Harper walks off Phillies again, leads Nats to 6-4 victory

Harper walks off Phillies again, leads Nats to 6-4 victory
Bryce Harper walked off the Phillies again. Harper blasted a pitch from Edubray Ramos over the center field wall with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, giving the Nationals a 6-4 victory to complete another impressive comeback. Harper's 11th homer of the season was the fifth walk-off blast of his career, his second this season. Both of those have come against the Phillies, his latest blast bringing the Nats back from an early 4-0 deficit. Tied heading into the bottom of the ninth, the...

Glover and Kelley must monitor health as they get back to work

Glover and Kelley must monitor health as they get back to work
More on the return of Koda Glover and Shawn Kelley from the disabled list. Both relievers were reinstated Friday, with Matt Grace and A.J. Cole sent back to Triple-A Syracuse. The left hip impingement is certainly worrisome for Glover because it was a pre-existing condition that he had to work through at the end of last season. Glover recalls how the injury first popped up last season and how it affected his effectiveness. "It's one of them things where kind of like last year, I was pitching...

Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover reinstated from disabled list

Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover reinstated from disabled list
The Nationals announced that right-handed relievers Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover have been reinstated from the 10-day disabled list. To make room for the two relievers, the club optioned left-hander Matt Grace and right-hander A.J. Cole to Triple-A Syracuse. Kelley was out with lower back strain since May 2. Glover was on the shelf with a left hip impingement since April 26. Kelley was happy to finally be done with the disabled list. "Good, good. It was a long 12 or 13 days, whatever it was...

Kelley and Glover on track to return from DL on Friday

Kelley and Glover on track to return from DL on Friday
They won't, by their mere presence alone, turn the Nationals bullpen from a major problem into a major asset. But the anticipated return this weekend of both Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover from the disabled list certainly won't hurt the Nats' attempt to stabilize the shakiest unit on their roster. The Nationals haven't made final decisions yet, but both Kelley and Glover are on track to be activated off the disabled list Friday and be available to pitch in their series opener against the...

Positive injury updates on Kelley, Glover and Drew

Positive injury updates on Kelley, Glover and Drew
Nationals reliever Shawn Kelley threw a simulated game of around 20-25 pitches prior to Wednesday's game with the Orioles. He threw to Stephen Drew and Trea Turner. Kelley has been on the disabled list since May 2 with a lower back strain. Kelley said the simulated game game went "very good. They asked me and I told them I'm ready. Hopefully, it's Friday." Kelley said this was the best day of his rehab and assured him his back was going to be fine. He said he actually gets more out of...

Updates on Glover, Drew, Kelley and Wieters

Updates on Glover, Drew, Kelley and Wieters
BALTIMORE - Nationals reliever Koda Glover will begin his rehab assignment tomorrow for Double-A Harrisburg. The Senators host Erie tomorrow morning and then go on the road to Trenton. "Yes, he's so happy to go," manager Dusty Baker said. "He said he will see us next week or before that." Glover has been on the disabled list since April 26 with a left hip impingement. On Monday afternoon, he came through the clubhouse screaming in exhilaration after his strength and core workout in the...

Harper returns, Drew getting close, Kelley and Glover throw

Harper returns, Drew getting close, Kelley and Glover throw
BALTIMORE - Slowly but surely, the Nationals are getting closer to getting their injured players back on the field. Bryce Harper returns to the lineup tonight after missing three games with a sore groin. Stephen Drew is hoping to begin a rehab assignment this weekend, putting the shortstop on track to return from his hamstring injury next week. And Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover each threw off the bullpen mound at Camden Yards this afternoon as the relievers get close to a return from the...

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...

Dusty Baker has talk with struggling reliever Joe Blanton

Dusty Baker has talk with struggling reliever Joe Blanton
DENVER - With the news that Koda Glover has a sore hip, the Nationals realize what might have been causing the right-hander's struggles against the Rockies last night. He ended up allowing two runs in the seventh inning. But as for right-hander Joe Blanton, there is no obvious injury that could be pinpointed as the reason for the struggles the veteran has had recently. Blanton had allowed four runs in three appearances two weeks ago against St. Louis and Philadelphia. Then, after six days off,...

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...

Bullpen in better rhythm after sweeps of Braves and Mets

Bullpen in better rhythm after sweeps of Braves and Mets
DENVER - The way Dusty Baker was able to manage his bullpen in the New York series is the ideal pattern he would like to utilize the entire season. The first week he got into a jam because Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover had not pitched yet, because of the way two games went against the Marlins. He talked at the time about how he wanted to get them in a game. Fast forward to the first weekend. The bullpen was taxed as the Phillies rallied from a 7-0 deficit to 7-6. The next night, Jeremy Guthrie...

Bullpen leads the way again as Nationals keep rolling

Bullpen leads the way again as Nationals keep rolling
NEW YORK - When this road trip began at the beginning of the week, the Nationals bullpen looked like an unsightly blackhead on an otherwise clean face. The 10-game trip now halfway complete, the Nationals having won all five games to date, that blackhead has all but disappeared thanks to the application of some Clearasil. Or, more accurately, the redefinition of roles for this relief corps. Today's 3-1 victory over the Mets was the latest, and perhaps best, example of the dramatic turnaround...

Nationals get another gem, beat Mets 3-1 for sixth straight win

Nationals get another gem, beat Mets 3-1 for sixth straight win
NEW YORK - Gio Gonzalez's early season run of dominance continues. So does his longstanding run of dominance at Citi Field. Gonzalez carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and wound up allowing just two hits to the Mets before handing things over to the Nationals' reconfigured bullpen, which pieced together the final eight outs necessary to lock up a 3-1 victory. Matt Wieters, Trea Turner and Ryan Zimmerman all drove in runs off Jacob deGrom to lead the Nationals to their sixth straight...

David Huzzard: A closer look at Nats' closer troubles

David Huzzard: A closer look at Nats' closer troubles
A couple of days ago, the Nationals made a much-needed change by removing Blake Treinen from the closer's role and replacing him with Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover. This is the current best option and the only option the Nationals truly have at this point. After the Nationals got outbid for Mark Melancon and Kenley Jansen, and Arlodis Chapman only wanted to play for the Yankees, the Nationals were no longer going to get a closer during the offseason. Earlier in the offseason the Nationals'...

Treinen out as closer; Nats will "mix and match" Kelley, Glover

Treinen out as closer; Nats will "mix and match" Kelley, Glover
ATLANTA - Blake Treinen is no longer going to pitch the ninth inning for the Nationals, but the club isn't going to designate one replacement closer for now, choosing instead to split those duties between veteran Shawn Kelley and rookie Koda Glover. The decision was made in the wake of Treinen's latest near-meltdown Tuesday night, when the right-hander entered with a 3-0 lead in hand over the Braves and proceeded to give up two singles and issue two walks (one with the bases loaded) while...

Shawn Kelley emerging as vocal leader as bullpen looks to find its way

Shawn Kelley emerging as vocal leader as bullpen looks to find its way
A lot of the concern to begin this season centers around the Nationals bullpen and if it will be able to get on track. Going on the road will be a very good test to see where it is. Sunday's walk-off win courtesy Bryce Harper masked what was a rough last two innings for the bullpen: allowing three runs after the club had a 3-1 lead after seven innings. Shawn Kelley battled out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the ninth that could have blown up. The Phillies had turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3...

Harper's walk-off homer brings Nats back for thrilling 6-4 win

Harper's walk-off homer brings Nats back for thrilling 6-4 win
Their bullpen and their defense had conspired to leave them in position to suffer yet another demoralizing loss late. Then Bryce Harper decided to take matters into his own hands and completely flip the script for the Nationals. Harper's three-run homer on a full count with two outs in the bottom of the ninth brought the Nats back from the dead and gave them a 6-4 victory that already stands as their most inspired of the young season. Trailing by a run when the final frame began, the Nationals...

Offense could help bullpen ease the pain early this season

Offense could help bullpen ease the pain early this season
It wasn't a pretty sight for the bullpen Friday in Philadelphia. The relievers had struggled to close out the Marlins in the rain-delayed Thursday getaway game. Miami scored four runs in the final three innings to win 4-3 in 10-innings. Then in the series opener against the Phillies, the Nationals came oh-so-close to blowing a 7-0 lead and held on for a 7-6 victory. Move ahead to Sunday, when the Nationals fought back late on a Ryan Zimmerman three-run shot in the ninth, but surrendered...

One week in, Nats hope relievers' psyches aren't damaged

One week in, Nats hope relievers' psyches aren't damaged
PHILADELPHIA - Ryan Zimmerman and other veterans on the Nationals roster who have been through the grind before understand the significance of 1-of-26 weeks in a baseball season, especially when it's the first one. "It's one week," Zimmerman said. "So it's hard to take anything away from it." Easy for a veteran to say. For the younger members of the Nationals, especially those who spend the majority of their time in the bullpen, there is more danger of letting one ragged week have...

Hot start: Zimmerman treating April like it's August

Hot start: Zimmerman treating April like it's August
Ryan Zimmerman is doing it again. This time he reached down and drove a ball to the deepest part of the park - vintage of his walk-off home run against the Braves to win the inaugural game at Nats Park. Another line drive laser that went 402 feet, bounced off the grass on the berm in center field and was finally reviewed as a homer. Remember when he hit that home run in Game 2 against the Marlins to right-center? That's an indication he has his swing back to where it was. But this center field...