Steve Mears: Lack of pitching depth has put Nats in a tough spot

Steve Mears: Lack of pitching depth has put Nats in a tough spot
The Nationals' formula to success begins with great starting pitching. "You can never have enough starting pitching," general manager Mike Rizzo said in spring training. The Nationals had signed Bronson Arroyo in the offseason, and it was looking like Arroyo could make the 2016 team, allowing Rizzo to stash Joe Ross in Triple-A. The best-laid plans don't always work out, as Arroyo was injured in spring, and the Nationals' depth looked like a pick 'em from Taylor Jordan, Taylor Hill and...

Baker happy to hear of Arroyo's progress in possible return to majors

Baker happy to hear of Arroyo's progress in possible return to majors
Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo made his second rehab start with the rookie-level Gulf Coast Nationals today and it was a solid improvement over his first game back. Arroyo is rehabbing from inflamed tendons in his right shoulder. The 39-year-old signed with the Nationals as a minor league free agent on January 26. He last pitched in the majors in 2014 with Arizona. Arroyo underwent Tommy John surgery July 15, 2014. On June 26, Arroyo pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits...

Updates on Rendon, Zimmerman, Arroyo and Revere

Updates on Rendon, Zimmerman, Arroyo and Revere
KANSAS CITY - Any discussion of how the Nationals can improve their offensive production almost certainly starts with two struggling lineup members who have track records of success: Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman. The two infielders have lagged behind others through the season's first month, combining for just one home run and nine RBIs (eight of them via Zimmerman). There are signs of encouragement, though. Or, at least, signs of bad luck that may change. Rendon, in particular, has been...

Five reasons to be pessimistic about the 2016 Nationals

Five reasons to be pessimistic about the 2016 Nationals
Yesterday, we offered up five reasons to be optimistic about the 2016 Nationals. Today, we take the devil's advocate approach and offer up five reasons to be pessimistic about this season. Truth be told, it was a lot tougher to come up with five negatives than it was to come up with five positives. That, in itself, should offer up reason for everyone to be optimistic about the Nationals. But this is far from a perfect team, and there are legitimate areas of concern entering the season. Or at...

Dusty Baker on the altered pitching schedule and final decisions

Dusty Baker on the altered pitching schedule and final decisions
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - The Nationals' Grapefruit League finale today got underway on time, with sunshine actually hovering over Tradition Field. This was no mundane fact, considering the weather the Nats have had to deal with over the last week. Four rainouts in 10 games, including back-to-back washouts the last two days, forced Dusty Baker and pitching coach Mike Maddux to alter their plans, multiple times over. To wit: Max Scherzer originally was scheduled to start Tuesday's game against...

Arroyo will attempt to rehab shoulder, return in 4-to-6 weeks

Arroyo will attempt to rehab shoulder, return in 4-to-6 weeks
VIERA, Fla. - Bronson Arroyo thought three days ago his career was over. Now he thinks he may have one last shot to take a big league mound again after being told by Nationals doctors his right shoulder isn't as damaged as initially feared. "It isn't often that you get a really, really bad prognosis," Arroyo said, "and call 30 of your closest friends and tell them: 'Man, I guess I got checkmated today. I'm taking it to the house.' And then a couple days later, they say maybe you've got...

Saturday morning Q&A from Viera

Saturday morning Q&A from Viera
VIERA, Fla. - After a break last week while I was away from Nationals camp, we're back for another Saturday morning Q&A. For those who haven't participated yet, here's how it works: You ask questions in the comments section below, I answer as many as I can over the course of the day. It's just that simple. And there are no shortage of topics to discuss this weekend, from the strange saga of Bronson Arroyo's shoulder to the impressive spring performances of young guys like Lucas Giolito...

Nationals refute latest report about Arroyo's shoulder

Nationals refute latest report about Arroyo's shoulder
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - Though he admitted real concern his career might be over due to a shoulder injury, Bronson Arroyo did cling to a small glimmer of hope Thursday morning, waiting for the Nationals medical staff to review the enhanced MRI taken the previous day by - in Arroyo's words - a "non-baseball person." "That's why we want to take a couple days to really analyze it and make sure there's no way I can bring this thing back from the dead," the 39-year-old right-hander said. By...

Arroyo admits career could be over due to rotator cuff tear

Arroyo admits career could be over due to rotator cuff tear
VIERA, Fla. - Bronson Arroyo says his rotator cuff is "significantly torn" and though he'll wait a few days for doctors to compare the latest MRI of his shoulder with one from 2014, the 39-year-old right-hander admits he may be forced into retirement. "We'll see if it might be something we could calm down and maybe try to rehab, but it's probably going to be a long shot at this point," Arroyo said this afternoon. "We're just going to take a couple days to really look at it, let them...

Arroyo's career could be finished due to reported shoulder tear

Arroyo's career could be finished due to reported shoulder tear
VIERA, Fla. - Bronson Arroyo, one of baseball's most reliable and durable pitchers for more than a decade, may well have seen his career come to an abrupt end due to a shoulder tear suffered during the past week at Nationals camp. Arroyo, who has been attempting a comeback from 2014 elbow ligament replacement surgery, has a torn labrum in his shoulder, according to MLB Network's Peter Gammons. Nationals officials couldn't immediately confirm the report, but the right-hander was due to be...

Treinen impresses in emergency starting role (Nats win 4-2)

Treinen impresses in emergency starting role (Nats win 4-2)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 4, Marlins 2 Recap: With scheduled starter Bronson Arroyo a late scratch due to shoulder soreness, the Nationals had to adjust on the fly this afternoon. Blake Treinen was up to the task, stepping in as emergency starter and cruising through two scoreless innings. Matt Belisle and Felipe Rivero took over from there, combining to retire all nine batters they faced out of the bullpen. The Nationals got a three-run homer from Michael A. Taylor, his second...

Arroyo's status uncertain after sore shoulder sidelines him

Arroyo's status uncertain after sore shoulder sidelines him
JUPITER, Fla. - Bronson Arroyo's attempted comeback from Tommy John surgery hit a snag today when the 39-year-old right-hander was scratched from his scheduled spring training start with shoulder soreness. Arroyo was supposed to pitch four innings against the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium, but Nationals manager Dusty Baker said the veteran hurler reported soreness earlier in the week when he tried to throw in between starts. The club waited a couple of days to see if the soreness dissipated,...

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter (Arroyo scratched from start)

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter (Arroyo scratched from start)
JUPITER, Fla. - Hello from Roger Dean Stadium, where the Nationals seem to play every other day in March. They're back today to face the Marlins, with several regulars having made the drive down from Viera. That includes Ryan Zimmerman, who today makes his spring debut at first base. Zimmerman served as designated hitter twice earlier in the week and showed no ill effects of the plantar fasciitis that plagued him last season, so he's good to play in the field today for the first time. Bronson...

Tanner Roark gets the call against Braves (with lineups)

Tanner Roark gets the call against Braves (with lineups)
VIERA, Fla. - Right-hander Tanner Roark will start this evening against the Braves, and is scheduled to go four innings. If he can hit that benchmark, Roark will be the first Nationals pitcher to do so this spring. In five innings spread across two previous Grapefruit League appearances, including one start, Roark has allowed five hits and no runs with two walks and six strikeouts. He's hopeful of returning to the Nationals rotation after spending last season working out of the bullpen and...

Hearing from Dusty Baker after Nats' 4-3 loss

Hearing from Dusty Baker after Nats' 4-3 loss
VIERA, Fla. - In what turned out to be a 4-3 Nationals loss to the Astros on Thursday night, what looked like a stellar play by promising shortstop prospect Trea Turner loomed large - and for all the wrong reasons. With the Astros up 2-0 on Marwin Gonzalez's two-run homer off Trevor Gott in the fourth, Nolan Fontana led off with an infield single off Aaron Laffey and moved to second on a wild pitch. Jake Marisnick then grounded a ball into the hole at short, where Turner backed a nice backhand...

Bronson Arroyo turns in a strong outing (Nats lose 4-3)

Bronson Arroyo turns in a strong outing (Nats lose 4-3)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Astros 4, Nationals 3 Recap: Bronson Arroyo threw three hitless innings in his first start of the spring, retiring the Astros 1-2-3 in each frame. Trevor Gott relieved him and coughed up Marwin Gonzalez's two-run homer in the fourth. Ben Revere had two more hits, upping his spring average to .583. Sac flies by Matt den Dekker in the sixth and Trea Turner in the seventh, followed by Jhonatan Solano's RBI single, rallied Washington from a 4-0 hole. Need to know: When...

Bronson Arroyo slated to go three innings vs. Astros (with lineup)

Bronson Arroyo slated to go three innings vs. Astros (with lineup)
VIERA, Fla. - Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo, who is trying to force his way into the Nationals rotation as a non-roster invitee to spring training, is scheduled to go three innings in tonight's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. Jonathan Papelbon will work the ninth inning. Manager Dusty Baker is giving his regulars another night of game action for this 5 p.m. contest, which will be available on MASN. Ben Revere shifts to left field, with Michael A. Taylor in center. Jayson Werth...

Gonzalez sharp, Arroyo labors in spring debuts (Marlins walk off Nats)

Gonzalez sharp, Arroyo labors in spring debuts (Marlins walk off Nats)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Marlins 5, Nationals 4 Recap: Gio Gonzalez was effective in his spring debut, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing two singles. Bronson Arroyo, on the other hand, looked quite rusty in his first game appearance since June 2014, after which he needed Tommy John surgery. The 39-year-old right-hander gave up two runs on four hits and two walks during his two innings of relief, with a fastball that registered in the low-to-mid 80s. Contrast that with Lucas...

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter

Starting lineups: Nats vs. Marlins in Jupiter
JUPITER, Fla. - Early spring training games typically are more about pitching than hitting, and that may apply even more this afternoon than usual when the Nationals face the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium. They'll be sending three prominent starting pitchers to the mound in this game, each of them for two innings: Gio Gonzalez, Bronson Arroyo and Lucas Giolito. Gonzalez has nothing really to prove this spring; he simply needs to get himself prepared for the regular season. But this is a very...

Arroyo impresses in first appearance versus hitters since surgery

Arroyo impresses in first appearance versus hitters since surgery
VIERA, Fla - It was one inning of relief, three batters faced, in an intrasquad game played before noon in front of several dozen fans on the final day of February. Not typically the kind of setting evaluators put much stock in when watching ballplayers. For Bronson Arroyo, this did carry significance. He hadn't faced any live hitters in anything resembling an actual baseball game since June 15, 2014, his last appearance in a major league stadium. This was Arroyo's first chance to make a...