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WASHINGTON NATIONALS NEWS

Anthony Rendon earning big payday so far, but will it come from the Nationals?

Anthony Rendon is hitting everything in sight so far this season, but he and the Nationals haven't hit it off on an extension as he approaches free agency. Hovering over them both are Bryce Harper and how he departed.

David Steele

MLB wrap: April 9

The Reds pulled off an impressive victory Tuesday, using a seven-run sixth inning to top the Marlins, 14-0.

Alexis Mansanarez

Rosenthal on early-season struggles

Rosenthal has walked four, hit a batter and allowed seven earned runs, all while not recording an out this season.

E.Jay Zarett

Craig Kimbrel will get his money soon as MLB clubs face pressure to improve

The Red Sox, Braves and Cubs are among the teams in need of bullpen help. Soon enough, a club will turn to Kimbrel.

Dan Bernstein

Bryce Harper’s return to D.C. brought conflicting feelings for this Nats fan

Bryce Harper made his return to Washington, and having grown up as a Nationals fan I had conflicting feelings.

Blair Berry

Bryce Harper the returning hero to some fans in D.C. — his new ones

Nationals fans welcomed back Bryce Harper with a chorus of boos Tuesday night. Phillies fans eventually shouted them down, lifted Harper up and turned the tables in enemy territory.

David Steele

Trea Turner injury update: Nationals star says pitch that broke his finger surprised him

The Nationals shortstop wasn't expecting Zach Eflin's fastball to streak toward his head

Tom Gatto

Phillies', Nationals' Twitter accounts trade jabs in Bryce Harper's first game back in Washington

Bryce Harper may have hit a home run, but the best hits may have been from the Philadelphia social media account.

Thomas Schlarp

MLB wrap: March 31

Philadelphia started the Bryce Harper-era off on the right note.

Alexis Mansanarez

MLB wrap: Charlie Morton, Rays shut down Astros' potent lineup in emotional win

Charlie Morton made his first appearance against his former team, the Astros, with whom he won a World Series in 2017.

Thomas Lott

MLB wrap: Chris Sale, Blake Snell give fan bases something to worry about

It's just one start, so let's not go nuts, but there are legitimate warning signs for at least one of these pitchers.

Thomas Lott

MLB Opening Day 2019: Scores, results, highlights from every game

Sporting News tracked all the action from Opening Day for the 2019 MLB season. Catch up on the scores and highlights with our updates from Thursday's games.

Jacob Janower

Nats fans

Many Nationals fans showed up to their first game of the season wearing altered versions of Harper's Washington jersey.

Gabrielle McMillen

MLB Opening Day 2019: Schedule for all 30 teams

Every MLB team will be playing on Opening Day in 2019 for a second straight year. Here is everything to know about the unofficial national holiday for baseball fans, including first pitch times and TV information for all 30 clubs.

Jacob Janower

NL East guide for 2019: Biggest strength, weakness and question for each team

The NL East could be the best division in baseball in 2019. But that doesn't mean every team isn't without its questions.

Joe Rivera

Big changes to MLB rosters, trade deadline, All-Star voting to be announced, report says

Separate from those changes, players and owners will begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement more than two years before the agreement is set to expire.

Tom Gatto

Bryce Harper's move to Phillies makes him rare MLB star to join rival in prime

Alex Rodriguez, Wade Boggs and Babe Ruth followed the same path — either via trade or free agency.

Dan Bernstein

Nationals' bullpen cart tryout opens door another crack for old-school novelty

More than 400 people applied to drive the Nationals’ bullpen cart for the 2019 season, and the 21 candidates chosen to try out saw no downside to the return of a 1970s ballpark staple.

David Steele

Frank Robinson, ex-Expos manager and MLB pioneer, dies at 83

A Hall of Fame player, Robinson became MLB's first black manager in 1975 with the Indians and went on to manage the Expos in the franchise's final seasons in Montreal. He died after battling bone cancer.

John O'Callaghan

DH in the NL this year? Teams already have options if change happens

Each National League team has at least one designated hitter candidate on its roster, and a lot of those options are making serious money. SN lists the best in-house option ahead of spring training.

Tom Gatto

Bryce Harper rumors: The cases for and against the best fits for the superstar outfielder

Bryce Harper can land any number of places this winter, and his value is through the roof.

Jacob Janower

Bryce Harper hitting between Bo and Vlad Jr.? Kids make Jays a solid long-term play

Bryce Harper joining Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Toronto appears unlikely, but there's little doubt the three would form a solid lineup core.

Tom Gatto

Patrick Corbin signing marks latest push by Nationals to build championship rotation

Washington's front office clearly believes a superior rotation is the key to getting to October, even if the results haven't been there. It's banking on Patrick Corbin being a difference-maker.

Ryan Fagan

NL Cy Young race: Jacob deGrom leads Aaron Nola, Max Scherzer in sturdy Big 3

The top three pitchers in the National League Cy Young race are all worthy of first-place votes.

Tom Gatto

NL Rookie of the Year race: Ronald Acuna Jr., Juan Soto extend East battle to award vote

The NL East outfielders figure to be rivals for years to come. The competition began in 2018, when each became top-of-the-order producers.

Tom Gatto

NL MVP race: Javier Baez, Christian Yelich, Freddie Freeman leaders of large pack

The 30 voters for National League Most Valuable Player can choose from a large group of candidates this season. Two Central Division rivals have a handful of games to stand out.

Tom Gatto

Bryce Harper indicates ump Laz Diaz crossed a line during dispute

Washington outfielder Bryce Harper angered longtime umpire Laz Diaz enough for Diaz to tell Nats manager Davey Martinez he'd "take care" of Harper if Martinez didn't talk to him.

Tom Gatto

Spencer Kieboom loses a tooth, crushes first career home run

The mystery surrounding Nationals' Spencer Kieboom's "missing tooth" has been solved.

Alyssa Sconzo

MLB trade rumors: Eight players — and several Nationals — who could be dealt in August

Even if they weren't moved before the July 31 deadline, these MLB players could still find a new home before the end of summer.

Ryan Fagan

Dominican league rips Joe Simpson for comments about Juan Soto

Braves broadcaster Joe Simpson questioned Nationals outfielder Juan Soto's age on the air, and then walked back that statement after speaking with an "upset" Washington general manager Mike Rizzo.

Tom Gatto

Joe Simpson wonders whether Nats' Juan Soto telling truth about age

The Braves TV analyst drops the caveat "If he's 19" while commenting on the Washington rookie's physique. That comment drew a direct response from Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo.

Tom Gatto

MLB trade deadline winners, losers: Dodgers, Pirates, Yankees make good first impressions

It takes years to accurately gauge moves, but there can still be initial observations. That's our basis for examining trades made during the two weeks leading to the 2018 non-waiver deadline.

Ryan Fagan

Bryce Harper hears it from Pete Rose: Get going, or else Nats will be done

The Hit King took a swing at baseball during his latest trek to Cooperstown, and he also had words of "encouragement" for Harper, a player he says he likes.

Tom Gatto

MLB trade rumors: If Nationals concede they're sellers, which players might be dealt?

The Nats have underachieved in 2018, which led to whispers of potentially selling in 2018. Who could go?

Ryan Fagan

Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer caught exchanging words in dugout

Washington's top two starting pitchers had some type of disagreement after one of them pitched poorly.

Tom Gatto

Nationals' big comeback shows why it's OK to run up the score

Baseball's unwritten rules are dumb, but the one about not "disrespecting" the other team in a blowout is especially stupid.

Jason Foster

Nationals poised to get up to speed after Trea Turner slams them into gear

Washington wants to use its rally from a nine-run deficit as a catalyst to charge back into contention in the NL East.

Tom Gatto

Phillies P Vince Velasquez ignores injury, uses opposite hand to record out

The Philadelphia right-hander throws a left-handed strike to first base after being drilled by an Adam Eaton line drive.

Tom Gatto

Steve Scalise back on diamond for congressional baseball game year after being shot

The Republican representative from Louisiana fielded a ground ball on the game's first batter, exactly one year after being critically wounded during a practice for the 2017 game. His teammates appeared to be overjoyed.

Tom Gatto

Who is Juan Soto? Fast facts about the Nationals' teen phenom

Juan Soto made himself known to a national TV audience when he went deep twice at Yankee Stadium as a 19-year-old.

Tom Gatto

Bryce Harper hate is for losers

We now know Bryce Harper hate extends to baseball front offices. Those geniuses are as wrong as internet trolls who say Harper is a bad guy.

Tom Gatto

Alex Ovechkin, Stanley Cup champion Capitals chug beer during interview at Nationals game

The Washington Capitals Stanley Cup celebration is hitting the ground running, and made its way to Nationals Park on Saturday.

Evan Sporer

Podcast one-on-one with Davey Johnson: 'I always looked miserable when I was managing'

The former all star second baseman and 1986 World Series-champion manager goes one on one with Sporting News about his life in baseball and new autobiography.

Jim Cerny

Stanley Cup Final 2018: Bryce Harper 'happy' for Capitals, but rooting for hometown Golden Knights

Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper is sticking with his hometown team in the Stanley Cup Final.

John Arlia

MLB Power Rankings: Yankees, Red Sox, Astros vie for top spot; Dodgers fall out of top 10

The Dodgers and Nationals are scuffling, which means there's no room in the top 10 for either. Meanwhile, it's top-heavy in the top three spots.

Ryan Fagan

Bryce Harper, Anthony Rizzo give their lineups an AL feel; take note, NL skippers

The Washington and Chicago sluggers turned into table-setters, and both slugged their way to success in the role.

Tom Gatto

The Yankees are overrated, the Cubs are lost and other MLB early season hot takes

We're just over two weeks into the MLB season, which means it's time to start drawing wild, outrageous conclusions based on what we've seen so far.

Joe Rivera

WATCH: Bryce Harper smacks a broken bat home run vs. Mets

Bryce Harper launched a first inning bomb against the Met, snapping his bat in half in the process.

Kenan Goyette

Yankees' bullpen, Dodgers' bats highlight early struggles among contenders

So far, the Yankees, Nationals, Cubs and Dodgers have not looked like the powerhouses everyone thought they would be. The season is still in its infancy, of course, but each club is dealing with issues.

Gary Phillips

Braves pitcher Brandon McCarthy suffers freak shoulder injury against Nationals

Atlanta Braves pitcher Brandon McCarthy left Wednesday's game against the Washington Nationals with a left shoulder dislocation after reaching to catch a throw from first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Nationals, Astros in 2018

The Nationals and Astros both made the postseason in 2017, but they finished in very different ways. These two teams already have the core roster elements necessary to make return trips, but they will also have to ride the success of the likes of Wilmer Difo and Chris Devenski, who both stepped into larger roles in 2017 and hope to keep those this year.

Jared Wyllys

SN MLB writer explains NL Cy Young Award vote for Max Scherzer

Washington ace Max Scherzer was the clear choice for the National League Cy Young Award in 2017. SN MLB writer Ryan Fagan breaks down how he arrived at putting Scherzer atop his BBWAA ballot.

Ryan Fagan

Nationals look like fools for letting Dusty Baker go

This is a move that reeks of desperation, greed, stubbornness, pettiness or some foul mixture of all of the above. It is a move that the Nationals may come to regret.

Nick Stellini

Five potential replacements for Dusty Baker as Nationals manager

This new manager, who'll replace Dusty Baker after just two (winning) seasons, will be the franchise’s seventh since 2006. Let’s just say the new guy will probably rent in D.C., not buy.

Ryan Fagan

Dusty Baker is October's heartbreak kid, and it's hard to figure out why

Dusty Baker's teams consistently put themselves in a position to advance in the postseason, and then they don't. Why does it keep happening?

Jason Foster

MLB playoffs 2017: Cubs reach NLCS for third straight year to set rematch with Dodgers

The Cubs are heading to the NLCS for the third year in a row to set up a rematch with the Dodgers. For a franchise that hadn’t even made the playoffs three years in a row since 1906-08, it’s something generations of Cubs fans couldn’t even imagine.

Ryan Fagan

MLB playoffs: Bizarre sequence leads to another postseason heartbreak for Nationals

The fifth inning of the fifth game of the Cubs-Nationals NLDS will haunt people in Washington for a long time. An unfathomable series of events conspired to continue the district's misery.

Ryan Fagan

Cubs vs. Nationals: Score, highlights from Cubs' NLDS Game 5 clincher

The Cubs are headed back to the NLCS. Get all the details and highlights here.

Jason Foster

MLB playoffs: Remembering the Expos' semi-forgotten 1981 NLDS win

With one more win in the NLDS against the Cubs, the Nationals will set up a rematch of the 1981 NLCS. Sort of.

Jason Foster

Nationals vs. Cubs: Score, highlights from NLDS Game 4

After way too much drama, Stephen Strasburg is starting for the Nationals in Game 4. Jake Arrieta takes the mound for the Cubs.

Ryan Fagan

MLB playoffs: Stephen Strasburg plays hero to keep Nationals alive in NLDS

Stephen Strasburg gave the Nationals a clutch outing in Game 4 of the NLDS, and he gave the Cubs fits.

Jared Wyllys

MLB playoffs: Nationals again find themselves on brink of October disappointment

Another loss to the Cubs will add one more entry to the list of Nationals teams that went into the playoffs with high expectations but fell flat and were forced into the winter early to ponder what went wrong.

Jason Foster

MLB playoffs: Max Scherzer has opportunity to give Nationals control of NLDS

This is the opportunity Max Scherzer wanted. Essentially. Basically. Kinda.

Ryan Fagan

MLB playoffs: Bryce Harper's blast may have changed the Nationals' playoff fortunes

The Washington Nationals have been consistently good and often inexplicably come up small on the sport’s biggest stage. Bryce Harper changed the narrative Saturday night.

Jason Foster

Las Vegas natives Kris Bryant, Bryce Harper appear together in PSA prior to NLDS

The video aimed to aid the victims of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas, which left 58 dead and nearly 500 injured.

E.Jay Zarett

MLB playoffs: Which team faces most pressure to win the World Series?

You are probably going to disagree with this ranking, and that’s OK.

Ryan Fagan

MLB playoffs: Nationals confident that this year will be different

On Friday, the Nationals take a step toward postseason redemption after a series of disappointments.

Shlomo Sprung

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