Kurt Suzuki Injury Update: X-Ray On Hand Is Negative For Catcher

Kurt Suzuki's hand isn't broken. This much is clear after x-rays revealed no break in his right hand after taking a foul tip off of it early in Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Braves.

Suzuki's injury looked serious at the time and while his hand is quite swollen, the newly-acquired catcher dodged a bullet. Manager Davey Johnson was concerned but now feels relief, according to the Washington Times.

"I was really worried about Suzuki. He got it right between those two knuckles on the right hand," Johnson said, pointing to the area between his middle and ring fingers. "And it's awful swollen. But the trainers didn't think it was broken. If it was broken, it would've started getting really painful. So I don't think there's a problem there."

Later in the game, shortstop Ian Desmond tripped awkwardly and thought he may have hyper-extended his right knee. Luckily, that wasn't the case with Desmond being able to finish out the game.

"He said he just tripped," Johnson said. "We're all right there."

The Nationals now have a much-needed day off before starting a three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies.

For more on the Nationals, please be sure to check out our blog Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Nationals-Braves Final Score: Braves Beat up Nats, 5-1

The Atlanta Braves were able to win the final contest of their three-game set with the Washington Nationals, leaving Nationals Park with a 5-1 win on Wednesday night to avoid a sweep.

The Braves got an excellent pitching performance from Kris Medlen, who worked seven innings and didn't allow a run while scattering seven hits and striking out sever. Washington starter Ross Detwiler kept the Nationals in the game, surrendering just two runs on seven hits and a walk in 5.2 innings, but the 26-year-old took the loss.

Nationals reliever Tom Gorzelanny had a tough outing out of the bullpen, giving up three runs (one earned) in the ninth inning to blow the game open.

Atlanta's top three hitters set the table all night, with Martin Prado, Reed Johnson and Jason Heyward going a combined 5-for-12. Prado also drove in two runs with a fifth-inning double.

The only Nats player to have a multi-hit game was Ryan Zimmerman, who stroked two singles. Michael Morse picked up the lone Washington RBI, his 45th on the year.

For more on the Nationals, please be sure to check out our blog Federal Baseball.

When Will Stephen Strasburg's Last Start Of 2012 Be?

Braves Vs. Nationals Starting Lineup: Washington Tries To Bury The Braves

The Washington Nationals have announced their lineup for Wednesday's series finale (7:05 p.m. ET on MASN) against the Atlanta Braves. There's nothing out of the ordinary for the home team, which is trying for a three-game sweep.

The pitching matchup features the Nats' Ross Detwiler (7-5, 3.25 ERA) against the Braves' Kris Medlen (4-1, 2.03 ERA).

Washington Nationals:

1. Jayson Werth, RF
2. Bryce Harper, CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
4. Michael Morse, LF
5. Adam LaRoche, 1B
6. Ian Desmond, SS
7. Danny Espinosa, 2B
8. Kurt Suzuki, C
9. Ross Detwiler, LHP

Meanwhile, the Braves decided not to start second baseman Dan Uggla, as he's being replaced by Tyler Pastorinicky. Here's the rest of Atlanta's lineup.

Atlanta Braves:

1. Martin Prado, LF
2. Reed Johnson, CF
3. Jason Heyward, RF
4. Chipper Jones, 3B
5. Freddie Freeman, 1B
6. David Ross, C
7. Tyler Pastornicky, 2B
8. Paul Janish, SS
9. Kris Medlen, P

Head over to Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for more on the Nationals and be sure to check out Baseball Nation, your source for news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball.

Braves Vs. Nationals: Stephen Strasburg Shutdown Debate Heats Up After Tuesday's Outing

The debate over what the Washington Nationals should do with staff ace Stephen Strasburg is coming to a head as the right-handed pitcher closes in on the inning limit that was set by team general manager Mike Rizzo at the beginning of the year.

After missing the majority of the 2011 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Rizzo and the Nationals understandably want to preserve their ace for future seasons to come. This sentiment was shared in a column by the Washington Post's Editorial Board, which praised Rizzo's willingness to take the ball out of Strasburg's hand.

By shutting down Mr. Strasburg in September and reducing his risk of future injury, Mr. Rizzo - who calls the decision "mine and mine alone" - is making both the admirable choice for Mr. Strasburg and the prudent, if painful, choice for the Nationals.

However, there are individuals on the other side of the argument -- namely Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports -- who believe that the Nationals are a legitimate World Series contender and need Strasburg in order to make an extended post-season run.

This perspective was only further substantiated on Tuesday night when the star pitcher struck out 10 in six innings of work to help propel Washington to a series win over the Atlanta Braves.

Rosenthal expressed this perspective in a sarcasm drenched post on FOXSports.com on Wednesday afternoon.

Mercifully, the end is almost near. Strasburg, averaging just under six innings per start, will pitch four or five more times, tops. Then, the Nationals will do the only sensible thing and rip the ball out of his right hand. If his 24 teammates don't like it - if those ingrates think that winning the World Series actually matters - heaven help them.

With Strasburg sitting at 145.1 innings pitched, the 160-180 innings limit is on the horizon and so too may be the end of the young phenom's season.

Head over to Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for more on the Nationals. Read more on the Braves at Talking Chop and SB Nation Atlanta. And be sure to check out Baseball Nation, your source for news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball.

Ryan Zimmerman Understands Innings Limit For Stephen Strasburg

Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman would like nothing more than to see Stephen Strasburg pitch in the postseason this year.

But after the Nats' ace was given between 160 and 180 innings to pitch this season as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, Zimmerman has a clear understanding that the 24-year-old Strasburg's health comes first, according to a report appearing on the team's website:

"We are doing what's best for Stephen," Zimmerman said. "Stephen is probably the first person that doesn't want to do it. It's just the way it is. Just like we have done all year, when I've been hurt, [Michael] Morse has been hurt, Jayson [Werth] has been hurt or everyone else has been hurt, we'll get through it. We'll do what we have to do to win.

"Stephen is a special talent. I don't think anyone is going to deny that. Lucky for us, he is going to be a special talent with us for a long time. I would like to be able to look at that now and have that feeling 10 to 15 years from now. He is the prototypical ace. He is a big right-handed power pitcher. When you look at those guys [like Stephen], those guys are not fun to face.

Head over to Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for more on the Nationals and be sure to check out Baseball Nation, your source for news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball.

Braves Vs. Nationals Preview: Washington Seeks Sweep Of Atlanta

The Washington Nationals will be looking to win their fourth consecutive game and also a three-game sweep of the visiting Atlanta Braves when the two meet on Wednesday night at Nationals Park. Washington defeated Atlanta on Tuesday by a final score of 4-1 and the victory put the Nats seven games ahead of the Braves in the NL East standings.

The Nationals will send Ross Detwiler to the mound in the series finale. Detwiler picked up a win in his last outing against the New York Mets last Friday and has been on a tear since the All-Star break. The left-hander has gone 3-0 with an ERA of 1.33 since the break.

First pitch on Wednesday night will be at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Head over to Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for more on the Nationals. Read more on the Braves at Talking Chop and SB Nation Atlanta. And be sure to check out Baseball Nation, your source for news, notes and analysis around Major League Baseball.

Braves Vs. Nationals Recap: Stephen Strasburg Pitches Washington To Series-Clinching Win

The Washington Nationals pushed their lead in the NL East to seven games on Tuesday night with a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.

The win clinched the series for the Nats, who were paced by an outstanding start from Stephen Strasburg. The Washington ace struck out 10 Braves in six innings of work. It was unclear whether Strasburg would return after a 51-minute rain delay, but he re-took the mound and didn't miss a beat as he mowed down the division rivals.

On offense, the Nationals had two quick strikes via the long ball to provide Strasburg a four-run cushion. Ian Desmond went deep for the second time in as many nights, crushing one into the left-field seats in the bottom of the second. Desmond was hitless in the series against the Mets after returning from the DL, but he appears to be quickly regaining his All-Star form.

The second blast came in the bottom of the fifth and this time it was the No. 8 hitter in the lineup. Catcher Jesus Flores caught a Paul Maholm offering with Desmond and Adam LaRoche on base, ricocheting it off the railing above the wall in left. The four-run lead would be more than enough for Strasburg and the Nationals bullpen.

Drew Storen, Sean Burnett, and Tyler Clippard cleaned up the final three innings to preserve the win. Things got a little interesting in the top of the ninth, but Clippard induced three straight outs in the air to strand two runners and end the game. Dan Uggla and Brian McCann popped out in the infield on two consecutive pitches and Juan Francisco sent one deeper to right, but Jayson Werth camped under it.

The Nats can now take a further stranglehold on the division with a sweep on Wednesday. Ross Detwiler will go for Washington while Kris Medlen will pitch for Atlanta.

For more Nationals baseball, check out Federal Baseball.

Nationals Vs. Braves: Stephen Strasburg Leaves With 10 Strikeouts in Six Innings

Stephen Strasburg's unusual night has come to a close, as the Washington Nationals ace struck out 10 in six innings of work, leaving the Nationals with a 4-1 lead over the Atlanta Braves.

Fighting against a 51-minute rain delay, Strasburg was able to weather the storm of the having to sit idly by waiting for the rain to stop while working on a strong outing. Strasburg had struck out four and given up two hits before the rain halted the Nationals and Braves for a second straight night.

The looming innings limit that Strasburg has had to deal with all season likely played into the decision making by the Nationals' coaching staff, including manager Davey Johnson, however, Strasburg returned to the mound when play resumed after nearly an hour delay.

The night was Strasburg's fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season.

The Nationals were able to provide Strasburg some run support once the rain cleared, as a three-run Jesus Flores homer provided more than enough for a dominant Strasburg.

For more Nationals baseball, check out Federal Baseball.

Braves Vs. Nationals: Jesus Flores Catches Stephen Strasburg Tuesday Night

The lineups are set for the second game in the series between the NL East-leading Washington Nationals and Atlanta Braves, who sit six games behind Washington and in control of the NL Wild Card race. Stephen Strasburg (14-5, 2.91 ERA) will take the mound for the Nats while Paul Maholm (11-7, 3.39 ERA) will get the start for Atlanta. Jesus Flores will catch for the Nationals and bat eighth, giving Kurt Suzuki a break.

Here are the full lineups for Tuesday's game between the Nationals and Braves:

Nationals

1. Jason Werth, RF
2. Bryce Harper, CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
4. Michael Morse, LF
5. Adam LaRoche, 1B
6. Ian Desmond, SS
7. Danny Espinosa, 2B
8. Jesus Flores, C
9. Stephen Strasburg, SP

Braves Vs. Nationals: Stephen Strasburg Starts Second Game Of Series

Nats fans can't - and probably shouldn't - fight Stephen Strasburg's innings limit as the phenom starter prepares to wrap up his season before the rest of his team, but they can enjoy watching him pitch his last few starts, including a pivotally important outing Tuesday night as Washington looks to extend a six-game lead on Atlanta.

With Strasburg's "160-to-180" innings limit approaching, his start against the Braves will be one of the biggest of his young career. After a 13-inning affair saw Washington use all seven relievers in a 5-4 win in the series opener, Washington's bullpen could use an easy night. Although the Nats have been tentative to let Strasburg go late in ballgames - he hasn't pitched over seven innings in an outing this year - they'll hope he can give them some quality innings before turning to a tiring bullpen.

Strasburg will face off against Paul Maholm, who has been near-dominant, dating back to before he was traded from the Cubs to the Braves: he's won six of his last decisions and has only given up more than a single run once since the start of July, including a 1.57 ERA in his first three starts with Atlanta. All that makes for a great pitching matchup with playoff implications.

For more on the Nationals, check out Federal Baseball and stay tuned to SB Nation DC.

Braves Vs. Nationals Recap: Dan Uggla Miscue Gives Washington 5-4 Win In 13 Innings

Dan Uggla's 13th-inning miscue allowed Danny Espinosa to score the winning run as the Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-4 early Tuesday morning at Nationals Park.

The winning rally started with an Ian Desmond infield single. Espinosa followed and failed to lay down a sacrifice bunt, reaching on the fielder's choice. The Washington second baseman went to third after the left side of the Braves infield charged Kurt Suzuki's slow-rolling infield hit, leaving no one on the bag. Then, pinch-hitter Chad Tracy hit a slow roller to second that got stuck in Uggla's glove, allowing Espinosa to cross with the winning run.

Tracy's hit was initially called an error and was not officially changed to an infield hit until after the game had ended.

The win moved Washington six games clear of Atlanta in the National League East, the Nats' largest division lead of the season.

The Braves broke through in the first inning against Jordan Zimmermann when Jason Heyward singled home Martin Prado. But the Nationals came roaring back in the bottom half of the frame, putting a four-spot up on the board against Tim Hudson. The big bats came through in Davey Johnson's order, with Bryce Harper, Adam LaRoche, and Ian Desmond all knocking in runs.

Jayson Werth led off the inning with a double and was immediately brought home by Harper, who placed a single into shallow left field. Harper scored on a LaRoche ground out to right side of the infield and Desmond capped the rally with his first hit since returning from the disabled list. Desmond did not make any rehab appearances, and was thrown right back into the lineup for the weekend series against the Mets. He went 0-for-11 but that slump ended in a loud way in the first on Monday when he took a Hudson slider over the left-field fence for the 4-1 lead.

Zimmermann was not his sharpest, and he could not hold the three-run cushion. Heyward's big night continued in the top of the 5th when he turned on one and sent a Zimmermann offering over the right field wall. Heyward dug it out and sent a laser into the bleachers.

The Nationals mounted a walk-off threat in the bottom of the ninth, but Werth hit one to the warning track with the bases loaded to end the inning and send it to extras. On two separate occasions, it looked like the Nats might end with balls sent deep to the wall. Both LaRoche (in the 10th) and Werth (in the 11th) sent hard hit balls to the top of the wall, but Heyward brought them down to keep the game tied up.

The Nats went through their entire bullpen during the crucial divisional game, with Craig Stammen coming on in the top of the 12th as the final man out of the pen.

The game ended shortly before 12:30 a.m. The start of the game was delayed 56 minutes by rain.

For more on the Nationals, please be sure to check out our blog Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC for all the latest news and updates.

Braves Vs. Nationals Lineup: Jayson Werth Leads Off, Jordan Zimmermann Starts For Washington

The lineups are set as the Washington Nationals prepare to take on the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of a three-game series beginning Monday night at 7:05 p.m. ET at Nationals Park. Jayson Werth will lead off for the Nats, and Jordan Zimmermann (9-7, 2.38 ERA) will start on the pitcher's mound. Tim Hudson (12-4, 3.59 ERA) will start for the Braves, who are looking to close the gap on their five-game deficit to Washington in the NL East standings.

Here are the full lineups for Monday's game between the Nationals and the Braves:

Nationals

1. Jayson Werth, RF
2. Bryce Harper, CF
3. Ryan Zimmerman, 3B
4. Michael Morse, LF
5. Adam LaRoche, 1B
6. Ian Desmond, SS
7. Danny Espinosa, 2B
8. Kurt Suzuki, C
9. Jordan Zimmermann, SP

Braves

1. Michael Bourn, CF
2. Martin Prado, LF
3. Jason Heyward, RF
4. Chipper Jones, 3B
5. Freddie Freeman, 1B
6. Dan Uggla, 2B
7. Brian McCann, C
8. Paul Janish, SS
9. Tim Hudson, SP

For more on the Nationals, check out Federal Baseball and SB Nation DC.

Edwin Jackson Hopes To Remain With Nationals Beyond 2012

Edwin Jackson has pitched for six teams since 2008, but he thinks the Nationals might be a long-term home for him.

Nationals Vs. Braves: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Nationals and Braves will duel in an all-important series starting Monday in Washington.