Nats on kneeling with black ribbon as symbol of unity prior to national anthem

Nats on kneeling with black ribbon as symbol of unity prior to national anthem
Nationals players and coaching staff knelt down prior to the national anthem on opening night alongside the Yankees, holding a black ribbon that extended from the left field foul pole around home plate all the way out to the right field foul pole at Nationals Park. The moment was planned and agreed upon by all involved to be a unifying show of support for Black Lives Matter, and to raise awareness of the issues of police brutality and injustice toward Black people that has been rampant in the...

Robles' all-around game helps lift Nats to first win of season

Robles' all-around game helps lift Nats to first win of season
One of the players many hoped would step up offensively for the Nationals in 2020 did just that in game two of this abbreviated campaign. Victor Robles is one of the Nats many hoped could pick up the offensive slack left when Anthony Rendon signed with the Angels. Saturday night he showed that promise, going 3-for-4 with a double, a two-run homer and four RBIs in the Nats' 9-2 win over the Yankees. It was the defending champions first win of 2020. "Tremendous," said manager Davey Martinez on...

Corbin was on target for first start of 2020

Corbin was on target for first start of 2020
Patrick Corbin did almost everything right in his Sunday start against the Yankees. His slider was working to perfection, his fastball was locating well and his sinker was difficult to touch. Corbin was pitching so well that he did not allow New York a baserunner until the fourth inning. The first batted ball to leave the infield was a Gleyber Torres single with two outs in the fourth. Three innings later, Torres ended Corbin's shutout bid with a solo homer. Corbin was pulled after that home,...

Corbin starts smooth, Turner notches first HR (Nats fall 3-2)

Corbin starts smooth, Turner notches first HR (Nats fall 3-2)
Nationals left-hander Patrick Corbin came out of the blocks mesmerizing with his fastball and patented slider in the final game of the opening series against the Yankees Sunday afternoon at Nats Park. Through the first three innings, Corbin struck out five batters, and the other four hitters all grounded out to third base or shortstop. Yankees bullpen starter Jonathan Loaisiga had also been outstanding, featuring a fastball in the 97-99 mph range and a knee-buckling curveball at 84 mph. That...

Scherzer carves up Yankees, but Nationals fall in 11th (updated)

Scherzer carves up Yankees, but Nationals fall in 11th (updated)
Snarling, grunting Max Scherzer will stomp around the mound like a predator stalking his prey. But his alter ego - masterful, riveted Max Scherzer, who carves up an opposing lineup - can be just as intimidating and effective. The Yankees saw a little of both versions on Saturday in a 4-3 victory over the Nationals, punctuated by a season-high 14 strikeouts by Scherzer plus a couple of notable achievements in the record books by the ace, who was long gone by the time an infield hit scored the...

Soto's return to right field lengthens Nationals lineup

Soto's return to right field lengthens Nationals lineup
Somewhere between Yankee Stadium's unique configuration and Juan Soto's eagerness to return to the outfield, Nationals manager Davey Martinez thinks he's seen enough progress from Soto's strained left shoulder to put the slugger back in right field for today's matinee against the Yankees. Soto, who served as the designated hitter Friday night and contributed a two-run homer in the ninth inning of the Nats' 6-2 victory, passed the final hurdle before Friday's game by showing he could...

Bullpens could decide Yankees-Rays clash in ALDS

Bullpens could decide Yankees-Rays clash in ALDS
The Tampa Bay Rays, who last won the American League East in 2010, beat the New York Yankees in eight of 10 games during the regular season. Can they do it again and get a chance to win their first AL pennant since losing to the Phillies in the 2008 World Series? The best-of-five Yankees-Rays AL Division Series will be played with no days off starting today in San Diego's Petco Park, one of the bubbles established by Major League Baseball for the postseason. The Rays and Yankees have tension,...

MLB faces new coronavirus crisis early on in abbreviated schedule

MLB faces new coronavirus crisis early on in abbreviated schedule
Less than a week into the season, baseball is dealing with a coronavirus outbreak, leaving the most important question unanswered: What is the line of demarcation for calling off the 2020 season? That decision is a subjective one. The agreement between owners and players to start this season amid a pandemic gives that decision to Commissioner Rob Manfred. If at any time he thinks travel is too dangerous and the schedule takes an integrity hit, then Manfred can end the season. And after at least...

Hope and uncertainty color start of 2020 season

Hope and uncertainty color start of 2020 season
The Major League Baseball season starts Thursday night with the first two games in Washington and Los Angeles. By far, the 60-game schedule is not only the shortest in history, it's also the most unusual, framed by a killer pandemic, labor strife, social-justice issues and questions about whether the season would - or should - be launched at all. The season was supposed to start March 26, but spring training camps in Arizona and Florida were shut down March 12 because of a spiking coronavirus...

Powerful Twins, Yankees lineups make ALDS a different kind of battle

Powerful Twins, Yankees lineups make ALDS a different kind of battle
The 2019 season will be remembered as the Year of the Dinger. But will it stretch into the October postseason? We'll find out when the Twins and Yankees - the first two teams in history to each hit at least 300 home runs in a season - open an American League Division Series on Friday night in Yankee Stadium. Major League Baseball set a record with 6,776 home runs this season, beating the old record by 671. Fourteen teams broke franchise records for home runs. There were 24 teams with at least...

Some key points entering regular season's final week of play

Some key points entering regular season's final week of play
Baseball's final week of the regular season has arrived. Here's what we know: The Brewers haven't missed National League MVP candidate Christian Yelich: The Brewers are 10-2 since Yelich was sidelined with a knee injury. They are 17-4 during September, a repeat performance of last season when they won 20 games in the final month to make the postseason. The Brewers, who have the tiebreaker to get home field in case of a wild card tie with Washington, have scored 32 runs in their last four...

Exhibition game lineups: Nats vs. Yankees

Exhibition game lineups: Nats vs. Yankees
The Nationals take on the New York Yankees in their final tune-up exhibition before the season begins Thursday at Nats Park against the New York Mets. Weather permitting, right-hander Aníbal Sánchez (0-1, 4.50 ERA) will start for the Nationals against Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. (0-1, 3.29). It is all regulars in the lineup except for Kurt Suzuki starting instead of Yan Gomes at catcher. Matt Adams will be the designated hitter. Manager Davey Martinez had said during spring...

Red Sox the favorites in the American League East

Red Sox the favorites in the American League East
After going 11-3 in the postseason en route to winning the 2018 World Series, the Red Sox are taking aim at becoming the first repeat World Series winner since the Yankees won their third consecutive in 2000. History says the Red Sox have an uphill climb. Since 2000, only the 2001 Yankees and 2009 Phillies returned to the World Series after winning it the previous season. Nine of the World Series champions didn't make the postseason. The Yankees and Red Sox are the favorites in the American...

Opposite dugout: Yanks look to nail down home field in wild card game

Opposite dugout: Yanks look to nail down home field in wild card game
Manager: Aaron Boone (1st season Record: 93-59 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: DH Giancarlo Stanton (35 HR, 93 RBIs), RF Aaron Judge (.279/.391/.534 with 26 HR), 3B Miguel Andújar (.295/.329/.520 with 84 RBIs), SS Didi Gregorius (84 RBIs, 10 SB), LHP CC Sabathia (3.80 ERA), LHP Aroldis Chapman (31 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 10-6 Pitching probables: Sept. 21: RHP Yefry Ramírez (1-6) vs. LHP CC Sabathia (7-7), 7:05 p.m., MASNSept. 22: RHP David Hess (3-10) vs. TBA, 4:05 p.m.,...

Opposite dugout: Is a division crown out of reach for the Yankees?

Opposite dugout: Is a division crown out of reach for the Yankees?
Manager: Aaron Boone (1st season) Record: 79-47 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: DH Giancarlo Stanton (.286 with 32 HR, 81 RBIs); 3B Miguel Andújar (.295, 130 hits); 2B Gleyber Torres (.264, 18 HR); LF Brett Gardner (104 hits, 13 SB); LHP J.A. Happ (14-6, 3.84 ERA); RHP Luis Severino (16-6, 3.28 ERA); RHP David Robertson (3.11 ERA, 3 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 6-6 Pitching probables: Aug. 24: LHP CC Sabathia (7-4) vs. RHP Alex Cobb (4-15); 7:05 p.m., MASNAug. 25: LHP J.A. Happ (14-6)...

Opposite dugout: Powerful Yankees have struggled against Orioles

Opposite dugout: Powerful Yankees have struggled against Orioles
Manager: Aaron Boone (1st season) Record: 67-37 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: 3B Miguel Andújar (.293 with 12 HR, 43 RBIs), SS Gleyber Torres (.286/.335/.534 with 26 HR, 61 RBIs), DH Giancarlo Stanton (242 HR, 64 RBIs), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (8-2, 4.09 ERA), LHP Aroldis Chapman (1.93 ERA, 28 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 5-5 Pitching probables: July 31: RHP Yefry Ramírez (1-3) vs. RHP Masahiro Tanaka (8-2), 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 1: RHP Alex Cobb (2-14) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (8-7), 1:05...

Opposite dugout: Yankees get four games in three days to press pennant chase

Opposite dugout: Yankees get four games in three days to press pennant chase
Manager: Aaron Boone (1st season) Record: 58-29 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: DH Giancarlo Stanton (21 HR, 51 RBIs), SS Didi Gregorius (10 SB), 3B Miguel Andújar (25 doubles), RF Aaron Judge (.280 with 25 HR, 58 RBIs), RHP Masahiro Tanaka (7-2, 1.087 WHIP), LHP Aroldis Chapman (24 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 3-3 Pitching probables: July 9 (Game 1): RHP Luis Cessa (0-1) vs. RHP Jimmy Yacabonis (0-0), 4:05 p.m., MASNJuly 9 (Game 2): LHP CC Sabathia (6-3) vs. RHP Yefry Ramirez (0-2),...

How Doolittle's routine was altered but still resulted in a save

How Doolittle's routine was altered but still resulted in a save
The pair of rainouts from mid-May against the Yankees set up an unusual day of baseball and challenged normal routines, especially for the Nats' closer, Sean Doolittle. The Nationals won the suspended game, 5-3. The Yankees took the second game of the night, 4-2. In the first game, the Nats and Yankees resumed play in the bottom of the sixth. The Nats benefitted from a two-run shot from rookie Juan Soto to break the 3-3 tie. The home run hit the last row of the second deck in right field, one...

Despite another tough loss to Yankees, Fedde believes he "can grow from it"

Despite another tough loss to Yankees, Fedde believes he "can grow from it"
The Yankees used a two-run shot by Aaron Hicks and a key RBI double from Giancarlo Stanton to down the Nationals 4-2 on Monday night in the makeup of a rained-out game from May 16. The Nats won the suspended game 5-3 on a mammoth two-run shot by Juan Soto that almost went over the upper deck in right field. Right-hander Erick Fedde surrendered three runs over 5 1/3 innings in the loss, walking two and striking out four, dropping to 0-2. Fedde has given up the lead in two matchups against the...

Game 43 lineups: Nats vs. Yankees (suspended game)

Game 43 lineups: Nats vs. Yankees (suspended game)
The Nationals limp home from a 1-5 road trip with questions about their offense and seeking a pair of wins against the Yankees. They lost each game in Toronto, and must get right quickly as they take on the Yankees for the second time in five days. Tonight, the Nats will finish two games with the Yankees postponed from May's rained-out affairs. The first game is a continuation of the suspended game from May 15 with the game tied 3-3 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning. About 30 minutes...