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Mario Hernandez - RotoBaller has written 426 articles so far, you can find them below.
Seth Romero Violated Internal Policy
Washington Nationals pitching prospect Seth Romero, the 2017 first-round pick who was sent home from camp Monday, violated a team policy and not an MLB one, according to Chelsea Janes of The Washington Post. She notes that the removal wasn't from a failed drug test or any other league-wide rule that was violated, though the... Read More
Michael A. Taylor Still Out With Soreness
Washington Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor (side) is still not playing games due to right side soreness. He woke up that way on Monday and notified the Nats, who kept him out of Monday's game. While the club doesn't think the injury is serious, Taylor did miss a month last season with an oblique strain.... Read More
Tanner Roark Executes Well In Third Spring Start
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Tanner Roark threw four clean innings in his third spring start on Monday. He gave up no runs, one hit and punched out three batters while walking none. He pitched out of a modified stretch, as opposed to a full windup, and it remains to be seen if he'll keep throwing... Read More
Walker Buehler Will See His Innings Increase
Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect Walker Buehler could see his workload increase to 140 to 150 innings this season. That's a big jump from the 88 2/3 innings he pitched in 2017 and indicates he will be primarily used as a starter. It's a remarkable turnaround that we're even talking about Buehler in the... Read More
Adam Eaton Still Not In Games
Washington Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton (knee), who sustained a season-ending injury last April, is being brought back slowly in spring training and has yet to play in a game. He's passed all his tests with flying colors, but the team is careful given how badly his leg ended up (torn anterior cruciate ligament, a torn... Read More
Daniel Murphy Starts Hitting Off Tee
Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (knee) has begun to hit balls off a tee, according to new manager Dave Martinez. The team is bringing Murphy back at a glacial pace as he recovers from debridement microfracture surgery he had back in October right after the season ended. Murphy has a history of injuries, so... Read More
Michael Taylor Scratched From Game
Washington Nationals outfielder Michael Taylor (side) was a late scratch from his start in Monday's game. The team said he's experiencing "mild side tightness," which doesn't sound serious until you remember that Taylor missed a month last season with an oblique strain. Top prospect Victor Robles will replace Taylor in the three-hole while playing center. Moises... Read More
Kenta Maeda Solid In Second Spring Outing
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda pitched solidly in his second Cactus League game on Sunday. In 2 1/3 innings, he gave up two hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking none. The lone run came from prospect Steven Duggar's home run in the third. Maeda is looking to solidify his... Read More
Austin Barnes' Catching Start Pushed To Tuesday
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (elbow) will finally play his first spring training game on Tuesday. He had originally been penciled in to start on Monday but was pushed back one day likely because of the virus that struck many in the clubhouse last week. Barnes felt his throwing elbow start "barking" shortly before camp,... Read More
Corey Seager Progressing But Not Ready To Return To Field
Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (elbow) will serve as the designated hitter for the team on Monday, but there's no timetable for his return to the field. Seager has been nursing a sore elbow that's been giving him trouble since the end of last season. He said he'll start throwing to the other bases on... Read More
Hyun-Jin Ryu Will Start Dodgers "B" Game On Monday
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu (illness) will make his spring training debut on Monday, but it will be during the team's B game against minor leaguers. Ryu's debut had been delayed by the stomach virus that affected dozens of players and attendants last week. He's been injured the last few seasons but can still be... Read More
Tom Koehler Will Start Season On DL With Shoulder Strain
Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tom Koehler, the only major offseason acquisition by the club, was diagnosed with a mild shoulder capsule strain and will start the season on the disabled list. The righty left his Cactus League game on Friday after giving up a home run and two walks, while only getting one out. The... Read More
Tom Koehler Leaves Game With Possible Injury
Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Tom Koehler (undisclosed), who was recently acquired, left Friday's Cactus League game against the White Sox after a third of an inning. He left with trainer Nate Lucero and got an MRI. He quickly gave up a home run to Adam Engel on his first pitch of the third inning, so things... Read More
A.J. Cole Looks Like Nationals Fifth Starter
Washington Nationals rookie starter A.J. Cole seems to have the fifth spot in the rotation locked down. The Nationals are still in talks with free-agent starter Jake Arrieta, but his price would seem to be too rich for Washington's blood. Fellow prospect Erick Fedde is also in the mix, but unlike him, Cole is out of... Read More
Ryan Zimmerman Makes Solid Contact In His 2018 Debut
Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman went 1-for-2 in his spring training debut on Friday. The veteran 33-year-old had been held from playing earlier due to stiffness and a history of injury. He lined a shot to the right fielder in his first at-bat and doubled the second time up. Zimmerman regained his youthful form... Read More
Bryce Harper And His Healed Toenail Will Start Saturday
Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper will return to action on Saturday after having a minor surgical procedure on an ingrown toenail. He had a similar situation in 2013 and only missed one game then. He won't play the field, however. He'll serve as the designated hitter while hitting third. Harper is about to become the... Read More
Kenley Jansen Given Day Off, Will Still Be Ready
Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen has been given the day off from his bullpen session on Friday. He'll still be ready for Opening Day, though, since relievers are given a lighter workload in the spring. The team is also mindful of his innings from last season and hopes to give him a similar number... Read More
Walker Buehler Impressing In Early Bullpen Sessions
Los Angeles Dodgers top pitching prospect Walker Buehler is impressing his pitching coaches in his first bullpen sessions. Back problems in January have led to a reduced throwing program for Buehler, but the Dodgers likely don't mind. He's two full seasons removed from Tommy John surgery and despite success in the minor leagues last season,... Read More
Austin Barnes Will Catch First Game Monday
Los Angeles Dodgers backup catcher Austin Barnes (elbow) will make his Cactus League debut on Monday behind the plate. Barnes has been on a reduced throwing program after he developed elbow problems on the eve of spring training. A clubhouse virus that made its way across the team earlier this week also delayed his first appearance.... Read More
Bryce Harper Scratched With Ingrown Toenail
Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was scratched from his Wednesday start with an ingrown toenail. Victor Robles will start in right field in his place. This is the second foot-related incident with the Nationals in the last week (Matt Adams has a foot blister), so maybe the Mets have transferred their injury voodoo onto their division... Read More
Ryan Zimmerman Still Awaiting 2018 Debut
Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who came alive last season after a couple of injury-plagued campaigns, has yet to play in spring training. This is by design, according to new manager Dave Martinez, who is mindful of Zimmerman's history and in no hurry to push him. The Nationals starting first baseman was scheduled to start... Read More
Matt Kemp Homers In First Game Back For Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, who was acquired in a contract swap with Atlanta in the offseason, gave die-hard Dodgers fans a case of deja vu on Friday by homering in his first game back since the 2014 playoffs. Kemp went 2-for-2 on the day after getting a single in his first at-bat. The Dodgers... Read More
Yasmani Grandal Adjusts Launch Angle In Offseason
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal has joined the fly-ball revolution, according to The Athletic's Pedro Moura. Grandal ran into hitting coach Casey Chenoweth, who, ironically, now works for the Giants in the minor leagues, in the offseason and became interested in launch angles as a way to improve his catching. But an adjustment with his... Read More
Austin Barnes Has Elbow Discomfort, Will DH For Now
Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (elbow) began to feel his elbow "barking" as he prepped for spring training and won't catch during this first week. He will serve as the designated hitter instead, according to manager Dave Roberts. The situation doesn't seem to be serious, though, and he'll be put on a delayed throwing program. Yasmani... Read More
Chris Taylor Will Also Play Shortstop And Second In 2018
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained on Wednesday that outfielder Chris Taylor will get repetitions at shortstop and second base, in addition to manning the outfield in 2018. The Dodgers have a recovering Logan Forsythe penciled in at second, and shortstop Corey Seager was hurt late last season. So Taylor, along with Kike Hernandez, will serve as... Read More
Julio Urias Throwing From 75 Feet
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias (shoulder) said in a spring training clubhouse interview with Sports Net L.A.'s Alanna Rizzo that he remains optimistic about his recovery from shoulder cap surgery. He says he's throwing from 75 feet and looks forward to throwing from the mound again. However, he also stressed that he hasn't been given a... Read More
Alex Wood Now Throwing Out Of The Stretch
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times that starting pitcher Alex Wood is throwing out of the stretch more this spring in order to "simplify his delivery." The move is undoubtedly designed to increase Wood's longevity after losing gas down the stretch last season. He broke out in 2017 by... Read More
Cody Bellinger Won't Play Outfield This Spring
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told L.A. Times reporter Andy McCullough that the club has "no plans" to use first baseman Cody Bellinger in the outfield this spring. Bellinger spent most of his rookie season manning first base but also played all three outfield positions. He's considered a top-25 outfielder, so hopefully the Dodgers will... Read More
Alex Wood Throws Cautiously Despite Bad Ankle
Updating a previous report, Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Alex Wood (ankle) threw off the mound in Arizona on Friday, dispelling the severity of his ankle injury. Wood rolled his ankle during a running drill on Thursday and was sidelined briefly until further tests and X-rays, but he told SportsNet LA's Alanna Rizzo that he could have... Read More
Julio Urias Starts Throwing Again
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Julio Urias (shoulder) posted a video of himself on his Instagram account that shows him throwing for the first time in seven months. The 21-year-old had surgery on his left anterior shoulder capsule last June, which ended his 2017 season. Despite calling the video the "the happiest day of his therapy," he... Read More
