The Washington Nationals will welcome their first wave of September call-ups on Saturday morning, summoning catcher Sandy Leon, outfielder Eury Perez and left-hander John Lannan from Triple-A Syracuse and adding them to the major league roster. Published August 31 2012
If the Washington Nationals need an example of how a team can reach the sport's ultimate peak without its ace, they need look no further than the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals, who put together their magical 2011 season with Adam Wainwright watching from the sidelines as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Published August 31 2012
It happened quickly. Jayson Werth walked to open the Nationals' half of their game Thursday night and three pitches later Bryce Harper was circling the bases behind him with his third home run in his last five at-bats. Published August 31 2012
To this point in the season, when the topic of his impending shut down has come up, Stephen Strasburg has shrugged it off and said that no one from the team has discussed it with him personally. Published August 30 2012
The Washington Nationals' pitching staff has made it clear throughout the entire 2012 season that they are the best in the major leagues. But it's their offense that has been making things go for the past few weeks (the five-game losing streak aside). Published August 30 2012
The situation was familiar. The pressure was "comfortable," as Drew Storen put it. Published August 30 2012
Bryce Harper had already hit two home runs Wednesday night when he ground an 0-2 curveball into the ground toward first base and began sprinting down the first base line. Thinking there was already one out in the ninth inning, though there were in fact no outs, Harper wanted badly to beat out a double play and not end the frame. Published August 30 2012
Late Tuesday night, inside the bowels of Marlins Park, long after the rest of their team had gone home, Stephen Strasburg and Kurt Suzuki sat with bench coach Randy Knorr and pitching coach Steve McCatty hashing out just what had happened in Tuesday's 9-0 loss. Published August 29 2012
The day after the Washington Nationals losing streak hit five, matching a season-long, the words were there on the top of the clubhouse white board in red ink: Team meeting, 4:30. Published August 29 2012
As much as a 77-51 team can need a win with a four-game lead in their division in the final week in August, the Nationals need a win tonight to avoid going 0-6 on this road trip and heading home with a different tone than they left with. Published August 29 2012
Infielder and 2011 first-round pick Anthony Rendon, and outfielder Brian Goodwin headline the Nationals' minor league roster of players heading to the Arizona Fall League this season. Published August 29 2012
The Nationals' issues with holding baserunners are not a secret. They're no secret to them, to fans watching and certainly not to opposing teams. Two of the baserunners who've now stolen against the Nationals this season are Cliff Lee and Carlos Lee. That's not exactly the speediest pairing. Published August 29 2012
The Nationals will line up John Lannan to be on track to slide into Stephen Strasburg's spot in the starting rotation, plus who will be joining the team immediately after rosters expand on Sept. 1. Published August 28 2012
Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo followed manager Davey Johnson out into the visitors' dugout at Marlins Park Tuesday afternoon with a smile on his face. Published August 28 2012
There was good news for the Nationals in manager Davey Johnson's lineup Tuesday afternoon Michael Morse and Ian Desmond were penciled into it. Published August 28 2012
The Nationals' losses this month have come at opportune times with regard to the Braves not gaining ground as Atlanta has struggled to take advantage when the Nationals falter. Published August 28 2012
A few thoughts, observations and leftovers on the "discussion" between Davey Johnson and Mike Rizzo, the need for Michael Morse and Ian Desmond to return to the lineup and Jordan Zimmermann. Published August 28 2012
John Lannan earned Triple-A International League Pitcher of the Week honors Monday morning, a nice honor for the Nationals' left-hander as he prepared to make his return to the major league team for more than just 24 hours. Published August 27 2012
Sunday afternoon Davey Johnson looked at his bench and saw essentially two healthy players, and one of them was his backup catcher. He knew he had to double switch. Bryce Harper, who'd been the second-to-last batter to hit in the top of the frame, was the choice, subbing Bernadina for him in center field and putting the pitcher into the No. 2 spot in the lineup where his spot wouldn't appear for another seven batters. Johnson knew Harper wouldn't be pleased. Published August 26 2012
Michael Morse and Ian Desmond said Sunday morning that Tuesday's game in Miami is a realistic timetable for their respective returns to the Nationals' lineups. Published August 26 2012