Fedde, Rainey placed on COVID-19 IL after positive test (updated)

Fedde, Rainey placed on COVID-19 IL after positive test (updated)
The Nationals had to place pitchers Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey on the COVID-19 injured list before tonight's game in Chicago after one tested positive for the coronavirus and the other was deemed a close contact to that player. The club didn't specify which of the two tested positive, but manager Davey Martinez said that player was vaccinated, is asymptomatic and is feeling fine. The player deemed a close contact, however, is unvaccinated and now is subject to quarantine up to 10...

Notes on Strasburg's bullpen, tonight's game and more

Notes on Strasburg's bullpen, tonight's game and more
If you've been anxiously waiting for news on when Stephen Strasburg will make his next start, you're unfortunately going to have to wait at least another day. Having been peppered with questions about the right-hander's status over the last couple of days, Nationals manager Davey Martinez isn't ready to say whether or not his recovering starter will be ready to be activated and make a start this weekend against the Orioles, even after Strasburg threw an "extended" bullpen session today...

Strasburg joins Nats in Chicago, but no decision yet

Strasburg joins Nats in Chicago, but no decision yet
The Nationals haven't decided yet if Stephen Strasburg will come off the injured list this weekend, but the fact the right-hander has rejoined the club in Chicago offers a hint they're hoping to do just that. Fresh off a 75-pitch rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Rochester in Trenton, N.J., Strasburg flew to Chicago and will be with the Nationals for their four-game series against the Cubs. He'll throw what manager Davey Martinez termed an "extended" bullpen session Tuesday afternoon, and...

Fedde's zeros, Hernandez's late homer lift Nats (updated)

Fedde's zeros, Hernandez's late homer lift Nats (updated)
Davey Martinez had one simple piece of advice this morning for Erick Fedde, who took the mound in Arizona knowing Stephen Strasburg had just made a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester and might be deemed ready to take back his spot in the Nationals rotation. "Make my decision tough," the Nats manager said during his pregame Zoom session with reporters. "That's what I want him to go out there and do." It would be tough for Fedde to have made the decision any tougher on Martinez, general...

After 75-pitch rehab start, Nats face decision on Strasburg

After 75-pitch rehab start, Nats face decision on Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg appears to have done what he needed to do in today's rehab start for Triple-A Rochester. Now, the Nationals have to decide if it's enough to activate the right-hander off the injured list. Strasburg threw 75 pitches over 4 1/3 scoreless innings this afternoon in Trenton, N.J., temporary home of the Buffalo Bisons while their ballpark is being prepped for the Blue Jays. Making his first official minor league rehab start after pitching in two simulated games at Nationals Park...

Game 36 lineups: Nats at D-backs

Game 36 lineups: Nats at D-backs
The Nationals' series finale in Arizona this afternoon is important, because they're trying to win the series and head to Chicago on a positive note. But there's another important event taking place this afternoon, across the country in Trenton, N.J., where Stephen Strasburg is making a rehab start for Triple-A Rochester. It's important, of course, for Strasburg to emerge from his start (planned for five innings and 75-80 innings) healthy, because if that happens, he may be deemed ready to...

Resurgent rotation trying to lead the way again

Resurgent rotation trying to lead the way again
If you're looking for reasons to remain optimistic about the Nationals' chances of climbing out of last place and back into the thick of the National League East race, look no further than the club's longstanding biggest strength: the rotation. Despite some notable April blowups, Nats starters have found their way again and are now leading the way, as they were expected to all along. Overall, the Nationals rotation owns a 4.27 ERA, which ranks only 17th in the majors, and 1.215 WHIP, which...

Nats want one more tune-up for Strasburg before his return

Nats want one more tune-up for Strasburg before his return
Stephen Strasburg is close to rejoining the Nationals rotation, but first the club needs their rehabbing right-hander to build up his innings and pitch count one more time. They just need to figure out where and when that final tune-up will take place. Strasburg, who has already pitched in two simulated games at Nationals Park, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session this morning before the team's series finale against the Phillies. His next turn to start would come Sunday, but it hasn't...

Nats squander chances at plate again, fall to Phillies (updated)

Nats squander chances at plate again, fall to Phillies (updated)
You can point to a number of reasons the Nationals find themselves in the basement of a tight National League East division in mid-May, but inevitably you come back to the same irrefutable conclusion: They just aren't scoring enough runs on a consistent basis to win games. Even when they get a less-than-stellar showing from their starter, or meltdown from their bullpen, the Nats still find themselves facing a key moment late in a game in which one big hit with runners on base could be the...

Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies

Game 31 lineups: Nats vs. Phillies
The Nationals are in the midst of a rough stretch, no doubt about it. They've lost five of their last six and are back in last place in the division. And yet, when you consider they lost three of those games by one run (two via walk-off) and another by two runs, the situation very easily could be reversed. Is that reason for optimism or pessimism? Guess it depends on how you prefer to view life (or, at least, baseball). The next three nights, then, present an opportunity to flip the script and...

Nats can't convert late chances at plate, lose to Braves (updated)

Nats can't convert late chances at plate, lose to Braves (updated)
With a roster that is less than ideally constructed and a matchup against a left-handed starter this evening, Nationals manager Davey Martinez wound up fielding a lineup loaded with right-handed hitters and a bench loaded with big names who he could choose to insert somewhere along the way when the right situation arose. Trouble is, Martinez never got around to using Juan Soto or Josh Bell when either would've had a chance to bat with a chance to make a big difference. Instead, it was Yadiel...

Game 26 lineups: Nats vs. Braves

Game 26 lineups: Nats vs. Braves
The Nationals didn't have an answer for Huascar Ynoa on Tuesday night. They better have one for Max Fried tonight or else they're going to drop their second straight to the Braves. Fried returns to Atlanta's rotation after spending the last three weeks on the injured list with a strained hamstring. The Nats already got to the lefty back in early April, to the tune of five runs and eight hits in two innings. And that was before they had a healthy lineup. Manager Davey Martinez is again...

Should the Nats rotation positives outweigh the negatives?

Should the Nats rotation positives outweigh the negatives?
What are we to make of the Nationals rotation as the season's first month comes to a close? There's ample reason for serious concern, yet there's also not-so-insignificant reason to be encouraged. The bad: Nationals starters currently own a 5.18 ERA, which ranks 28th out of 30 major league clubs. Their 1.323 WHIP is slightly better but still ranks a mere 22nd. Four times this season their starter has been charged with six or more earned runs, tied for the most in the major leagues. The good:...

Nats bounce back with comfortable win over Jays (updated)

Nats bounce back with comfortable win over Jays (updated)
If there has been a consistent theme to a mostly disappointing April for the Nationals, it has been the all-or-nothing nature of most ballgames. There have been very few run-of-the-mill, back-and-forth contests. Most have either been comfortable wins or blowout losses. The lineup either explodes for a big night or is completely shut down. The starting pitcher either looks fantastic or gets blasted. In the long run, that formula isn't going to take the Nats to the place they desire. But in the...

Game 21 lineups: Nats vs. Blue Jays in Dunedin

Game 21 lineups: Nats vs. Blue Jays in Dunedin
The Nationals need to generate offense any way they can right now. How do they do that, given the resources currently available to them? They have to stick with some of their struggling regulars and sprinkle in some backups who create more favorable matchups. Tonight, with left-hander Steven Matz on the mound for the Blue Jays, that means an emphasis on right-handed hitters. Manager Davey Martinez decided the best way to do that was to stack four right-handed bats atop his lineup (Trea Turner,...

Nationals helpless against brilliant deGrom (updated)

Nationals helpless against brilliant deGrom (updated)
The Nationals know a thing or two about brilliant pitching performances. This is the franchise, after all, that has seen Max Scherzer throw two no-hitters and strike out 20 batters in another game, Stephen Strasburg strike out 14 in his major league debut and Jordan Zimmermann hold the Marlins hitless on the final day of the regular season. It takes a lot to impress these guys, and rightfully so. Tonight, though, might have done the trick. The Nats have never been no-hit since arriving in town...

Game 17 lineups: Nats at Mets

Game 17 lineups: Nats at Mets
The 2021 season was supposed to begin with a three-game showdown between the Nationals and Mets, but of course that entire series in D.C. was postponed following the Nats' COVID-19 outbreak. So the first of 19 meetings between the division rivals takes place tonight at Citi Field in the opener of a three-game weekend series. Just as they would've on opening day, the Nationals will have to go up against Jacob deGrom tonight. It's never an easy challenge facing arguably the best pitcher in...

The positives and the negatives after two weeks

The positives and the negatives after two weeks
The Nationals' 2021 season is only two weeks old, but boy does it feel like a lot has happened already or what? It's been an eventful 13 days since they took the field to face the Braves after seeing their first four scheduled games of the year postponed due to their COVID-19 outbreak. Prominent players have gone on the injured list, prominent players have come off it. There have been two walk-off wins and there have been two blowout losses. There have been lights-out pitching performances...

Fedde fans nine over five frames, Nats win second in row (updated)

Fedde fans nine over five frames, Nats win second in row (updated)
Erick Fedde has struggled through outings where he couldn't seem to harness any confidence. He'd get behind hitters, have to throw a hittable fastball and pay the price. But in the early going of Saturday's start against the Diamondbacks, he got the feel for his changeup and used it masterfully. He also mixed his pitches to keep Arizona hitters off-balance and got on a roll. Fedde matched a career high with nine strikeouts in a five-inning stint and the Nationals beat the Diamondbacks 6-2 on...

Game 12 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks

Game 12 lineups: Nats vs. Diamondbacks
Today's matchup pits two pitchers coming off their best performances of the young season, and both Erick Fedde of the Nationals and Luke Weaver of the Diamondbacks will be hoping to continue their success. At stake for the Nationals: A win today will give them consecutive victories for the first time this season. On the heels of another dominant effort by Max Scherzer on Friday night, the Nats need another strong outing by a starting pitcher. Fedde didn't get ouf of the second inning in his...