Can rookie Marlins hurlers tame tough Braves lineup in NLDS?

Can rookie Marlins hurlers tame tough Braves lineup in NLDS?
Baseball teams are measured with an endless numbers, from traditional statistics to a new-age analytics such as Wins Above Replacement. The Miami Marlins have another set of numbers unique to the season of the pandemic: As the season started, they had 18 players test positive for the coronavirus and were quarantined for a week in Philadelphia. They used 61 players for 60 games, including pitchers manager Don Mattingly met for the first time as he brought them into a game. Olympic speed skater...
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The gutsy start that forever changed Strasburg's narrative

The gutsy start that forever changed Strasburg's narrative
The narrative of the Nationals franchise as a whole, and the narrative of many of those who wore the Nats uniform, forever changed last October. What had been regarded by many as a very good organization that consistently underachieved in the postseason is now thought of as a model of perseverance and togetherness. The Nationals finally rose to the occasion in 2019, and high on the list of players who made that possible is Stephen Strasburg, who had a brilliant postseason capped by World Series...
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Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 5

Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 5
As the final countdown to first pitch proceeded Oct. 9, two thoughts came to mind: * This felt awfully familiar for the Nationals, yet another winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Division Series. * This felt strikingly different from those previous Game 5 fiascos, because this time the Nats were on the road and underdogs to their opponents. In the end, of course, the 2019 NLDS was completely different from the other ones because the Nationals actually emerged victorious for the first...
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Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 4

Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 4
The vibe inside Nationals Park early on during Game 4 of last fall's National League Division Series did not suggest the assembled masses were optimistic there would be a Game 5. An odd 6:40 p.m. first pitch on a Monday night with rain in the forecast and the home team facing elimination led to the first non-sellout in the ballpark's postseason history. Game 3 the previous night was witnessed by a crowd of 43,423. Game 4 was played before a gathering of only 36,847, with large swaths of empty...
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Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 3

Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 3
I'll admit I didn't remember much about Game 3 of the National League Division Series. I remembered it was a blowout. I remembered Aníbal Sánchez started and then Patrick Corbin had a disastrous night in relief. I remembered it was the last time the Nationals wore anything other than their navy blue alternate jerseys. (They wore white.) But that's about all I remembered before re-watching the game yesterday. So imagine my surprise when I realized this actually was a compelling...
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Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 2

Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 2
Confession time: My favorite game of the 2019 postseason wasn't the wild card game. It wasn't Game 5 of the National League Division Series. It wasn't the pennant clincher over the Cardinals. And it wasn't Game 6 or 7 of the World Series in Houston. It was Game 2 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium. Seriously. This was an absolutely fantastic ballgame, overstuffed with star power, clutch performances, bold managerial decisions, a surprise relief appearance from a three-time Cy Young Award winner...
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Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 1

Home confinement re-watch: 2019 NLDS Game 1
The Nationals' run last October, when viewed in its entirety, was thrilling. That doesn't mean every single game along the way matched that description. There were a few clunkers mixed into those 17 postseason games. And maybe the biggest clunker of them all came only 48 hours after the euphoric National League wild card win over the Brewers. Flying high from that dramatic victory, the Nats headed west to open their best-of-five NL Division Series with the powerhouse Dodgers. And if you were...
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Reliving the key moments from an instant classic

Reliving the key moments from an instant classic
LOS ANGELES - Sean Doolittle was trying to run through the final moments of an epic baseball game that propelled the Nationals to the National League Championship Series for the first time in club history. There was a strikeout of A.J. Pollock. Then a ground ball by Max Muncy. Then Michael A. Taylor's diving catch of Justin Turner's sinking liner to center, which had to be reviewed before umpires officially declared the game over. And then a mad celebration, with Doolittle right in the middle...
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With trio of late blasts, Nats finally get over the hump (updated)

With trio of late blasts, Nats finally get over the hump (updated)
LOS ANGELES - On a warm morning in West Palm Beach in February 2018, Davey Martinez did something that raised a few eyebrows and made even more eyes roll. He gathered his Nationals team together and then directed everyone to watch as coaches Bobby Henley and Tim Bogar rode in on a pair of camels. The point, Martinez explained, was to offer a simple metaphor. This Nationals franchise he had just taken over as manager had been unable to get past the first round of the postseason, falling four...
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Robles getting better, not ready to start yet (Nats win 7-3 in 10)

Robles getting better, not ready to start yet (Nats win 7-3 in 10)
LOS ANGELES - The fate of the Nationals' season will be determined without Victor Robles patrolling center field. Robles, who suffered what the team called a mild right hamstring strain during Game 2 of the National League Division Series, remains out of the lineup for tonight's do-or-die Game 5 against the Dodgers. The 22-year-old rookie, who rated as one of the best defensive outfielders in the majors this season, worked out Tuesday and showed signs of progress, according to manager Davey...
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NLDS Game 5 lineups: Nats at Dodgers

NLDS Game 5 lineups: Nats at Dodgers
LOS ANGELES - And so it has come to this. Nationals. Dodgers. Game 5 of the National League Division Series. They wouldn't have had it any other way. The winner goes to the NL Championship Series, against either the Braves or Cardinals, whose Game 5 should be wrapping up right around the time this one starts. Reminder: The Nats would not get home field advantage against either opponent, so Games 1-2 would be on the road, with Games 3-5 in D.C., then potential Games 6-7 back on the road. First...
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Why this Game 5 could be different from the other Game 5s

Why this Game 5 could be different from the other Game 5s
LOS ANGELES - That the Nationals find themselves here, in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, is not at all surprising. This is the norm for this franchise, having now been in this exact position four times in the last eight years, three in the last four. And yet this one feels entirely different than those that came before. The end result - a heartbreaking loss, after leading at some point - may wind up feeling familiar. Too familiar. But the circumstances entering this Game 5 do...
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Zimmerman not done delivering big moments for Nats

Zimmerman not done delivering big moments for Nats
Ryan Zimmerman was sitting next to Max Scherzer in the interview room at Nationals Park late Monday night, the pair of 35-year-olds talking about their immense contributions to their team's stave-off-elimination victory in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, when the inevitable question was raised. "Zim, your contract's expiring, and this could be your last game before a home crowd," the out-of-town reporter began. "Did you have any extra oomph at your at-bats, especially with...
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Scherzer empties tank for seven innings in Nats' 6-1 win

Scherzer empties tank for seven innings in Nats' 6-1 win
The Nationals had left-hander Sean Doolittle warming up in the seventh inning. His club was facing elimination but led 6-1 in Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Dodgers at Nationals Park. Max Scherzer had allowed only three hits and one run in six frames against the vaunted Dodgers lineup. He had thrown 82 pitches. But then he fought through the seventh, firing 27 more pitches, and willed his team within six outs of a must-win game The Dodgers' Corey Seager flew out to...
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Dodgers' Buehler ready to face pressure of NLDS elimination Game 5

Dodgers' Buehler ready to face pressure of NLDS elimination Game 5
The Dodgers arrived at Nationals Park on Monday night hoping to punch their ticket to a fourth consecutive National League Championship Series. Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer had other ideas. So did Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon. Scherzer pitched seven innings, Zimmerman launched a home run to center field in a four-run fifth inning and Rendon had three RBIs in the Nationals' 6-1 victory in Game 4 of their best-of-five NLDS. Game 5 is in Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night with Walker...
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Behind biggest stars, Nationals force another Game 5 (updated)

Behind biggest stars, Nationals force another Game 5 (updated)
The Nationals' chances of beating the Dodgers in this National League Division Series have always rested on the shoulders of the very best players on their roster. They don't have the depth to compete with the 106-win champions of the NL West, but they do have the star power at the top of their roster to make them sweat. And so with their season hanging by a thread tonight in Game 4 of the best-of-five series, the Nats turned to the best they had to keep the 2019 campaign alive and well for...
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Robles sits again, Kendrick in lineup again

Robles sits again, Kendrick in lineup again
Victor Robles took a full round of batting practice this afternoon. He was not, however, in the Nationals lineup for Game 4 of the National League Division Series, with club officials not wanting to take any chances he might severely injure his already strained right hamstring. "He's still a little bit sore," manager Davey Martinez said. "He'll be available to pinch-hit, but that's it." Robles, who hurt himself trying to run out a bunt during Game 2 at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, did...
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NLDS Game 4 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers

NLDS Game 4 lineups: Nats vs. Dodgers
This is the fourth time the Nationals have trailed two games to one in a best-of-five series. Twice in the past, they've gone on to win Game 4 (Jayson Werth's walk-off homer in 2012, Stephen Strasburg's dominant start at Wrigley Field in 2017) and force a Game 5. Once they lost and were eliminated (Aaron Barrett and Matt Thornton in San Francisco in 2014). What does tonight hold in store for us? Well, Max Scherzer is on the mound, and if he's in peak form, obviously the Nationals have a...
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Nats need Scherzer, and a whole lot more, to force Game 5

Nats need Scherzer, and a whole lot more, to force Game 5
Imagine you were presented with this scenario on May 24. Or July 24. Or even Sept. 24, for that matter. The Nationals are facing the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, with Max Scherzer on the mound, needing to win to force a Game 5 in which they'd have Stephen Strasburg on the mound. Would you have taken that opportunity? Just know this: The Nationals themselves are happily taking it. "I think we're really comfortable right now, even though our backs are against the...
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Corbin on how Dodgers feasted on his normally elusive slider

Corbin on how Dodgers feasted on his normally elusive slider
With the Nationals clinging to a 2-1 lead after five innings in pivotal Game 3 of the National League Division Series, manager Davey Martinez opted to have left-hander Patrick Corbin relieve starter Aníbal Sánchez. "Aníbal was at 87 pitches. He gave us all he had. We were at a good spot in the lineup where we thought Corbin could get through it," Martinez said. "And his stuff was good, he's throwing 94 (mph), slider was good. I think he left one ball up. But he had every hitter...
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