained lower back. The surprise move came only 15 minutes before first pitch between the Nationals and Phillies, after Kelley's back flared up while trying to determine if he'd be able to appear in the series opener at Citizens...

With Strasburg returning, Baker details plan for Jacob Turner

With Strasburg returning, Baker details plan for Jacob Turner
DENVER - The Nationals reinstated right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg from the paternity list Thursday. Earlier this week, Strasburg and his wife, Rachel, welcomed their second child, a baby girl. The club optioned left-hander Matt Grace to Triple-A Syracuse. Grace got four outs allowing one hit in a scoreless appearance here last night. That means the Nationals have decided to keep right-hander Jacob Turner, who started Monday night's game. Turner pitched a quality start, going six...

Glover lands on DL with hip injury, Matt Grace called up from Syracuse

Glover lands on DL with hip injury, Matt Grace called up from Syracuse
DENVER - The Nationals announced that right-hander Koda Glover has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left hip impingement. The club has called up left-hander Matt Grace from Triple-A Syracuse. "Had a little mishap last night," Glover said. "I think I landed wrong or something. A little pinch in the hip. It's just a precautionary thing. We talked about it. I'm good. I'm staying on top of my therapy. It's just one of those things where it's more important late than it is...

Baker on "electric" Glover, Strasburg's mechanical tweak

Baker on "electric" Glover, Strasburg's mechanical tweak
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Another day, another scoreless inning for Koda Glover. The right-hander has now worked five innings this spring, allowing just one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts. This time, he contributed an important shutdown frame after the Nationals had rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to knot their game with the Tigers at 3-3. That's the way it ended after 10 innings. "Koda was electric," manager Dusty Baker said after watching the hard-throwing righty work...

González pleased he could limit the damage (Nats lose 7-1)

González pleased he could limit the damage (Nats lose 7-1)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Cardinals 7, Nationals 1 Recap: Starter Gio González worked out of trouble during two frames in a three-inning outing, allowing a run on four hits. But relievers Trevor Gott and Matt Grace combined to allow five runs in the fourth. ... Bryce Harper homered again and now has four roundtrippers this spring. ... Koda Glover made quick work of the Cardinals in the ninth, going three up, three down. Need to know: The Nats are still learning about the subtleties of...

Burnett, Latos among September call-ups (den Dekker DFA)

Burnett, Latos among September call-ups (den Dekker DFA)
NEW YORK - The Nationals will have their first set of September reinforcements at their disposal for tonight's series opener against the Mets, including a pair of well-known veterans getting a shot at redemption. The club promoted seven players to the big league roster this afternoon: left-handers Sean Burnett and Matt Grace; right-handers Mat Latos, Trevor Gott and Rafael Martin; catcher Pedro Severino; and outfielder Brian Goodwin. Needing to clear two spots on the 40-man roster so Burnett...

Charlie Fliegel: Nats bullpen is missing effective left-handed specialist

Charlie Fliegel: Nats bullpen is missing effective left-handed specialist
The Nationals bullpen has been overused the last week, thanks to short stints from starting pitchers. However, since the addition of Mark Melancon, most of the title-worthy roles appear to have stabilized in the 'pen. Except one spot seems to be missing, and it's a need they must address. Melancon is, of course, the closer. Shawn Kelley seems to have nabbed the role of setup man. Since the beginning of July, he's only given up four earned runs in 20 appearances, held opponents to a .269...

Ross long tossing, plus updates on Cole and bullpen arms

Ross long tossing, plus updates on Cole and bullpen arms
BALTIMORE - Manager Dusty Baker said the season is winding down so much that a rehab assignment for right-hander Joe Ross may not be able to happen during the minor league season. Ross has been on the shelf with right shoulder inflammation retroactive to July 3. "Man, I feel like I got a M*A*S*H unit going on. Joe said he's feeling good. The longer he's out, the longer it's going to take him to come back to sharpness," Baker said. "One of the things I was talking to Joe about, 'Hey man,...

Solis to have MRI, concern now lefty depth in bullpen

Solis to have MRI, concern now lefty depth in bullpen
DENVER - Manager Dusty Baker announced that the club has placed left-hander Sammy Solis on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation, retroactive to August 16. Solis pitched one inning Monday, picking up the victory in relief, allowing no runs and two hits. But after the game Tuesday, Baker reported that Solis was feeling "soreness" in his left shoulder, and was not available in the rain-delayed marathon where left-handed starter Gio Gonzalez pitched only three innings. And today the...

Difo, Grace, Jordan among Nats' first camp cuts

Difo, Grace, Jordan among Nats' first camp cuts
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals made their first cuts of spring camp, with infielder Wilmer Difo, left-hander Matt Grace and right-hander Taylor Jordan optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Additionally, right-handers Taylor Hill and Paolo Espino and catchers Raudy Read and Brian Jerolomon have been reassigned to minor league camp. "A couple guys were surprised because they were such early cuts, but some of the guys need some work," manager Dusty Baker said. Difo, one of the organization's most...

Matt Grace must be able to get both left- and right-handed hitters out

Matt Grace must be able to get both left- and right-handed hitters out
Left-hander Matt Grace enjoyed a pair of stints with the Nationals in 2015. He was up with the big club and appeared in games first in April and May, then again in September and October. Grace went 2-1 with a 4.24 ERA in 26 appearances. He allowed earned runs in only four of those games. Grace said at Winterfest he understood the reason why he had to be sent down the first time and appreciated the huge opportunity to pitch in the majors, an opportunity not given to every prospect. "As you make...

Bullpen makeover could be long-term project this offseason

Bullpen makeover could be long-term project this offseason
We know the Nationals want to remake their bullpen for 2016, and we also know that that potentially means significant changes over the corps of relievers who ended the 2015 season in Washington. But right now, there are more questions than answers when it comes to general manager Mike Rizzo's plan to reconfigure his relief corps. While the two biggest questions seem to be right-handers Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon, and while at least one of those arms could be gone before or at the Winter...

Rizzo searching for depth in the bullpen

Rizzo searching for depth in the bullpen
Without a doubt, the Nationals bullpen has the most questions on the team's roster this winter. General manager Mike Rizzo's decisions with his core of relievers begins with whether to forge forward or part ways with veteran right-handers Jonathan Papelbon and Drew Storen after stormy conclusions to both of their seasons. Right-hander Casey Janssen had a nightmare of a year and the Nationals declined his 2016 option, making him a free agent. Left-hander Matt Thornton also entered free agency...

Michael A. Taylor scratched tonight, Danny Espinosa now starts in left

Michael A. Taylor scratched tonight, Danny Espinosa now starts in left
ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer returns home to pitch at Busch Stadium for only the second time in his career. The St. Louis native looks to rebound from a brutal August, where the right-hander went 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA in five starts after dominating for most of the season's first four months. Scherzer allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts over seven innings in a 4-1 loss to the Cardinals at Nationals Park on April 23. He is 0-2 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts against St....

Williams on Grace's move to Syracuse and what to do late in games

Williams on Grace's move to Syracuse and what to do late in games
The Nationals recalled left-hander Felipe Rivero on Monday and optioned left-hander Matt Grace to Triple-A Syracuse. Manager Matt Williams said Grace needs to work on keeping the ball down. The Reds scored four runs versus Grace on Sunday in an 8-2 win over the Nationals. "We want him to just be down in the strike zone," Williams said. "He's gotten hurt by that ball being up. That's not his game. His game is to sink the ball down and create grounders. In recent outings, that hasn't...