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) — The Washington Nationals placed outfielder Victor Robles on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a sprained right ankle. The move is retroactive to Wednesday. Robles is hitting .246 with five RBIs in 39 games. The team did not announce a corresponding move. Washington also placed right-handed pitcher Will Harris on the 10-day injured list with right hand inflammation. Harris is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in eight appearances this season. The Nationals recalled right-hander Kyle McGowin from Triple-A Rochester to take Harris’ place on the roster. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals reinstated outfielder Juan Soto from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday, but last year's NL batting champion will be limited to pinch-hitting duty for now. Washington also reinstated right-handed reliever Will Harris from the IL, optioned right-hander Kyle McGowin to Triple-A Rochester and designated utilityman Hernán Pérez for assignment ahead of Tuesday's opener of a three-game series against NL East rival Atlanta. Soto has missed 10 games with a strained left shoulder. Manager Dave Martinez said the injury no longer bothers Soto while hitting, but he is not yet ready to play the outfield. “To have his kind of bat readily available to pinch hit, it's kind of nice,” Martinez said. Soto is hitting .300 with two homers and eight RBIs in 14 games. He batted an NL-best .351 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Martinez did not provide a timetable for when Soto would return to right field but said he likely would be the designated hitter during this... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Starting pitchers Jon Lester and Patrick Corbin, closer Brad Hand and four position players expected in the lineup — left fielder Kyle Schwarber, first baseman Josh Bell, second baseman Josh Harrison and catcher Yan Gomes — were put on the 10-day injured list by the Washington Nationals on Tuesday. Backup catcher Alex Avila and reserve infielder Jordy Mercer also went on the IL before Washington played its first game of the season at home against the Atlanta Braves. The Nationals' first four games on the schedule were postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak within the team. Four players tested positive for COVID-19, and an additional seven were placed under quarantine after contact tracing found that they might have been exposed to the illness. The Nationals have not publicly identified the 11 players involved. The team's announcement of those nine players on the IL did not specify why they are sidelined. A 10th player who was put on the injured list on Tuesday, reliever... [More]

Carter Kieboom, a first-round draft pick and the expected starting third baseman for the Washington Nationals, was sent to the minor leagues on Saturday. Drafted in 2016, Kieboom has struggled at the plate in limited opportunities in the majors, batting .181 in 44 games over two seasons with Washington. Kieboom and Starlin Castro had been getting time at third in preseason camp. Also optioned to Triple-A Rochester were INF Luis Garcia, LHP Sam Clay, RHP Kyle McGowin and OF Yadiel Hernández. Surprising additions to the team’s major league roster were INF Jordy Mercer and INF/OF Hernán Pérez. Mercer has a split contract: $1,000,000 while he’s in the majors and $150,000 in the minors, plus $50,000 each for 100, 150, 200, and 250 plate appearances, and $100,000 each for 300 and 400 plate appearances. Re-assigned to minor league camp were RHP Aaron Barrett, RHP Paolo Espino, RHP Javy Guerra, RHP Todd Peterson, C Welington Castillo, C Brandon Snyder, C Blake Swihart, INF Adrían Sanchez, OF Gerardo Parra and OF Carlos Tocci. The Nationals also released Yasmany Tomás and T.J. McFarland from their minor league contracts and first baseman Jake Noll was designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor. Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams. Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run. At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988. San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August. Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season. Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the pandemic-shortened season, beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 Wednesday behind Dustin May’s gutty effort out of the bullpen and home runs from AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor.Will Smith drove in three runs for the seven-time defending NL West champion Dodgers, who opened a 3 1/2-game lead in the division by winning two of three in the matchup of the NL’s two best teams.Mookie Betts tied his career high with three stolen bases, had two hits and scored a run.At 35-15, the Dodgers breezed into the expanded 16-team postseason field. Los Angeles is seeking its first World Series title since 1988.San Diego has lost two straight for the first time since mid-August.Manny Machado hit a solo homer in the eighth, his 14th of the season.Starter Brusdar Gasterol allowed a hit and a run in 1 1/3 innings before Adam Kolarek (3-0) allowed a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Baez got the final two... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, Albert Pujols drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros to sweep Saturday’s doubleheader.It was not a walk-off win for the Angels, though. They were the visiting team in the nightcap because it was a makeup of the Aug. 26 game in Houston that was postponed due to Tropical Storm Laura.Mike Trout became the Angels’ home run leader in the first game with No. 300 of his career and Jo Adell celebrated with a game-winning, two-run single in the seventh to give Los Angeles a 10-9 win.Rendon hitting homers to sink the Astros is nothing new. He had a three-run shot for Washington in Game 6 of last year’s World Series and then a solo drive in the deciding game to start the Nationals’ comeback.Noe Ramirez (1-0) worked a scoreless sixth and Ty Buttrey earned his fifth save.Los Angeles trailed 6-4 in the seventh. Justin Upton singled and Trout walked before Rendon... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout became the Angels’ career home run leader and Jo Adell celebrated with a game-ending, two-run single in the seventh, lifting Los Angeles to a 10-9 victory over the Houston Astros in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.The Angels trailed by two going into the seventh. Trout and Shohei Ohtani drew walks before Justin Upton doubled to drive in Trout. One out later, Adell lined a two-run single to right off Enoli Paredes (1-2) for his first game-ending hit.Trout hit career homer No. 300 in the third inning to pass Tim Salmon as the franchise leader. He also had a pair of doubles.Adell and Upton also homered, and Felix Peña (3-0) got the win.Kyle Tucker homered and drove in three runs for the Astros, who lost in walk-off fashion for the second straight game.INDIANS 4, BREWERS 3CLEVELAND (AP) — Milwaukee closer Josh Hader allowed his first hit of the season, and then gave up César Hernández’s game-winning single in the ninth inning.Oscar Mercado, who... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals released relief pitcher Hunter Strickland on Saturday.Unconditionally releasing Strickland and David Hernandez were among a handful of moves made by the Nationals. They also optioned Jake Noll, Ben Braymer, Aaron Barrett and Kyle McGowin to Triple A and assigned Jacob Wilson, Brandon Snyder, Taylor Gushue, JB Shuck, Dakota Bacus, Bryan Bonnell and Wil Crowe to minor league camp.Strickland was a trade-deadline pickup for Washington last season. The 31-year-old appeared in 24 regular-season games but none in the playoffs as the Nationals won the World Series.Strickland before that was most known around Washington for plunking and brawling with ex-Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper in 2018. Strickland spent his first five major league seasons with San Francisco. He was with Seattle before the trade to Washington.In 281 career games with the Giants, Mariners and Nationals, Strickland is 16-15 with a 3.16 ERA, 229 strikeouts, 87 walks and 21 saves.MLB announced Thursday the season will be delayed at least two weeks from its scheduled start on March 26 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Teams speculated the season might not start until sometime in May, necessitating a reduced schedule.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Nationals first. Trea Turner pops out to Elias Diaz. Adam Eaton homers to right field. Anthony Rendon doubles to deep center field. Juan Soto walks. Asdrubal Cabrera out on a sacrifice fly to deep right field to Melky Cabrera. Juan Soto to second. Anthony Rendon scores. Matt Adams homers to center field. Juan Soto scores. Victor Robles grounds out to shallow infield, Trevor Williams to Josh Bell.4 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Nationals 4, Pirates 0.Nationals second. Yan Gomes walks. Joe Ross reaches on a fielder's choice to shallow infield. Yan Gomes to third. Throwing error by Elias Diaz. Trea Turner homers to center field. Joe Ross scores. Yan Gomes scores. Adam Eaton strikes out swinging. Anthony Rendon grounds out to third base, Colin Moran to Josh Bell. Juan Soto singles to center field. Asdrubal Cabrera walks. Juan Soto to second. Matt Adams doubles to deep right center field. Asdrubal Cabrera out at home. Juan Soto scores.4 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 left on. Nationals 8, Pirates... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Nationals have put struggling closer Sean Doolittle on the 10-day injured list with right knee tendinitis, a day after he gave up three home runs in the ninth inning against Milwaukee.The NL wild-card leaders made the move Sunday. They recalled righty Kyle McGowin from Double-A Harrisburg.Doolittle has posted a career-worst 4.33 ERA with 28 saves. But the lefty blew his sixth save try Saturday in a 15-14, 14-inning loss. Doolittle allowed four runs on four hits while recording just one out in pitching for the second day in a row.Doolittle is 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA since the All-Star break. He is 6-4 overall and has given up a career-high 10 home runs.The two-time All-Star has pitched 52 innings this season, his most since 2014.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports