WASHINGTON NATIONALS NEWS

Joan Adon - Draws first big-league start Adon will be promoted from Triple-A Rochester to start Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact Adon has pitched at three levels of the minor leagues this season. He spent the majority of the campaign with High-A Wilmington, where he managed a 4.97 ERA with 91 strikeouts across 87 frames. Despite throwing only 18 innings between Double and Triple-A, he'll make his major-league debut in a game that could have implications on the American League playoff picture. Most recently, Adon threw four scoreless innings while striking out seven and walking three in his only start with Triple-A Rochester.

OCTOBER 3, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Soto's late-inning spark not enough for Nats WASHINGTON -- The ovation from the crowd was so loud, it rivaled the volume of his walk-up music pumping through the speakers on Saturday ni...

OCTOBER 3, 2021 • MLB.COM

Nationals falter late to Red Sox in a game with huge AL wild card ramifications The Nationals may be playing out the string, but Saturday's game was rife with playoff drama as the Red Sox win tightened the AL wild card r...

OCTOBER 3, 2021 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Red Sox rally in 9th, on brink of clinching wild-card berth

Christian Vázquez tripled home the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox moved to the brink of a postseason berth with a 5-3 win over the Washington Nationals

OCTOBER 3, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Stephen Strasburg - Will begin throwing in November Strasburg (neck) will begin throwing Nov. 2, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Impact Strasburg has spent the past few months recovery from thoracic outlet surgery, a procedure he underwent back in late July. The fact that he'll start throwing so early in the offseason seemingly bodes well for his readiness for next year, but it will be hard to have much confidence in his health during draft season given that he's made just seven starts over the last two years.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Gerardo Parra - Activated from injured list Parra (knee) was activated off the injured list Saturday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

Impact Parra will wind up missing just shy of a month with right knee inflammation. He's unlikely to play more than a small role over the final two games of the year, as he's not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Red Sox. Josh Rogers (hamstring) hit the injured list to clear a roster spot.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Rogers - Dealing with hamstring strain Rogers landed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain Saturday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

Impact Rogers wasn't going to pitch again this season after tossing six innings Friday against the Red Sox, so the bar to place him on the injured list was likely quite low. He'll end the season with a 3.28 ERA and 1.29 WHIP across six major-league starts. Gerardo Parra (knee) returned from the injured list to take his place on the roster.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Yadiel Hernandez - Remains sidelined Hernandez (mouth) will sit Saturday against the Red Sox.

Impact Hernandez was a late scratch Friday due to a dental procedure, and he evidently needs at least one more day to recover. Andrew Stevenson remains the starter in left field.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Luis García - Battling rib issue Garcia remains out of the lineup Saturday against Boston due to soreness in his rib cage, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.

Impact Garcia will miss his second straight game with the issue, and it's very possible he's already played his last game of the season, as the Nationals have no reason to risk him aggravating anything on the last day of the campaign. If that's the case, he'll end the year with a .242/.275/.411 line across 70 games. Jordy Mercer will make another start at second base in his absence.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Red Sox to face Nationals on the road

The Nationals will start Josiah Gray on Saturday while the Red Sox have yet to announce who will take the mound

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jordy Mercer - Pops homer in loss Mercer went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-2 loss to Boston.

Impact The infielder went yard in the eighth inning, but that was the last of Washington's scoring in the contest. Mercer has hit safely in five of his last six games, going 6-for-25 (.240) in that span. He has a .261/.317/.369 slash line across 120 plate appearances while adding two homers, seven RBI and 13 runs scored in 44 contests this year. Mercer has seen less than a short-side platoon role at second base with Luis Garcia since the former returned from a calf injury in mid-September, although Mercer has also seen some playing time at the hot corner.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Alcides Escobar - Goes yard in loss Escobar went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 4-2 loss to Boston.

Impact The shortstop got Washington on the board in the seventh inning with his fourth homer of the year. There hasn't been much power in his game, but Escobar batted .288 (36-for-125) in September and shouldn't slow down over the final weekend of the season. He owns a .288/.337/.404 slash line with three stolen bases, 28 RBI and 52 runs scored across 340 plate appearances this year.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Rogers - Unravels in sixth inning Rogers (2-2) allowed four runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts in six innings, taking the loss Friday versus Boston.

Impact The southpaw matched Eduardo Rodriguez well through five innings, but Boston solved Rogers in the sixth with home runs by Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec. Rogers was promising in his first four starts, but he gave up seven runs in 10.2 innings, including four homers, across his final two turns through the rotation. He ends 2021 with a 3.28 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 22:14 K:BB across 35.2 major-league innings, which could be enough for Washington to include him in its rotation in 2022.

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Red Sox beat Nats, move into 2nd spot in AL wild-card chase

Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec hit back-to-back homers during a four-run sixth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 4-2 to move into the second spot in the...

OCTOBER 2, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Yadiel Hernandez - Undergoes dental procedure Hernandez's removal from Friday's lineup against the Red Sox was due to a dental procedure, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

Impact It's not yet clear whether Hernandez's procedure will force him to miss any additional time. However, Andrew Stevenson started in his place Friday and will likely take over in left field if the 33-year-old is held out for either of the final two games of the regular season.

OCTOBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Yadiel Hernandez - Late scratch Friday Hernandez was scratched from Friday's lineup versus the Red Sox for undisclosed reasons.

Impact Hernandez was penciled in to start in left field but was a late removal from the lineup with no explanation from the team. It's unclear if this is an injury situation or simply a lineup change. Andrew Stevenson will start in left field in his place Friday.

OCTOBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Luis García - Not starting Friday Garcia is out of the lineup Friday against the Red Sox.

Impact Garcia started the past 11 games and will head to the bench after hitting .298/.313/.468 with one homer, five doubles, 10 RBI and four runs during that span. Jordy Mercer will start at the keystone with lefty Eduardo Rodriguez pitching for Boston.

OCTOBER 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

No-hitters, walk-offs and Shohei Ohtani: When good things happen to bad teams

Before all the losing MLB teams go home for the winter, Jake Mintz remembers some of the good times they had this season.

OCTOBER 1, 2021

Ex-Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, who is having a resurgent season, nears milestone The former Royals shortstop has been a bright spot for a struggling Nationals team.

OCTOBER 1, 2021 • KANSASCITY.COM

Perspective ' Ryan Zimmerman became the face of the Nationals. This is how he started. This weekend might bring the final walk-off for Mr. Walk-Off, so let’s think back to the beginning.

OCTOBER 1, 2021 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

MLB 2021 surprise rankings: Giants, Mariners among the most unexpected winners

Which teams were the most surprising in 2021? Jordan Shusterman ranks all 30 clubs, from the predictable to the shocking.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Mason Thompson - Dealt loss Wednesday Thompson (1-3) failed to record an out, yielding two runs on a hit, a hit batter and a walk to take the loss versus Colorado on Wednesday.

Impact The right-hander made a mess of things in the third inning, allowing Colorado to take the lead after a long rain delay. Thompson has allowed six runs (five earned) through 10.1 innings across 14 appearances in September. For the year, he has a 3.65 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 23:14 K:BB in 24.2 innings between Washington and San Diego. He's also posted seven holds in 30 outings.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Paolo Espino - Start shortened by rain Espino yielded four runs on four hits and a walk with no strikeouts in two innings versus Colorado on Wednesday. He did not factor in the decision.

Impact Espino's start was cut short by a weather delay in Colorado, although he wasn't pitching all that well prior to the stoppage. The right-hander's biggest mistake was a three-run home run he allowed to Ryan McMahon in the first inning. Espino has a 4.27 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 92:25 K:BB through 109.2 innings, likely his final numbers this season despite the short start. He's done well enough to be considered for a spot in the rotation in 2022.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Nationals finish their road slate with a long, slow march to a loss vs. Rockies In a defeat that looked like many others, the Nationals' bullpen buckles in a 10-5 loss.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 • WASHINGTONPOST.COM

Story has four hits, Rockies beat Nationals in home finale Trevor Story had four hits in possibly his final appearance at Coors Field with Colorado, helping the Rockies beat the Washington Nationals...

SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 • WASHINGTONTIMES.COM