Washington Nationals

The San Francisco Giants’ slump is largely due to the struggles of their starting pitchers, and Ryan Vogelsong may need to turn things around quickly before he loses his spot in the rotation. View full post on Yahoo! Sports – MLB – Washington Nationals News

The Nationals will determine Bryce Harper’s status for Monday’s series opener in San Francisco tomorrow afternoon, Manager Davey Johnson said. Harper missed the past two games with swelling in his left leg, the most prominent lingering effect from Harper’s collision … Continue reading →

Repeat after me: It's only Spring Training. Oh, wait... Padres 13, Nationals 4: Spring Training called. It wants its March-split-squad lineup back. Bryce Harper's status up in the air for tomorrow. Jayson Werth back by the All Star Break, maybe? Dan Haren (5 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 HR, 1 WP) stunk out the joint; Ryan Mattheus (1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 BB)  turns 7-4 game into a dumpster fire. Much respect to Mattheus for standing up and facing the music after the game (video here, via MASN). Henry Rodriguez pitches for the first time in 8 days, his inning included a SMH-Rod wild pitch, a walk, an error, and three stolen bases. He got out of it without giving up a run!? Silver lining: Danny Espinosa goes 0-4 but only strikes out once. Good thing he's trying to play through that little shoulder thing. Season ending surgery in 5...4...3... Cheer up, Nats fans: Zach Duke starting tomorrow. He'll probably pitch the first no-no in Nats history or something... (Screencap of dejected Ryan Mattheus via MASN/TV) Befriend Nats Enquirer on Facebook. Follow on Twitter. Related articles Ryan Mattheus receives first Nats shaving cream pie of 2013 Video: Jordan Zimmermann avoids Gatorade bath, Julie Alexandria doesn't - again Denard Span untucked Kurt Suzuki's shirt yesterday Nats win, Drew Storen and Ryan Mattheus also untuck their shirts... Bob Carpenter and F.P. Santangelo untuck their shirts for Nats MASN postgame show

Via Fangraphs (click to embiggen) Not building on recent success: Dan Haren (-33.5%) strikes out 5 and walks 2 in 5 IP, but gives up 3 ER in the first, then 4 more in the 5th after the Nats threatened to catch up. Way to put it away! Something good: Ryan Zimmerman (+12.0%) is 2-4 with a two-run bomb to get the Nats within 1 in the 4th (+16.2%). Okay, more good stuff: Adam LaRoche (+0.8%) extends his hit streak with a two-RBI hit to get the Nats within 2 in the 6th (+6.9%), while Steve Lombardozzi (+8.3%) is 3-5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Back to the horrible: Ryan Mattheus (-9.6%) melts down to the tune of 5 ER in the 7th (with no Ks and 2 BBs), putting the game back out of reach. To end on a positive note: Henry Rodriguez (-0.9%) throws a scoreless 6th, working around a walk, an ROE, 3 SB allowed, and a WP! He still gets negative WPA for some reason, perhaps for pure baseball aesthetics. Nope, more bad: Danny Espinosa (-6.1%) and Tyler Moore (-10.1%) go 0-8 with 3 LOB. Drew Storen (-0.0%) gives up an HR and a HBP in his aeyth inning side session.

Sunny San Diego, California's spacious Petco Park was the setting for the series finale between the Padres and visiting Washington Nationals Sunday afternoon. Padres' right-hander Andrew Cashner, acquired from Chicago in the January 2012 trade that sent first baseman Anthony Rizzo to Cubs, was coming off back-to-back seven and a 1/3 inning starts in which he'd surrendered just nine hits and two runs, one earned while holding opposing hitters to a .184/.259/.306 line in wins over the Miami Marlins and Baltimore Orioles. The 26-year-old, '08 1st Round pick needed eight pitches to retire the Nats' batters in order in the top of the first today. Padres' shortstop Everth Cabrera injured himself coming out of the box as he singled to center off Nationals' starter Dan Haren in the home-half of the frame, but he stayed in the game, stole his 16th base of the year and the 21st in 23 attempts against Nats' catcher Kurt Suzuki this season before an out was recorded. Haren got Will Venable swinging for out no.1 of the Padres' first, but a wild pitch to Chase Headley allowed Cabrera to advance to third with one down before Headley walked to set up the double play. Carlos Quentin didn't play into the pitcher's hands, however, doubling to left field instead to drive in the first run of the game. 1-0 Padres. 2-0 on a sac fly to right by Yonder Alonso. A two-out single by third brought Quentin in too to make it 3-0 before Dan Haren escaped the first. 27-pitch frame. Adam LaRoche took a 1-2 fastball for a called strike three in his first AB of the game. Another 1-2 heater outside on the other side of the dish got Tyler Moore looking for out and K no.2 for Cashner and a pop to left by Roger Bernadina ended nine-pitch inning that had the Padres' starter at 17 total after two scoreless vs the Nats. Cashner bunted for a hit with one down in the San Diego second, beating a diving underhand throw by Ryan Zimmerman to first. Haren got fly ball outs from Everth Cabrera and Will Venable for outs two and three to finish a 13-pitch inning at 40 overall after two. Danny Espinosa flew out to left for the first out of the third. Espinosa who started at short today, was 1 for 21 on the current road trip after the out, and he was the seventh-straight National set down by Cashner to start the game. Kurt Suzuki, who broke up Padres' starter Eric Stults' no-hit bid in the sixth Saturday night, got the Nats' first hit today with one down in the top of the third when he got a grounder through short for a one-out single. Dan Haren K'd trying to bunt for out no.2, and Denard Span grounded into a force at second to end the Nationals' third. The 16-pitch inning had Cashner at 33 after three scoreless. Haren started the bottom of the inning at 40 pitches. Chase Headley lined the 43rd pitch to right for a single, then stole second base one out later. [ed. note - "Update: Suzuki 2 caught stealing in 24 attempts."] A Yonder Alonso fly to center allowed Headley to take third, but after a two-out walk to Jedd Gyorko, Kyle Blanks K'd on a check-swing strike three to end the third. 19-pitch inning, 59 overall for Haren after three. Steve Lombardozzi lined a first pitch change back at the mound and off Andrew Cashner's glove, then beat a nice throw by Chase Headley to first for a leadoff single. Ryan Zimmerman got the green light, but fouled a 3-0 pitch from Cashner off before launching the 3-1 offering (another change) to left for a long-gone bomb of a home run that made it a one-run game when it landed in the second deck. 3-2 Padres after Zimmerman's 3rd and his second this series. No doubter. Roger Bernadina walked with two down, taking the first free pass of the day from Cashner, and stole second successfully, but a popout to third by Danny Espinosa ended the Nats' fourth. 1 for 22 on the trip for the struggling Espinosa. Dan Haren's 61st pitch got a pop behind second from San Diego backstop Nick Hundley for the first out of the Padres' fourth. Andrew Casher flew out a

The Nationals entered the season with a clear-cut plan at second base. The position belonged to Danny Espinosa, the homegrown, high-ceiling slugger who had held the spot the previous two years. He had slumped often in 2012, and he was … Continue reading →

The Nationals will try to finish their first week out West with a winning record behind Dan Haren, who was excellent in a loss in Los Angeles. The Braves won yesterday, and so the Nationals enter the afternoon down by … Continue reading →

After an MRI exam of Ross Detwiler’s back yesterday revealed only a slight oblique strain, the Nationals plan to not place him on the disabled list, General Manager Mike Rizzo said. Detwiler will miss his start Monday against the Giants, … Continue reading →

Photo by USA TodayToday the Nationals play the finale of their four-game series against the Padres out at Petco Park with what looks almost like a spring training lineup. Bryce Harper is out again with a sore left knee, there is no Jayson Werth of course, and Ian Desmond is taking a scheduled day off. Danny Espinosa will move over to shortstop with Steve Lombardozzi playing second.Dan Haren (4-4, 4.76) will take the hill vs. San Diego after a string of good outings. He is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in the month of May so far. He has seen a lot of the Padres over the years having formerly been in their division with Arizona. In 14 career starts against the club, Haren has a 3.39 ERA across 95 2/3 innings.Pitching for the Padres is 26-year-old Andrew Cashner (2-2, 2.84) who is off the best start of his young career. He has made five relief appearances against the Nationals over the last four years and has yet to allow a run to the team.Enjoy the game...WASHINGTON NATIONALS at SAN DIEGO PADRESWhere: Petco ParkGametime: 4:10 p.m. EDTTV: MASN2, MLB.tvRadio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 188Weather: Sunny, 69 degreesNATIONALS (23-20)CF Denard Span2B Steve Lombardozzi3B Ryan Zimmerman1B Adam LaRocheRead more »

Talking to MLB Network Radio hosts Jim Bowden and Casey Stern about the Washington Nationals' offseason acquisitions, D.C. GM Mike Rizzo praised the work 32-year-old right-hander Dan Haren has done to improve with each start as a National. "After a couple of poor starts to begin the season," Rizzo said, "his last four of five starts have [gone] extremely well and I think you've seen him getting better and better and better each and every start. I think you take away that one start in Cincinnati where we lost 15-0, I think his numbers are extremely good and [he] really has given us the support at the bottom of the rotation that we expected and we hoped for." With Haren's outing in Great American Ballpark included, which saw him surrender nine hits and six runs, four on home runs (and yes, some just made it out; Great American Smallpark, etc.), the right-hander is (4-4) with a 4.76 ERA, six walks (1.19 BB/9) and eight home runs (1.59 HR/9) allowed in 45.1 IP in which he's struck out 31 (6.15 K/9). Subtract that start and Haren's (4-3) with a 3.92 ERA, six walks (1.31 BB/9), 26 Ks (5.66 K/9) and four home runs (0.87 HR/9) allowed in 41.1 IP. In three starts in May, Haren's down to a 3.00 ERA, 3.65 FIP and a .213/.241/.300 line against after posting a 6.29 ERA and 5.45 FIP and having opposing hitters put up a .349/.395/.589 line against him in his first month+ with the Nationals. Haren takes the mound for the ninth time this season this afternoon in Petco Park where the veteran of 11 MLB seasons is (2-2) with a 3.49 ERA, six home runs (0.95 HR/9), 11 walks (1.75 BB/9) and 53 Ks (8.42 K/9) over nine games, eight starts and 56.2 IP in his career. Here's the lineup that will be supporting Haren against the San Diego Padres: Today's lineup at SDP: Span CF, Lombardozzi 2B, Zimmerman 3B, LaRoche 1B, Moore LF, Bernadina RF, Espinosa SS, Suzuki C, Haren P — Nationals PR (@NationalsPR) May 19, 2013 Ian Desmond's getting what is reportedly a scheduled day off, so Danny Espinosa's in at short. So far on the Nationals' road trip, the Espinosa is 1 for 20 with 11 Ks. As the Nats' GM explained in the MLB Network Radio interview, the team needs to see a more consistent approach from the 26-year-old infielder, "... not only physically, but preparation-wise and the thought process." In measuring his value, however, Rizzo said, you have to consider that he's a, "... guy that's playing second base that's your backup shortstop and you can throw at shortstop and not miss a beat defensively, that's [an] extremely important player to have." Espinosa makes his first start of the year at short this afternoon in the series finale in San Diego. 4:10 pm EST from Petco Park.