Bullpen running on fumes, with no break in sight

Bullpen running on fumes, with no break in sight
ATLANTA - Stretches of 20 consecutive games, particularly at this juncture of the season, are taxing on everybody on a ballclub, but the effect probably is most noticeable on a bullpen. And it's quite noticeable on the Nationals' bullpen right now. Nine days into their 20-days-without-a-break stretch, Nats relievers look, at times, like they're just trying to hang on and survive. They have pitched a combined 31 1/3 innings (an average of 3.48 per game) and have allowed 22 runs (18 earned) on...

On Werth's streak, Revere's catch and Glover's odd win

On Werth's streak, Revere's catch and Glover's odd win
ATLANTA - Some more thoughts and reactions from Friday night's wild 7-6 Nationals win at Turner Field ... * It was never going to be the kind of streak that drew national headlines or would be recalled by people at the drop of the hat years from now, so Jayson Werth didn't put more stock in it than it deserved. Still, the end of the veteran's streak of consecutive games reaching base had a slight bittersweet tinge to it. Werth went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, bringing the streak to a halt...

Nats blow late lead, but Robinson delivers hit to secure 7-6 win

Nats blow late lead, but Robinson delivers hit to secure 7-6 win
ATLANTA - They made it much more complicated than it needed to be, blowing a five-run lead with poor relief pitching and poor defense, but the Nationals managed to overcome their gaffes and still squeak out a 7-6 victory over the Braves tonight at Turner Field. Clint Robinson delivered a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield in the top of the ninth, giving the Nationals the lead for good after they had blown it over the previous three innings. The lefty slugger, who likely is...

Nats head to Atlanta with concerns for Strasburg, taxed bullpen

Nats head to Atlanta with concerns for Strasburg, taxed bullpen
DENVER - The bullpen was overused in the Rockies series, a problem Nationals manager Dusty Baker was hoping to avoid. But the relievers pitched starter innings. Max Scherzer lasted four innings in Game One. Gio Gonzalez three innings on Tuesday and Stephen Strasburg lasted a stunning 1 2/3 innings in the finale. The 16 1/3 innings in three games for the bullpen is too much, especially when coming in you would hope that number would be around six or seven frames for the three-game set. Baker...

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...

Glover "thrilled" to be back, has refined his breaking pitches

Glover "thrilled" to be back, has refined his breaking pitches
DENVER - The first time right-hander Koda Glover was up with the Nationals, he made a pair of appearances July 20-21 against the Dodgers. In two innings in those two games he allowed no runs on one hit with no walks and one strikeout. It was a good debut for the 23-year-old from Monroe, Okla., but this time around manager Dusty Baker expects the responsibility to be much more intense. Glover was called up after the Nationals placed left-hander Sammy Solis on the disabled list with left shoulder...

Nationals call up reliever Glover, place Solis on DL

Nationals call up reliever Glover, place Solis on DL
DENVER - To help a bullpen unit that has been taxed in the first two games of the series against the Rockies, the Nationals made two moves prior to Wednesday's series finale. Right-hander Koda Glover has been called up and will join the team. The Nationals confirmed the move late this morning. Glover has been outstanding in the minors, especially recently. In the last 6 1/3 innings, the 23-year-old Glover has allowed no runs on no hits with 12 strikeouts over four outings. Meanwhile, Sammy...

Patrick Reddington: Exploring Nats' in-house bullpen options

Patrick Reddington: Exploring Nats' in-house bullpen options
When the Nationals missed out on Aroldis Chapman this week, manager Dusty Baker told reporters that he was disappointed that he wouldn't be reunited with the hard-throwing lefty who debuted in the majors with the Reds while Baker was their manager. "Disappointing," Baker said. "Would've liked to have him." While Baker was interested in a reunion with Chapman, he said last week that generally speaking, he doesn't pay too much attention to the chatter that precedes the non-waiver trade...

Ryan Zimmerman ready to return from DL (Nats lose 10-6)

Ryan Zimmerman ready to return from DL (Nats lose 10-6)
Ryan Zimmerman was back in the Nationals clubhouse this morning. And barring some surprise development, he'll be back in the Nationals lineup Tuesday night in Cleveland. Zimmerman completed a three-day rehab assignment with Single-A Potomac on Saturday and emerged reporting no issues with the strained left ribcage muscle that landed him on the disabled list earlier this month. He's scheduled to join his teammates on tonight's charter flight and be activated off the DL in time for the opener...

Giolito will return to big leagues, start Sunday vs. Padres

Giolito will return to big leagues, start Sunday vs. Padres
Lucas Giolito will return to the big leagues and start Sunday's series finale against the Padres, manager Dusty Baker announced, though the length of his second stint with the Nationals (as was the case for his first stint) may not be long. Giolito will be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse only two weeks after he was demoted following the first two major league starts of his career. The 22-year-old right-hander made two starts in the minors in the interim - he gave up four runs in seven innings...

Glover needs only four pitches to finish Dodgers in big league debut

Glover needs only four pitches to finish Dodgers in big league debut
With the Nationals leading 8-1 heading to the ninth, right-hander Koda Glover was given the perfect opportunity to shine in his major league debut. It took him all of four pitches to finish off the game. The Dodgers managed two flyouts wrapped around a comebacker to Glover. He stabbed the hot shot off pinch-hitter Andrew Toles' bat and calmly threw to first base for the second out. For the second time in as many nights, manager Dusty Baker was impressed with the performance of a player called...

Lopez demoted after debut, Glover gets surprise promotion

Lopez demoted after debut, Glover gets surprise promotion
Reynaldo Lopez's first stint in the big leagues was a brief one. The Nationals optioned the right-hander back to Triple-A Syracuse one day after the 22-year-old was roughed up in his major league debut. The pitcher the club promoted to take Lopez's spot, though, is even less experienced than the one he will replace: Koda Glover, who had his contract purchased from Syracuse to complete the 2015 draft pick's meteoric rise through the organization's farm system. Glover, also 22, was an...

Quick rise continues for reliever Koda Glover, who jumps to Triple-A Syracuse

Quick rise continues for reliever Koda Glover, who jumps to Triple-A Syracuse
Right-hander Koda Glover made his second jump of the season today when the Nationals announced his promotion from Double-A Harrisburg to Triple-A Syracuse. How quickly has he moved up? Consider Glover was selected by the Nationals in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. He was picked in the eighth round out of Oklahoma State. The Nationals signed Glover on June 15, 2015 and he was assigned to short-season Single-A Auburn. Last July 8, he moved to low Single-A Hagerstown. Glover began this season...

Glover off to quick start in promotion to Double-A

Glover off to quick start in promotion to Double-A
Reliever Koda Glover, an eighth-round selection out of Oklahoma State in 2015, has not allowed a run in his first nine games. After stonewalling the Carolina League for seven games, Glover was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg on April 29. In his two games for Harrisburg, Glover has fired three innings without allowing a run. He has struck out five and walked none on just two hits. He pitched in the seventh inning in his first Double-A appearance, then the seventh and eighth innings on May 2...

Third baseman Drew Ward hitting ground running to start second year with P-Nats

Third baseman Drew Ward hitting ground running to start second year with P-Nats
Third baseman Drew Ward gained valuable experience by playing in the Arizona Fall League at the end of last season. This experience has helped propel him to a strong start for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals. "It was a great experience," said Ward. "I was on the taxi guy, so I played once or twice a week, but I learned so much just getting around older guys and trying to learn how to become a professional baseball player." Ward, 21, said working with other teams was helpful, but it also...

Glover's curveball adds to already lethal repertoire

Glover's curveball adds to already lethal repertoire
Early camp continues with the Nationals' first games coming up March 14 and 15. Right-hander Koda Glover is picking up where he left off from last season. The 22-year-old is 6-foot-5, 195 lbs., out of Monroe, Okla., and pitched last season at short-season Single-A Auburn and low Single-A Hagerstown. Hagerstown manager Patrick Anderson has seen him during the season, at instructional league and now in early camp. "He had Tommy John a few years ago," Anderson said. "He didn't pitch a lot the...

Nationals have pitchers that could move quickly in 2016

Nationals have pitchers that could move quickly in 2016
The entire roster of pitchers invited to instructional league are the top prospects in the Nationals organization. The list includes the big names fans are accustomed to: Lucas Giolito, Erick Fedde, Reynaldo Lopez and others. But if we dig a little deeper and go to the Nationals to ask them who are the possible quick movers, guys that raised eyebrows during the season and the work they did in instructs, the list contains names that many fans may not be as familiar with. This list of prospects...

Taylor Hearn and Koda Glover highlight strong pitching field in Florida

Taylor Hearn and Koda Glover highlight strong pitching field in Florida
Instructional league has completed in Florida at the Nationals facility. The players now move on to offseason workouts and winter league competition. Focusing on the pitchers at instructional league, the group included the likes of Lucas Giolito, Erick Fedde and Reynaldo Lopez, plus many other of the top prospects in the Nationals system. A couple pitchers that did well during instructs were Taylor Hearn and Koda Glover. The 21-year-old Hearn is a left-hander who pitched at Oklahoma Baptist. He...