State of the Nats - 8/26

Photo by USA Today

Team Record: 65-65 (24-26)

N.L. East Standings

Wild Card Standings

Offensive Game of the Week: Jayson Werth 8/21 vs. Cubs - 1 for 3, HR (18), 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB  

Pitching Line of the Week: Jordan Zimmermann 8/24 vs. Royals - 7.2 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, BB, 7 SO, 114 pitches, 78 strikeouts

Top Storylines

Can they keep it up? - Winners of 11 of their last 16 games, the Nats enter Monday coming off their best stretch of the 2013 season. They haven't gained much ground on the Reds who hold the final NL Wild Card spot, but they are close to overtaking the Diamondbacks to be the first team out. As Mark explained this morning, it is still very unlikely they can make up enough ground to qualify for the playoffs. It makes you wonder where this type of run was a month ago, or even earlier. But regardless of whether it's enough to put them into the postseason, it's encouraging to see the Nats haven't packed it in and given up on this year.

Dog days of the NL East - The Nationals play their next 26 games against division rivals, a stretch that will take them all the way until their final two series of the season. Over the next month they'll play the Marlins three times, the Mets and Phillies each twice, and the Braves for one final matchup of the 2013 season. Most of those teams, of course, are behind the Nats in the standings and it should present an opportunity for Washington to continue their recent surge. It may not be enough to make the playoffs, but a winning season, or perhaps as many as 85 wins by the end of the year, aren't out of the question.

Much better, but still not enough

Associated Press

The good news for the Nationals on this late-August Monday morning: They're playing unquestionably their best baseball of the season right now.

The bad news for the Nationals (and their fans): It's still not going to be enough to make up for the first four-plus months of this underachieving season.

They simply dug themselves too big a hole. Plus, the five NL clubs who have been in position to make the postseason for quite some time now have shown no signs of collapse, the other requirement for a last-ditch pennant race in D.C.

So it's not entirely the Nationals' fault. Even with yesterday's frustrating 6-4 loss in Kansas City, they've gone 11-5 since that embarrassing home sweep at the hands of the Braves earlier this

Game 130: Nats at Royals

Photo by USA Today

After a 7-2 victory over the Royals last night, the Nationals have now won five straight games, all on the road, and 11 of their last 15 overall. They stand above .500 for the first time since July 14 and are 12 games back in the division after the Braves' third straight loss on Saturday. That's the closest they've been in three weeks. Just when they were written off, Washington has pulled off its best stretch of the 2013 season.

Even if the Nats keep it up the division is still a major longshot, but fortunately for them, the Reds haven't been playing their best baseball either. The Nats now sit 8.5 games back from the Reds for the final NL Wild Card spot, and Washington has the advantage with their schedule. After they play the Royals today, the Nats face teams with losing records in each of their next 19 games. Conversely, the Reds play expected playoff teams in ten of their next 13, including seven games against the Cardinals.

Today the Nats look for their sixth consecutive win which would be their longest winning streak of the season. Dan Haren (8-11, 4.64) takes the mound against a club he's been very successful against in the past. Through ten career starts vs. the Royals he is 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA.

Pitching for Kansas City will be right-hander Ervin Santana who has been one of their more reliable starters this year. He holds a 3.13 ERA through 167 innings in what has been the best season of his nine-year MLB career.

Enjoy the game...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Where: Kauffman Stadium
Gametime: 2:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN 2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 869
Weather: Mostly sunny, 92 degrees, Wind 10 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (65-64)
CF Denard Span
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Bryce Harper
DH Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
1B Adam LaRoche
C Wilson Ramos
LF Tyler Moore
2B Anthony Rendon
RHP Dan Haren

Who will get the call in September?

Photo by USA Today

The Nationals are about to enter September under much different circumstances than they did last season, with different priorities as they get set to expand their roster. Instead of looking for specialists to use sparingly during a pennant race, the Nats can see what a few players have at the big league level and maybe even showcase guys for future trades.

In 2011 when the Nats were also around the .500 mark, they brought up six players, including Steve Lombardozzi, who became a key bench player on the NL East-winning 2012 club, and Brad Peacock, who helped them land Gio Gonzalez the following winter.

Who will get a look this season? Here are a few names to watch as the Nats get ready to expand their roster:

Good bets

LHP Ian Krol – This one’s easy. Davey Johnson already said the Nats plan to call Krol back up in September, after the lefty was optioned to Syracuse on Aug. 21 to make room for Ross Ohlendorf. Krol gave up five earned runs in his last seven innings before being sent down and will look to find the success he had when he was first called up in early June. He should see as much game action as any of the call-ups and could lock up a bullpen role for next season.

RHP Ryan Mattheus – Mattheus was also sent down recently, on Aug. 15, and the roster expansion should help him return to Washington. Mattheus struggled after coming back from the DL on July 26, leaving for Syracuse with a 6.26 ERA through 23 innings this season with the Nats. He’s been okay in three outings in Triple-A since the demotion (1 ER in 3 IP) so we’ll see if he can finish the season strong. 

Game 129: Nats at Royals

Photo by USA Today

The Nats won their fourth straight game last night despite another near-collapse by their bullpen, as we once again saw Drew Storen and Rafael Soriano make matters way more interesting than they needed to be. They are now back at the .500 mark with a chance to win their fifth consecutive game for the second time this month and the third time this season.

Washington has actually won ten of their last 14 games, which is a nice little stretch as they move towards the end of August. The Braves have also started to slip, albeit barely, with two straight losses since losing Jason Heyward to a broken jaw. Atlanta remains 13 games up in the division, but as long as the Nats keep winning they will help their cause.

Today they have Jordan Zimmermann (14-7, 3.37) on the mound against the Royals, looking to tie Adam Wainwright for the National League lead in wins. Zimmermann has had a rough second half of the season with 23 earned runs allowed in 30 2/3 innings, compiling a 6.75 ERA. He hopes to get back on track as he faces Kansas City for the first time in his career.

Pitching for Kansas City is right-hander Wade Davis (6-9, 5.43) who has been the less successful part of their offseason trade with Tampa. Davis has been consistently bad for the Royals all season, and was pulled after just 3 2/3 innings his last time out in Detroit. He has been noticeably better this year at home, with a 3.62 ERA at Kauffman Stadium offsetting his 5.02 mark on the road, but the Nats should still have a good chance for some offense tonight.

Enjoy the game...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Where: Kauffman Stadium
Gametime: 7:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 185
Weather: Mostly sunny, 88 degrees, Wind 12 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (64-64)
CF Denard Span
DH Ryan Zimmerman
RF Bryce Harper
C Wilson Ramos
SS Ian Desmond
1B Adam LaRoche
LF Tyler Moore
3B Chad Tracy
2B Steve Lombardozzi
RHP Jordan Zimmermann

Harper deals with losing: 'I've never lost'

Photo by USA Today

At 64-64 through 128 games, and with over a month left in the season, the Nationals have plenty of time to make a run and finish with a winning record. But just topping the .500 mark isn't enough to call this year a success, especially given preseason expectations to win a World Series.

As a result, Bryce Harper is dealing with life on a struggling team, really for the first time ever. His junior travel team won two national titles, his high school team dominated and his college team went 52-16 the only year he played.

Harper admits it is a bit different going to the ballpark every day when you're not in the thick of a division race.

"Mentally it's grinding because we're not winning right now," Harper told Mark Zuckerman in their weekly sit-down on Wednesday. 

"It's kind of tough. But you just gotta go in every single night and try to play hard. Try to win ballgames. Especially late because we want to try and have the best last month."

Being on the .500 Nationals is as close as Harper's been to playing on a losing team. He is so used to winning, he can't even remember being on a team that wasn't good.

Game 128: Nats at Royals

Photo by USA Today

The Nationals continue their road trip this weekend with a three game series at the Kansas City Royals, beginning tonight with a 8:10 first pitch. This is the first time the Nats have traveled to Kansas City in their nine years of existence. The two clubs have played just once, in a three game series at Nats Park in 2010.

The Royals have lost five straight games heading into the series, but remain seven games out of the AL Wild Card. This series could, in fact, be the last between the Nats and a team with something to fight for until the second half of September. At 64-62, Kansas City is the only team currently with a winning record the Nats play until they host Atlanta beginning Sept. 16.

Gio Gonzalez (7-6. 3.38) takes the mound for Washington with seven starts against the Royals under his belt. He used to battle them as an American League pitcher and hasn't had a great history. Through 36 1/3 total innings vs. the Royals he holds a 6.44 ERA, 20 walks and seven homers allowed.

Fellow lefty Bruce Chen (5-1, 2.20) will pitch for Kansas City and make his 13th start against the Nationals. Through 12 outings he is 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA with eight home runs given up in 38 1/3 innings. Chen last faced Washington on June 21 in 2010 and went six innings with two runs surrendered.

Denard Span, in particular, has had great success off Chen in his career. Through 21 plate appearances, Span is batting .313 with four walks and two RBI.

Enjoy the game...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Where: Kauffman Stadium
Gametime: 8:10 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN 2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 185
Weather: Mostly sunny, 88 degrees, Wind 10 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (63-64)
CF Denard Span
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Bryce Harper
DH Jayson Werth
SS Ian Desmond
C Wilson Ramos
1B Adam LaRoche
LF Tyler Moore
2B Anthony Rendon
LHP Gio Gonzalez

DeJesus traded to Tampa Bay

USA Today Sports Images

The David DeJesus Era in Washington lasted all of four days. And never even made it to Washington.

The Nationals traded DeJesus to the Rays today for a player-to-be-named or cash considerations, acquiring and then moving the veteran outfielder in a manner that only a Wall Street day trader could truly appreciate.

Monday's acquisition of DeJesus in a waiver-claim trade with the Cubs for a player-to-be-named seemed curious from the Nationals' perspective. Though the 33-year-old offered a solid reputation as a professional hitter and clubhouse leader, there wasn't much need for another left-handed outfielder on the Nationals roster, a point manager Davey Johnson made as soon as the original deal was announced.

The Nationals, though, immediately placed DeJesus back on waivers, suggesting they wanted to see if another club might be

The Baseball Show: What went wrong?

As of today the Nationals sit 9.5 games out of the final NL Wild Card spot and, despite a recent three-game winning streak, there may not be enough time left for them to make a playoff push. With that in mind, Mark and the crew discussed what went wrong with the Nats this season and what they need to do this offseason to get back on track in last night's episode of The Baseball Show.

Mark's answer to the latter question is complicated, as it will interesting what the Nats do this winter. Do they need to make sweeping changes or are they as good as we think they are on paper? We know certain positions will have to be addressed, such as Dan Haren's spot in the rotation and a backup catcher. Should the Nats shake things up more than that?

Nats still grinding it out

USA Today Sports Images

CHICAGO — There was the 2-hour rain delay before the game ever began. There were the misplays across the diamond, with three of the four infielders either bench players or manning an unfamiliar position. And, of course, there was the gut-punch of Stephen Strasburg serving up the game-tying homer with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, forcing extra innings and the club's second 4-hour game in five days.

Yet the Nationals somehow emerged from all of that with a victory on Thursday, a 5-4, 13-inning triumph over the Cubs that required every ounce of fortitude this team still had in its reserve tank.

"It was pretty unbelievable, but for us to come back like that, that's huge," said Drew Storen, who wound up earning the save. "That's an easy game to just feel sorry for yourself, but we grinded it out. It wasn't the prettiest, but we got the win."

That's the way things are these days for the Nationals. Nothing is coming easily to this team, but every time it looks like Davey Johnson's squad is going to fold, it finds a way to keep fighting.

Suzuki traded to A's for pitching prospect

USA Today Sports Images

Updated at 1:00 p.m.

CHICAGO — The Nationals acquired Kurt Suzuki from the Athletics last August to help fill the void created by Wilson Ramos' torn ACL, and the veteran catcher responded by becoming a key part of a division championship roster.

One year later, with Ramos fully healthy and firmly establishing himself as the club's long-term answer behind the plate, the Nationals are sending Suzuki back to Oakland, where he may get a chance to help that club reach the postseason.

The Nationals dealt Suzuki to the A's late Thursday night, a club source confirmed. The trade was first reported by the Washington Times.

The Nationals acquired right-handed pitcher Dakota Bacus from the A's in exchange for Suzuki. Bacus, who will report to Hagerstown of the Single-A South Atlantic League, joins the Nationals after going 9-5 with a 3.56 ERA (48 ER/121.1 IP) in 26 games/21 starts for Beloit of the Single-A Midwest League. Bacus ranked 7th in ERA and tied for 8th in wins among A's farm hands.

Because the trade took place after the July 31 deadline, Suzuki would have needed to clear waivers or else be claimed by Oakland. That's the same process that brought him to Washington one year ago, when the first-place Nationals were desperate for catching help with Ramos rehabbing from a torn ACL and Jesus Flores struggling with a heavy workload.

Instant analysis: Nats 5, Cubs 4 (13)

Associated Press

Game in a nutshell: After waiting out a 2-hour rain delay before they took the field, and with a flight to Kansas City still to make tonight, the Nationals had to be antsy to jump out to a quick lead and then hand things over to Stephen Strasburg. They did just that, getting a first-inning home run from Ryan Zimmerman and then plating two more runs in the top of the second. Strasburg took over from there, holding the Cubs scoreless until Brian Bogusevic's homer in the eighth. Efficient throughout, the right-hander was given the chance to go the distance for the second time in 11 days. But he couldn't quite finish it off. Anthony Rendon, playing shortstop in place of Ian Desmond, couldn't make a really tough play on a grounder to the hole, allowing the bottom of the ninth to continue. Donnie Murphy then launched a game-tying, two-run homer, stunning Strasburg and turning the entire game upside-down. Rafael Soriano managed to get the game into extra innings and Tyler Clippard retired the side in the 10th, but the Nationals couldn't push across the winning run. They couldn't do it in the 11th or the 12th, either, despite opportunities. But they finally did it in the top of the 13th when pinch-hitter Chad Tracy's swinging bunt groundout scored Denard Span from third base to give the Nationals the lead. Drew Storen then finished it off to record the save and send the exhausted Nationals off to Kansas City with three wins in four days here in Chicago and a 63-64 record.

Hitting highlight: The Nationals scored only one run over a 10-inning stretch from the third through the 12th, but they

DeJesus saga will be resolved by Friday

USA Today Sports Images

CHICAGO — David DeJesus' strange saga with the Nationals will be resolved by Friday, with the veteran outfielder either staying in Washington or moving to the Rays via another waiver-claim deal.

DeJesus, acquired by the Nationals from the Cubs on Monday in a waiver-claim trade for a player to be named later, was reportedly placed back on waivers the following day and then claimed by Tampa Bay, according to ESPNChicago.com.

What happens now? There are three possible resolutions...

— The Nationals could accept the Rays' waiver claim, with Tampa Bay immediately acquiring DeJesus and being responsible for all of his contract. (He is owed about $1 million the rest of this season, with a $6.5 million club option or $1.5 million buyout for 2014.)

Game 127: Nats at Cubs

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

CHICAGO — Hello one last time from Wrigley Field, where the weather has taken a turn for the worse. There's a fairly intense storm system making its way through the area, and it could impact the start of today's series finale between the Nationals and Cubs. Stay tuned for weather updates.

Once they do get started, Stephen Strasburg will be on the mound, making his first appearance since Saturday night's ejection in Atlanta. Strasburg, who wasn't punished by MLB for hitting the Braves' Justin Upton and then twice throwing behind Andrelton Simmons, should be plenty fresh in the wake of the shortest start of his career. How will his command be? I think a lot of people are very curious about that.

The Nationals have several lineup changes. With lefty Travis Wood on the mound for the Cubs, Davey Johnson is loading with right-handed hitters, including Scott Hairston and Tyler Moore. Ian Desmond also gets the day off. Desmond tweaked his back during BP yesterday but started the game and looked fine, only to be pulled later for precautionary reasons. Afterward, he insisted he was fine and expected to play today, but it looks like Davey isn't taking any chances.

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at CHICAGO CUBS
Where: Wrigley Field
Gametime: 2:20 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN, Ch. 9, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 185
Weather: Storms, 80 degrees, Wind 7 mph in from LF

NATIONALS (62-64)
CF Bryce Harper
SS Anthony Rendon
3B Ryan Zimmerman
RF Jayson Werth

MLB Power Rankings: Dodgers here to stay

Photo by USA Today

By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

There are many reasons for the Dodgers' ascension -- from Adrian Gonzalez' consistency and Yasiel Puig's flash to the shutdown pitching. Blazing hot after the break, they're exactly the sort of team that no one wants to run into in October.

Here's how Nationals Insider Mark Zuckerman, Nats writer Chase Hughes, and I see the rest of the league shaking out:

1. Atlanta Braves (77-49; LW: 2) - Zuckerman: The bullpen is so good, they've basically turned every game into a 6-inning affair.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (73-52; LW: 1) - Hughes: Everyone knows about Yasiel Puig, but Hanley Ramirez has been as important as anyone to their unbelievable run over the past few months.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates (74-51; LW: 4) - Roney: Pedro Alvarez may never hit for average, but his power is seriously impressive -- as is leading the team with 83 RBI despite a .234 average.

4. Boston Red Sox (75-54; LW: 3) - Zuckerman: Everyone may have shared Dempster's sentiments, but his A-Rod plunking may have cost Boston that game.

5. Detroit Tigers (73-52; LW: 5) - Roney: It almost doesn't matter that Prince Fielder is disappointing. Miguel Cabrera is set to top last year's batting average, RBI, and home run totals -- which won him the Triple Crown and 2012 MVP.

Hairston delivers in a pinch

USA Today Sports Images

CHICAGO — There is no tougher ballpark in America in which to pinch-hit than Wrigley Field, where the lone batting cage is tucked away underneath the right field bleachers and thus is inaccessible to players during the course of a game.

Scott Hairston, though, has spent his share of time playing inside the Friendly Confines, most notably three months earlier this season while a member of the Cubs. So the 33-year-old outfielder knows the tricks of the trade.

"You have to really keep in mind that your body can get tight on the bench," he said. "So I usually get up every other inning and stretch or ride the bike. I think mainly you have to be mentally focused in that situation and prepared to come in and do your job."

Davey Johnson asked Hairston to do his job in the top of the seventh inning Wednesday night: Come in cold off the bench and face a tough left-hander late in a tie ballgame. That Hairston delivered in a big way, clubbing a three-run homer off James Russell to lift the Nationals to an 11-6 victory, only underscored Johnson's faith that he could be a key contributor to this team.
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Instant analysis: Nats 11, Cubs 6

USA Today Sports Images

Game in a nutshell: The Nationals jumped out to an early 6-1 lead behind another homer from Jayson Werth and a two-run single from Kurt Suzuki. But Ross Ohlendorf and Tanner Roark gave the entire lead back in the bottom of the fifth amid a flurry of base hits. Roark, an Illinois native pitching in front of more than 100 friends and family in the right-field bleachers, did bounce back by striking out the side in the sixth and that actually left him in line for his third win in two weeks when Scott Hairston launched a three-run homer in the top of the seventh, putting the Nationals back on top. Denard Span and Ryan Zimmerman added two more insurance runs in the eighth, and that was more than enough cushion for Tyler Clippard and Rafael Soriano to close this one out and give the Nationals their second straight victory at Wrigley Field.

Hitting highlight: There were plenty of offensive highlights tonight, but let's focus on the guy who gave the Nationals the lead

Nats ready to look at young players

USA Today Sports Images

CHICAGO — The Nationals never thought this would be the case in a season with the highest of expectations, but they are preparing to start looking at more young players over the next six weeks at the expense of a few veteran regulars.

Manager Davey Johnson said he plans to give Tyler Moore more starts at first base down the stretch, perhaps going so far as to platoon the 26-year-old at first base with veteran Adam LaRoche.

"I'm not in the position I'd like to be in, but there is a necessity to look at some guys," Johnson said. "And we'll be doing that. I mentioned the other day that Tyler Moore has to get some at-bats, some regular at-bats. And I'll be doing that with some other guys. I'm not going to go into naming them, because that's gonna happen on a daily basis. It's not gonna be a set plan."

Johnson also said rookie right-hander Tanner Roark could get a chance to move into the rotation, perhaps swapping spots with Ross Ohlendorf, who makes his return from the disabled list tonight.
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Game 126: Nats at Cubs

Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER

CHICAGO — We're back at Wrigley Field for a third straight night game. That's a rarity around here. The Nationals will hope to pick up where they left off last night ... well, perhaps producing a few more hits with men in scoring position than they did in their 4-1 victory over the Cubs.

Ross Ohlendorf returns from a shoulder injury to make his first start in three weeks. The veteran right-hander pitched brilliantly prior to his DL stint; you just hope he didn't burn himself out completely with that 114-pitch start against the Mets in a doubleheader.

Former Orioles right-hander Jake Arrieta gets the start for Chicago. He'll be facing a lineup that has Denard Span back in center field leading off but is without Anthony Rendon or Wilson Ramos, each getting the night off.

Updates to come...

WASHINGTON NATIONALS at CHICAGO CUBS
Where: Wrigley Field
Gametime: 8:05 p.m. EDT
TV: MASN2, MLB.tv
Radio: WJFK (106.7 FM), WFED (1500), XM 185
Weather: Partly cloudy, 85 degrees, Wind 11 mph out to CF

NATIONALS (61-64)
CF Denard Span
3B Ryan Zimmerman
LF Bryce Harper
RF Jayson Werth

Nats who's hot/who's not - 8/21

Photo by USA Today

By Steve Roney

CSNwashington.com

The Nationals' past week, at a glance:

Record: 3-4

Team slash: .269/.343/.377

Team ERA: 4.28

Runs per game: 3.6

Opponent runs per game: 4.9

Opponent slash: .227/.292/.438

HOT

Dan Haren, SP/RP: 1-0/1 SV/1.38 ERA/0.85 WHIP/13 IP/11 K

Nobody on the Nationals, or in the majors in general, is as hot as is Haren right now. Whether it's a result of mechanics, being truly healthy (my colleague Mark Zuckerman noted that his ERA since returning from the DL is 2.16), or just getting his head screwed on right, he has been truly dominant all month. On top of his microscopic August ERA (1.33), he also pitched in during the 15-inning marathon against Atlanta, recording his first career save.

Ryan Zimmerman, 3B: 8-27/1 HR/3 RBI/.387 OBP/.943 OPS

We all figured he would, but Zimmerman has begun to hit his way out of his recent slump. Barring a scorching finish, his season numbers won't be all that impressive, but he has raised his average back to a respectable .270, muscling up on the ball, and getting on base like a machine -- like he always has. Imagine if he'd hit this way all year.