Feature: Latest Reports from The Washington Posts ‘Nationals Journal’

Nationals will pay Stephen Strasburg until 2030, thanks to new extension

Stephen Strasburg’s unexpected contract extension with the Washington Nationals features something that is becoming a trademark in the club’s long-term offers: deferred money, and lots of it. Strasburg’s seven-year, $175-million deal, agreed to on Monday and to be announced Tuesday at a news conference at Nationals Park, will actually be paid out over 14 years, according […]

Despite being in the dugout at the time, Bryce Harper ejected from Monday’s win

Minutes before Clint Robinson hit a walk-off home run to give the Nationals a win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night, home plate umpire Brian Knight ejected Bryce Harper from the game. Harper, along with the rest of the Nationals’ dugout, had expressed displeasure with the fact that Knight had just called Danny Espinosa out […]

Jordan Zimmermann makes his return to Nationals Park as a Tiger

Until Monday, Jordan Zimmermann had never been inside the visitor’s clubhouse at Nationals Park. The longtime Washington starter popped out of the Tigers’ dugout and threw a bullpen session in the visitor’s bullpen in left field ahead of his Wednesday start here. He stopped to say hello to Max Scherzer, Blake Treinen and Sammy Solis, among […]

Stephen Strasburg signs seven-year, $175 million extension with Nationals

Stephen Strasburg has signed a seven-year, $175 million contract extension with the Washington Nationals, people familiar with the situation said on Monday evening. An official announcement of the somewhat unexpected deal is expected Tuesday. The deal has a rolling opt-out after three or four years and performance bonuses for hitting 180 innings pitched each season, according […]

Who will protect Bryce Harper in the Nationals lineup?

The Cubs would not have walked Bryce Harper a record-tying six times Sunday if the Nationals had punished them for it. Had Ryan Zimmerman gotten one more hit behind Harper, the Nationals would probably would have won the game much earlier. The Cubs would not have had the opportunity. Had Zimmerman gotten one more hit […]

Minor League Monday: Trea Turner, Victor Robles continue hot starts

Our weekly post wrapping up the action from the Nationals’ minor league affiliates provides a glimpse of the future with information about the Nationals prospects you need to know. CLASS AAA SYRACUSE Trea Turner continued his hot start at the plate. Despite going 0 for 5 with five strikeouts over his past two games, Turner is […]

Tanner Roark, an unexpected early season ace

CHICAGO – Lost in the loss, in Bryce Harper’s walks and the Cubs’ walk-off, was  Tanner Roark outpitching Jake Arrieta Sunday afternoon, plain and simple. The Nationals’ right-hander did not factor in the decision; six innings of one-run work was undone by a Cubs rally against the bullpen in the seventh. But as Roark worked through the […]

No baseball player has ever compiled a day like Bryce Harper did on Sunday

CHICAGO – Bryce Harper brought one of those pink bats most major leaguers use on Mother’s Day to home plate at Wrigley Field seven times Sunday. He never swung it. Six times, the Chicago Cubs walked him, tying a major league record. Once, they hit him. No player in baseball history had ever compiled a […]

Ben Revere gets first Nationals hit; He’ll lead off again on Sunday

CHICAGO — Hits became habit for Ben Revere in spring training. His quick, slashing left-handed swing repeatedly rocketed balls into the right-field corner, three doubles, a triple, 18 hits in 42 chances. But spring training hits don’t count, not officially, and after straining his right oblique on Opening Day, Revere entered May without a hit as a […]

Why does Danny Espinosa get hit by so many pitches?

CHICAGO — Only one player in the National League has been hit by as many pitches this season as Danny Espinosa, who has attracted six errant deliveries this season. At one point during this weekend’s series against the Cubs, Espinosa was hit in three of four plate appearances. Why? Espinosa believes his position in the order explains some […]

Daniel Murphy under the weather, out of Saturday’s lineup

CHICAGO — Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy was not feeling well Saturday when he arrived at Wrigley Field, according to Manager Dusty Baker, and thus was not in the starting lineup against Cubs right-hander Jason Hammel. Baker said Anthony Rendon is not feeling well, either. “I don’t have enough replacements to give both of them off,” Baker said. […]

Ben Revere activated, in lineup Friday

CHICAGO — Ben Revere is active now, removed from the 15-day disabled list Friday morning, inserted into the leadoff spot for Friday’s game against the Cubs. The Nationals sent outfielder Matt den Dekker, the unlucky outsider again, to Class AAA Syracuse to make room on the roster. Revere led off the season opener with a strikeout, […]

On slumps, seasons, and the offensive output of the Nationals’ corner outfielders

CHICAGO — Jayson Werth talks about consistent hitting like it’s an annual inevitability, like a change in the seasons — coming now or maybe later — but coming in time, with no known accelerant capable of hurrying the process. He struggled to start this season, but never seemed overly concerned. It will come, he said. He is […]

Nationals’ Ben Revere shags balls pregame but is not activated Thursday

CHICAGO — The long-awaited return of Ben Revere will wait at least another day. The outfielder, still on the mend from an oblique strain, is not in the Nationals starting lineup for Thursday night’s series opener with the Cubs, still on the disabled list for at least one more day. Revere rejoined the Nationals Thursday […]

Dusty Baker’s return to Wrigley so popular with media they needed a bigger room

CHICAGO — Dusty Baker has been back here before, or at least some version of here, because Wrigley Field is not the same as when he stopped calling it home more than a decade ago, not the same as when he stopped managing the Reds in the visitors’ dugout in 2013. As he walked in […]

Nationals looking forward to showdown of MLB’s best with the Cubs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For an early May series, Nationals-Cubs will be as good as it gets. The Cubs are 20-6 with a historic run differential, the highest-scoring offense in the majors and the best pitching staff statistically. The Nationals are 19-8 with an improving offense, a defense that has made the fewest errors in baseball […]

Daniel Murphy, a hitting machine and unofficial assistant coach, keeps on improving

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Daniel Murphy has had one game off this season, on April 23, but Nationals Manager Dusty Baker still put him to work. Baker sent Nationals hitters to talk to the second baseman about hitting. “You might learn something,” Baker said he told the hitters. “Or you might learn some of the things […]

Ryan Zimmerman is the DH, Clint Robinson starting at first base

KANSAS CITY — As planned, Ryan Zimmerman is the designated hitter in Wednesday’s series finale against the Royals, so Clint Robinson is starting at first base. The rest of the lineup is the same behind Stephen Strasburg on the mound. Bryce Harper is stuck in a slump in which he hasn’t looked much like himself. He […]

Ben Revere joining Nationals in Chicago, could be activated as soon as Thursday

KANSAS CITY — Ben Revere will meet the Nationals in Chicago for the four-game series that begins Thursday between teams with the best two records in the National League. Manager Dusty Baker said the Nationals want to talk to and evaluate Revere before they decide on activating him, which could happen as soon as Thursday. […]

Despite an 18-8 record, the Nationals offense has been inconsistent

KANSAS CITY — Despite Tuesday’s gut-punch loss following Jonathan Papelbon’s ninth-inning implosion, the Nationals are 18-8. Their defense has been solid and their pitching has been dominant. But their offense has been inconsistent — even though they notched seven extra-base hits against the Royals in the 7-6 loss. Including Tuesday’s game, the Nationals rank 11th out […]

Dusty Baker’s son will intern at the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy

KANSAS CITY — Once the school year ends, Dusty Baker’s 17-year-old son, Darren, will join his dad in D.C. Darren, best remembered as the little bat boy whom J.T. Snow picked up and carried away from home plate in the midst of a play during the 2002 World Series, loves baseball. He is a junior infielder at […]

Jayson Werth is the DH, Wilson Ramos returns to the Nationals lineup

KANSAS CITY — Jayson Werth is the designated hitter in Tuesday’s lineup against Royals starter Chris Young so Chris Heisey is starting in left field. Wilson Ramos returns to the Nationals lineup for the first time in a week; he had been away after the passing of his grandfather and re-joined the team Sunday.   […]

Bryce Harper signs extension with Under Armour believed to be largest for MLB player

KANSAS CITY — Bryce Harper signed a multi-year extension with Under Armour on Tuesday, a contract that, according to a person familiar with the deal, is believed to be the largest endorsement deal for an MLB player. Although the terms weren’t disclosed in the Baltimore-based sportswear company’s announcement, ESPN reported Harper’s deal is for 10 years. Harper […]

The Nationals bullpen surprisingly leads the NL

KANSAS CITY — Think back to spring training, when the Nationals bullpen was an unknown with many new faces and several possibilities. Yet, here we are, 25 games into the season, and those spring days of bullpen question marks feels distant. The Nationals bullpen of Jonathan Papelbon, Shawn Kelley, Oliver Perez, Felipe Rivero, Yusmeiro Petit, […]

Blake Treinen returns home; Stephen Drew is the designated hitter Monday

KANSAS CITY — As he emerged from the dugout to say hi to friends before Monday’s batting practice, Blake Treinen heard his name from the stands. “Hey Blake, there’s a lot of people with signs up there for you!” someone shouted. He looked back, waved and smiled. Treinen, who was born in Wichita and went to high school […]

Bryce Harper named NL Player of the Month for April

KANSAS CITY — Bryce Harper was awarded the National League Player of the Month award for April. Harper, the defending NL MVP, hit .286 with a .406 on-base percentage and a .714 slugging percentage in 23 games. His 1.121 OPS (on-base-plus-slugging percentage) is the highest for any April of his career. Harper also hit nine […]

Nationals starters are the best in baseball on the mound, at the plate

KANSAS CITY — The best start in Nationals’ history has been powered, first and foremost, by the starting rotation. The Nationals have a 17-7 record thanks to a rotation that boasts a 2.18 ERA, tops in the baseball. The Cubs are close behind (2.27 ERA) and the Mets are third (2.96 ERA). The most recent pass […]

Minor League Monday: Week 4

This is the fourth installment of our new Minor League Monday, a weekly post in which we’ll wrap up the previous week’s action for Nationals minor league affiliates. We’ll give you the information you should know, about the Nationals prospects you need to know, so you can keep an eye on the future. CLASS AAA […]

Wilson Ramos rejoins the Nationals after grandfather’s death

ST. LOUIS — As the Nationals took batting practice Sunday morning, Wilson Ramos popped out of the dugout. Only a few days earlier, he was in Venezuela mourning the death of a beloved family member, his grandfather, Jesus Campos, the man who taught him how to play baseball. Anthony Rendon gave Ramos a big hug […]

Nationals pleased with Daniel Murphy’s work on defense

ST. LOUIS — Everyone in baseball has a reputation — or, as Dusty Baker calls them, a jacket. This player can’t get left-handers out. This guy can’t hit breaking balls. This player can’t stay healthy. While reputations are based on the past, Baker doesn’t let it cloud his opinion of a player. And even though second baseman […]

Nats’ Michael A. Taylor and Ryan Zimmerman are off on Sunday

ST. LOUIS — As the Nationals look to sweep the Cardinals, Manager Dusty Baker gave Ryan Zimmerman and Michael A. Taylor days off on Sunday. Matt den Dekker will start in center field and lead off instead, and Clint Robinson will start at first base. Zimmerman had played eight straight games. This will be his fifth […]

Jayson Werth on his hitting inconsistency and the Nationals’ best-ever April

ST. LOUIS — There’s an apparent oddity about Jayson Werth’s inconsistent season so far: When he has notched hits, he has hit the ball hard. Of his 15 hits so far, eight of them — four doubles and four home runs — have been for extra bases, including Werth’s three-run home run in Saturday’s 6-1 […]

Michael A. Taylor feeling gradual improvement at the plate

ST. LOUIS — When a hitter struggles to hit as much as Michael A. Taylor did to start the season, any gradual improvement is noticeable. And this week, the center fielder felt just that. Including Friday’s game, in which he hit a leadoff home run, Taylor is 5 for his last 15. He has struck out three times […]

Bryce Harper, Max Scherzer, Dusty Baker react to Dee Gordon’s PED suspension

ST. LOUIS — The announcement of Dee Gordon’s 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing substances came at 1:18 a.m. Eastern time Friday. So it wasn’t until later that morning that much of the baseball world, including the Nationals, saw the news about the Marlins’ speedy second baseman. The Nationals are in the same division as the Marlins, face the […]

Anthony Rendon, Michael A. Taylor back in the Nationals lineup

ST. LOUIS — After under-performing Anthony Rendon and Michael A. Taylor had the day off Thursday, both are back in the lineup Friday. Taylor is leading off and Rendon is hitting second. The rest of the lineup is as expected, with Jose Lobaton starting behind the plate for Stephen Strasburg on the mound. The series […]

Dusty Baker sees shades of the ’77 Dodgers in these Nationals

About once a conversation, whether he’s having it in a press conference or his Nationals Park office, Dusty Baker leans back in his chair, raises his voice and shakes his head. “Ooooh, man!” he says, which has many nuanced meanings, but generally expresses a great deal of understanding or appreciation for the topic of the moment. That […]