De Los Santos to AFL Fall Stars Game; McLouth and Janssen not returning

De Los Santos to AFL Fall Stars Game; McLouth and Janssen not returning
The Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game is Saturday at Salt River Fields and high Single-A Potomac manager Tripp Keister will manage the East Division All-Stars. Keister has guided the Salt River Rafters (10-6) to a first-place showing to begin the fall campaign. He will be joined by right-hander Abel De Los Santos, who will represent the Nationals on the East squad. Anthony Rendon, Brian Goodwin, Bryce Harper, Derek Norris, Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen have represented the Nationals in...

Casey Janssen's rut continues, Yunel Escobar's bat remains hot

Casey Janssen's rut continues, Yunel Escobar's bat remains hot
Aside from the blockbuster signing of former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, infielder Yunel Escobar and right-hander Casey Janssen were the two key pieces Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo added during the offseason. Both factored prominently in another botched play in the seventh inning last night, which enabled the Marlins to score the eventual game-winning run, leading to a 2-1 win over the Nats. Janssen fell behind to J.T. Realmuto to start the frame and then grooved another 89 mph...

Sluggish start to critical road trip for Nats in 2-1 loss

Sluggish start to critical road trip for Nats in 2-1 loss
After suffering a devastating sweep at the hands of the Mets, the Nationals desperately needed a strong start to their six-game road trip. That didn't happen with the offense coming out of the gates sluggish and, once again, the bullpen stumbling late as the Nats lost 2-1. The Mets won their second straight over the Braves, so the Nationals fall 8 1/2 games back in the National League with their fourth straight defeat. A one-out walk to Martin Prado led to the only run against Nationals...

No relief in sight for Nats bullpen

No relief in sight for Nats bullpen
After a day off in Miami to regroup, the Nationals prepare to take on the Marlins with just 23 games remaining in the season. While the Nats were resting, the Mets were extending their commanding lead in the National League East to 7 1/2 games after beating the Braves 7-2. What has made these last five losses - two to the Cardinals, three to the Mets - tough to swallow is that the Nationals held the lead heading into the seventh in four of the five games and were tied in the other. However,...

Max Scherzer can't hold lead as Nats fall five games back

Max Scherzer can't hold lead as Nats fall five games back
The Nationals couldn't hold a two-run lead, wasting an opportunity as they fell back to five games behind the Mets with an 8-5 loss. Max Scherzer gave up solo homers to Michael Conforto and Kelly Johnson in the second and another to Yoenis Cespedes in the fourth. It was the third time in his last eight starts that Scherzer has surrendered three longballs in a game. "I just gotta execute better," Scherzer said. "I gotta find a way to execute pitches keep the ball out of the middle of the...

Joe Ross suffers shortest outing of his career in 8-5 loss

Joe Ross suffers shortest outing of his career in 8-5 loss
ST. LOUIS - For the past few weeks, the question has lingered of how many innings rookie Joe Ross has left this season. On Tuesday night, that issue didn't even get pressed as Ross departed after 2 2/3 innings, battling major command concerns. "He had problems holding it and feeling it and throwing it over the plate," manager Matt Williams said. "No issues physically. Just couldn't command it." The game time temperature was 89 degrees at a humid Busch Stadium as Ross retired the side in...

Nationals dealt devastating blow in walk-off loss

Nationals dealt devastating blow in walk-off loss
ST. LOUIS - The replay of the walk-off homer he surrendered had stopped playing several minutes before, but Casey Janssen still sat staring blankly at the monitor screen. When the veteran reliever finally made his way to his locker, he stood for the second consecutive night trying to explain how the Nationals let another late lead slip away. "These are two big losses and I had my hand in both of them," Janssen said. Janssen took over the in the ninth with the scored tied 5-5 and promptly...

Bullpen inconsistency, rough August some of the reasons for Nationals' predicament

Bullpen inconsistency, rough August some of the reasons for Nationals' predicament
The bullpen has never really been able to get in a rhythm this season. It is one of the reasons the Nationals stumble into September after losing 17 of 29 games in August. Similar to the offense and injuries plaguing consistency, the bullpen lost right-hander Craig Stammen to a torn flexor tendon in early April just as the season was beginning. Stammen has the unique ability to be a specialist, a long reliever, a fire extinguisher and even began is career as a starter. He could pretty much do...

Bullpen woes lead to crushing 8-5 loss to Cardinals

Bullpen woes lead to crushing 8-5 loss to Cardinals
ST. LOUIS - The road to the playoffs took a gloomy turn for the Nationals in the seventh inning of Monday's 8-5 loss to the Cardinals. "It's a tough one," Nationals manager Matt Williams said three different times after the game. The Nationals entered the frame trailing by a run and knowing they needed to pull off a win to not lose ground to the first-place Mets, who had already finished off the Phillies earlier in the night. With the Nats down to their final seven outs, Ryan Zimmerman...

Drew Storen reacts after losing closer role to Jonathan Papelbon

Drew Storen reacts after losing closer role to Jonathan Papelbon
MIAMI - Following tonight's 4-1 loss to the Marlins, Drew Storen reacted for the first time to the news that he lost his closer role when the Nationals acquired veteran right-hander Jonathan Papelbon from the Phillies earlier in the day. "Really, all I'm gonna say is that obviously I'm aware of the move," Storen said. "I've talked to (Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo) about it. I've talked to my agent. We've had some ongoing discussions. Until those have progressed, I'm just gonna...

Mets bolster bullpen by adding Tyler Clippard

Mets bolster bullpen by adding Tyler Clippard
Former Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard will not be coming back to D.C. for a run to the playoffs. Making matters worse, Clippard will join the Mets, who are chasing the Nats in the National League East. Oakland traded Clippard earlier this evening to New York along with cash considerations for minor league right-hander Casey Meisner. Clippard was the A's closer this season, saving 17 of 21 chances with a 2.79 ERA. The Mets will most likely use Clippard in an eighth-inning setup role to get...

Casey Janssen: "I gotta build the trust of my teammates, the staff, everybody"

Casey Janssen: "I gotta build the trust of my teammates, the staff, everybody"
Right-hander Casey Janssen sat on the couch in the Nationals clubhouse for several minutes late last Friday night with an untouched plate of food in front of him and a blank stare on his face. Fairly or unfairly, Janssen had been charged with the game-tying run as the Nationals blew a late-inning lead with just six outs remaining. Janssen had only faced two batters in his abbreviated outing. Orioles pinch-hitter Chris Parmelee nicked a 2-2 cutter to lead off the eighth, and the dribbler to...

Nationals' bullpen falters late in 3-2 walk-off loss

Nationals' bullpen falters late in 3-2 walk-off loss
BALTIMORE - The Nationals' bullpen couldn't protect a one-run lead as Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop launched a walk-off homer off Tanner Roark in the bottom of the ninth for a 3-2 win. The only run Gio Gonzalez allowed came on a solo blast from Adam Jones in the fourth. Otherwise, the left-hander pitched brilliantly for the third consecutive start, exiting after walking Jimmy Paredes to begin the seventh as the Nationals held a 2-1 advantage. Aaron Barrett followed Gonzalez to the...

Janssen still confident in curveball despite loss to Reds

Janssen still confident in curveball despite loss to Reds
Reliever Casey Janssen thrives on those late-inning calls. He got one Monday night against the Reds in a tie ballgame. But for the first time in his career, Janssen allowed a home run on a 0-2 count. Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez drove the offering deep down the left field line for the solo shot just inside the foul pole that lifted the Reds to a 3-2 win over the Nationals. It was his third homer of the season. The Reds went on to win the game by not allowing a hit over the final three...

Williams on cleanup spot, bench, Espinosa, Barrett, Ramos, Janssen and more

Williams on cleanup spot, bench, Espinosa, Barrett, Ramos, Janssen and more
On Sunday night, Nationals manager Matt Williams placed first baseman Clint Robinson in the cleanup spot behind right fielder Bryce Harper. In Monday's opener against the Reds, Williams placed catcher Wilson Ramos in the cleanup role. It didn't hurt that Ramos was coming off a game in which he went 2-for-3 with a single, a home run and a walk, plus two RBIs. But Williams said during his pregame meeting with the media there are a few different strategic reasons why they adjust the cleanup...

Marty Niland: Old-school approach could have served Nats well

Marty Niland: Old-school approach could have served Nats well
With two outs and a man on first in the bottom of the seventh inning on Friday came the pitch felt round the Natosphere. Reds reliever Tony Cingrani drilled Nationals slugger Bryce Harper in the back - right between the numbers - with a 94 mph fastball. No matter whether it was intentional, Harper was not happy, and neither were fans posting on Nats message boards. They demanded payback. The most obvious target was Reds first baseman Joey Votto, who exchanged words with the bruised Harper after...

Janssen, Nats can't hold on as series winning streak ends in 8-5 loss

Janssen, Nats can't hold on as series winning streak ends in 8-5 loss
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo signed right-hander Casey Janssen shortly after trading away reliable reliever Tyler Clippard this offseason. The idea was for Janssen to take over Clippard's high-pressure eighth-inning role. At least today, the experiment didn't work, as Janssen blew the Nats' lead and was thumped for four runs in an 8-5 loss. "The fact of the matter is we've got our eighth-inning guy in there with a one-run lead," Nationals manager Matt Williams told reporters after...

Scherzer and Janssen use similar styles to close down series in Chicago

Scherzer and Janssen use similar styles to close down series in Chicago
The two biggest offseason pitching acquisitions came through huge for the Nationals in the same game Wednesday night in Chicago. Starter Max Scherzer and reliever Casey Janssen, alongside Matt Grace and Drew Storen, held the Cubs without a run in a series-clinching 3-0 victory at historic Wrigley Field. Scherzer struck out a season-high 13 batters over seven innings, allowing only five hits. He walked only one in twirling 108 pitches, 72 for strikes. Then, with two men on and no outs in the...

Nationals ride Scherzer and Harper to ninth straight series win

Nationals ride Scherzer and Harper to ninth straight series win
Max Scherzer locked up the Cubs through seven innings and Bryce Harper added another homer as the Nationals beat the Cubs 3-0 to claim their ninth consecutive series win. Scherzer was rarely challenged on a night where he fanned a season-high 13 while only yielding five hits and one walk. In fact, Scherzer struck out all but one member of the Cubs' starting nine. "He's awesome out there," Ian Desmond on "Nats Xtra" after the game. "He flips a switch and doesn't really turn it off until...

Williams on defense, Cole and Janssen; players react to 8-1 "clunker"

Williams on defense, Cole and Janssen; players react to 8-1 "clunker"
Saturday's 8-1 loss to the Phillies was a tough one for the Nationals with Stephen Strasburg allowing six runs, five earned over just 3 2/3 innings. It's the third start in the past four where he did not complete four frames. But, the defense was not stellar either. The sloppy fielding netted four errors, tying a season-high from the April 27 8-4 loss at Atlanta. Nationals manager Matt Williams said they didn't take any solace from the loss just because they have played better defense during...