WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals placed right-handed reliever Daniel Hudson on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation on Saturday. Hudson has a 4-1 record with a 2.95 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 23 games. He joined the Nationals in a midseason trade with Toronto in 2019 and recorded the final three outs in Game 7 of the World Series a few months later. Hudson does have a history of injuries, including two Tommy John surgeries between 2012 and 2013 while with Arizona. “We just figured it would be smart to shut it down for a couple days,” Hudson said. “With my injury history there was some cause for concern for me. I don’t have any concerns long term. Hopefully it’s just short term.” In his last appearance on June 9, Hudson threw 31 pitches in 1 2/3 innings in a win at Tampa Bay. Manager Dave Martinez said Hudson had an MRI on Friday that only showed inflammation. The move is retroactive to June 10. The Nationals made a few other moves ahead of Saturday’s doubleheader... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors today: DR. DEGROM No doubt every Mets fans shuddered when they heard the news that star pitcher Jacob deGrom was pulled from his latest start with an elbow injury. But the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner says not to fret. “My level of concern is not too high,” deGrom said Friday night. DeGrom exited with right flexor tendinitis. He tore the ligament in his pitching elbow as a minor leaguer and needed Tommy John surgery in 2010 and said “this didn’t feel anything like that.” “Whenever you say elbow anything for a pitcher, everyone gets nervous about that,” deGrom said. “But like I said, I do a lot of ligament tests on my own, and doing those, knowing what those feel like, it’s a totally different spot.” DeGrom doesn’t plan to seek an MRI or other imaging, and he expects to proceed with his normal between-start routine and pitch next time his rotation spot comes up. DeGrom pitched six shutout innings of one-hit ball and struck out 10 in a 3-2... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday: DR. DEGROM No doubt every Mets fans shuddered when they heard the news that star pitcher Jacob deGrom was pulled from his latest start with an elbow injury. But the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner says not to fret. “My level of concern is not too high,” deGrom said Friday night. DeGrom exited with right flexor tendinitis. He tore the ligament in his pitching elbow as a minor leaguer and needed Tommy John surgery in 2010 and said “this didn’t feel anything like that.” “Whenever you say elbow anything for a pitcher, everyone gets nervous about that,” deGrom said. “But like I said, I do a lot of ligament tests on my own, and doing those, knowing what those feel like, it’s a totally different spot.” DeGrom doesn’t plan to seek an MRI or other imaging, and he expects to proceed with his normal between-start routine and pitch next time his rotation spot comes up. DeGrom pitched six shutout innings of one-hit ball and struck out 10 in... [More]

A look at what's happening around the majors on Saturday: AILING ACE The Nationals will see how Max Scherzer is feeling, a day after he exited a start against San Francisco in which he threw just 12 pitches. There was no immediate report on Scherzer’s condition. Scherzer got Giants leadoff hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. to fly out for the first out of the game. Washington manager Dave Martinez and trainer Paul Lessard went out to the mound to check on Scherzer after he threw a 96 mph fastball that made the count 3-2 on Brandon Belt. Scherzer got down and squatted, then stretched from side to side before throwing one pitch in front of Martinez and Lessard. Scherzer left after that warmup throw. The three-time Cy Young Award winner entered the game with a 5-4 record and a 2.22 ERA. HAPPY HOMETOWNERS Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove (4-5, 2.33 ERA) faces Mets righty Marcus Stroman (5-4, 2.41) in a showdown of veteran pitchers who are with their hometown teams. Musgrove was traded to San Diego in... [More]

ATLANTA (AP) — The Washington Nationals placed right-hander Stephen Strasburg on the 10-day injured list with a neck strain before Wednesday night's game at Atlanta. Strasburg flew to Washington to be examined on Wednesday after he complained of tightness in his shoulder and neck in Tuesday night's 11-6 win over the Braves. The 32-year-old was pulled after only 1 1/3 innings. Strasburg's injury adds more stress to an already thin Nationals rotation. Left-hander Jon Lester was to start Wednesday night's game on only three days' rest. Manager Dave Martinez said he and his staff were “banging our heads now trying to figure out something for Sunday” when Strasburg was scheduled to make his next start at Philadelphia. Right-hander Erick Fedde, on the 10-day IL due to an illness, could soon rejoin the rotation. He is scheduled make a rehab start for Class A Wilmington on Thursday. If that schedule is not changed he would not be a candidate to start in Sunday's game. This is Strasburg's second... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Right-hander Stephen Strasburg was activated from the 10-day injured list to start for the Washington Nationals against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Strasburg had been on the injured list since April 15 with right shoulder inflammation. He is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts this season. “We want him to get as many outs as he can for as long as he possibly can,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez said. “I don’t want to put any limitations on him and get as many outs as he possibly can and hopefully keep us in the ballgame.” Strasburg made one injury rehabilitation start for Triple-A Rochester, allowing two hits over 4 1/3 scoreless innings on May 16. To make room for Strasburg on the roster, Washington optioned right-handed pitcher Kyle McGowin to Rochester. Martinez also said that right-handed pitchers Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey, who were placed on the COVID-19 injured list on Tuesday, remain in quarantine in Chicago after Washington played the Cubs. Martinez said he doesn’t know when the pitchers will return. _________ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: ___ STRIKE THREE After no-hitters on consecutive nights by Detroit right-hander Spencer Turnbull and Yankees newcomer Corey Kluber, is there a pitcher on the docket who can make it three days in a row? Kluber fired the sixth no-hitter in the majors already this year, leading New York over the Texas Rangers 2-0 on Wednesday. That marks the most this early in a season — seven in one year is the modern-era record — and four have come in a 15-day span. The two-time Cy Young Award winner came within a four-pitch walk to Charlie Culberson in the third inning of throwing a perfect game. It was the first time there were no-hitters on consecutive days since 1969, when Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney threw one on April 30 and Houston’s Don Wilson on May 1. There were two no-hitters on June 29, 1990, by the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Fernando Valenzuela and Oakland’s Dave Stewart. Kluber (4-2) struck out nine during the 12th no-hitter in Yankees history, the... [More]

A look at what’s happening around the majors Thursday: ___ VIRUS UPDATES An unidentified Washington Nationals player who is vaccinated and asymptomatic has tested positive for COVID-19, manager Dave Martinez said Wednesday. That player was deemed to have been in close contact with another Nationals player who is not vaccinated. Martinez said neither player would have been in the starting lineup against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday and neither was available off the bench. The Nationals placed right-handed pitchers Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey on the injured list before the game. Fernando Tatis Jr. homered and went 4 for 4 in his first game back after testing positive for COVID-19, helping San Diego beat Colorado 3-0 for a three-game sweep. Tatis, who had been out since May 11, finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle as the Padres won their sixth straight and ninth in 10 games. Tatis came up in the eighth inning and got his third extra-base hit, an RBI double New York Yankees shortstop... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. CARDINALS 5, PHILLIES 3 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run, helping Philadelphia beat St. Louis after Bryce Harper was hit in the face by a pitch. Harper left the game in the sixth inning after getting hit in his left cheek on a 96.9 mph fastball from left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera (0-1). Cabrera hit the next batter,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. MARLINS 6, BREWERS 2 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesús Aguilar homered for the fifth time in six games, a tiebreaking three-run shot off Eric Yardley in the fourth. Sandy Alcantara (1-2) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings. Zack Godley (0-1) walked five, threw two wild pitches, committed a balk and hit a batter in an eventful Brewers debut. He was charged with four runs,... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Clayton Kershaw yielded four hits over seven innings, Justin Turner homered and the Los Angeles Dodgers ended their three-game losing streak with an 8-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Kershaw (4-2) struck out eight and walked one never allowing Cincinnati to get a runner to third base. Matt Beaty drove in two runs with a pinch single on his 28th birthday during a six-run eighth. Nick Senzel matched his career high with four hits as the Reds were shut out for the fourth time. Sonny Gray (0-2) pitched four-hit ball into the sixth while striking out 11 and allowing four hits and three walks. MARLINS 6, BREWERS 2 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jesús Aguilar homered for the fifth time in six games, a tiebreaking three-run shot off Eric Yardley in the fourth. Sandy Alcantara (1-2) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings. Zack Godley (0-1) walked five, threw two wild pitches, committed a balk and hit a batter in an eventful Brewers debut. He was charged with four runs,... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Manuel Margot hit a tiebreaking two-run homer, Tyler Glasnow overcame cramps and poor control to pitch five innings of one-run ball and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees 6-3 Saturday and dropped New York to an AL-worst 5-9. New York lost its seventh straight series to the Rays is last this late in the season for the first time since 1991, per Elias Sports. Fans in the Bronx again booed the Bombers, but they were more restrained a day after some hurled baseballs and other items on the field late in an 8-2 loss to the Rays. Francisco Mejía hit a solo shot in the second off Jordan Montgomery (1-1), and Margot made it 3-1 with his homer off the left-hander in the fourth. Joey Wendle added a two-run shot against Jonathan Loaisiga in the seventh, and Mejía had an RBI double in the ninth. Glasnow (2-0) walked four but also struck out seven and limited New York to two hits as the Rays (7-8) won their second straight in the series. DODGERS 2, PADRES 0 SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mookie Betts... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings Wednesday, lifting the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep. Sandoval drove a 96 mph fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) more than 400 feet following Dansby Swanson’s two-out single in the seventh and final inning. Luke Jackson (1-0) earned the win in Game 2, and Sean Newcomb got three strikeouts for the save. Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled and had a pair of singles as Atlanta won the opener 7-6. The Braves put up five runs in the second inning off Erick Fedde (0-1), then wound up barely holding on with a save by Will Smith. Andrew Stevenson grounded into a game-ending double play. Josh Tomlin (1-0) pitched two hitless innings. Washington is missing nine players because of a coronavirus outbreak that led to the postponement of the team’s first four games. Four players... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings Wednesday, lifting the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep. Sandoval drove a 96 mph fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) more than 400 feet following Dansby Swanson’s two-out single in the seventh and final inning. Luke Jackson (1-0) earned the win in Game 2, and Sean Newcomb got three strikeouts for the save. Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled and had a pair of singles as Atlanta won the opener 7-6. The Braves put up five runs in the second inning off Erick Fedde (0-1), then wound up barely holding on with a save by Will Smith. Andrew Stevenson grounded into a game-ending double play. Josh Tomlin (1-0) pitched two hitless innings. Washington is missing nine players because of a coronavirus outbreak that led to the postponement of the team’s first four games. Four players... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings Wednesday, lifting the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep. Sandoval drove a 96 mph fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) more than 400 feet following Dansby Swanson’s two-out single in the seventh and final inning. Luke Jackson (1-0) earned the win in Game 2, and Sean Newcomb got three strikeouts for the save.. Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled and had a pair of singles as Atlanta won the opener 7-6. The Braves put up five runs in the second inning off Erick Fedde (0-1), then wound up barely holding on with a save by Will Smith. Andrew Stevenson grounded into a game-ending double play. Josh Tomlin (1-0) pitched two hitless innings. Washington is missing nine players because of a coronavirus outbreak that led to the postponement of the team’s first four games. Four players... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburg’s six scoreless innings Wednesday, lifting the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep. Sandoval drove a 96 mph fastball from Tanner Rainey (0-1) more than 400 feet following Dansby Swanson’s two-out single in the seventh and final inning. Luke Jackson (1-0) earned the win in Game 2, and Sean Newcomb got three strikeouts for the save.. Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled and had a pair of singles as Atlanta won the opener 7-6. The Braves put up five runs in the second inning off Erick Fedde (0-1), then wound up barely holding on with a save by Will Smith. Andrew Stevenson grounded into a game-ending double play. Josh Tomlin (1-0) pitched two hitless innings. Washington is missing nine players because of a coronavirus outbreak that led to the postponement of the team’s first four games. Four players... [More]

The Atlanta Braves stopped a season-starting four-game losing streak Wednesday by edging the Washington Nationals 7-6 in a doubleheader opener as Ronald Acuña Jr. doubled and had a pair of singles The Braves put up five runs in the second inning off Erick Fedde (0-1), then wound up barely holding on with a save by Will Smith a day after he gave up a walk-off hit to Juan Soto in a 6-5 loss to Washington. Andrew Stevenson grounded into a game-ending double play. Josh Tomlin (1-0) pitched two hitless innings. Washington is missing nine players because of a coronavirus outbreak that led to the postponement of the team’s first four games. Four players tested positive for COVID-19, and another five who would have been on the 26-man roster are under quarantine. REDS 11, PIRATES 4 Tyler Naquin hit another leadoff homer, this time off Chad Kuhl (0-1), Kyle Farmer added a two-run double in the first, and Cincinnati won its fifth straight Luis Castillo (1-1) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck... [More]

Jon Lester was back on a mound Thursday, wearing a Washington Nationals uniform while facing opposing batters for the first time in spring training and striking out a couple during his two innings, less than two weeks after surgery to remove a parathyroid gland. “Baseball, for me, is an escape. I come to the field, I’ve got stuff I need to do. I forget about this,” Lester said, pointing to the scar on the front of his throat, after Washington's 3-1 exhibition victory against the New York Mets at Port St. Lucie, Florida. "You dive into that routine," the 37-year-old left-hander said. Wearing a red Nationals No. 34 uniform, Bryce Harper's old number, along with a green hat the day after St. Patrick's Day, Lester allowed one run and one hit while throwing 31 pitches, 21 for strikes. He went to 0-2 counts on each of the first three Mets hitters, getting the first two out before walking J.D. Davis and giving up a first-pitch RBI double to James McCann. Then Lester pitched a 1-2-3 second inning,... [More]