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Nationals' Miles Mikolas: Allows two homers in bulk relief
Rotowire
Mikolas did not factor into the decision in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Orioles, allowing four runs on six hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 5.2 innings.
Mikolas threw 61 of 93 pitches for strikes but coughed up four runs, three of which came via the long ball. It actually marked the longest outing of the year for the veteran, who owns a 6.91 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 28:14 K:BB across 41.2 innings this season while making six starts and working behind an opener four times. Regardless of role, his next matchup lines up as a difficult road test against Atlanta next weekend.
Nationals' Miles Mikolas: Handling bulk-relief role Sunday
Rotowire
Mikolas is expected to be deployed in bulk relief behind opener Richard Lovelady in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Mikolas started his prior three appearances, but the Nationals are opting to bring him out of the bullpen for the fourth time this season Sunday. Mikolas accrued a 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 5:3 K:BB in 11 innings over his prior three bulk relief outings.
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Nationals' Richard Lovelady: Working as opener Sunday
Rotowire
Lovelady will serve as the Nationals' opening pitcher in Sunday's game against the Orioles, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Lovelady hasn't recorded more than six outs in any of his 17 appearances this season, so he'll handle a limited workload ahead of expected bulk reliever Miles Mikolas. Since the Nationals acquired him from the Mets on April 16, Lovelady has emerged as one of the club's more trusted bullpen arms. He's gathered two saves and three holds with an 0.82 ERA over 11 appearances with Washington, but a bloated 19.2 percent walk rate and 95.2 percent strand rate suggest that he's benefited from plenty of good fortune.
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Stays hot with career-high five RBI
Rotowire
Ruiz went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, five RBI, a stolen base and an additional run scored in Saturday's 13-3 win over Baltimore.
It was a banner day for Ruiz, who piled up a career-high five RBI while swiping his first bag of the campaign. Ruiz had a .507 OPS on the year through the month of April, but he's gaining momentum in May so far. The switch-hitting catcher turned in his second three-hit performance this month Saturday and is now batting .323 with three homers, five doubles and 11 RBI over his last 31 at-bats to boost his season OPS to .715.
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Nationals' Cade Cavalli: Fans eight in quality start
Rotowire
Cavalli (2-2) earned the win Saturday against the Orioles, allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks in 6.1 innings. He struck out eight.
Cavalli, who tends to keep the ball in the yard, served up a pair of home runs for the first time this season Saturday but was otherwise effective. The 27-year-old right-hander attacked the zone for 68 strikes on 96 pitches, logging his third quality start of the year while also fanning at least eight for the third time in his past five outings. Cavalli will be trying to further improve on his 4.05 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and 52:18 K:BB over 46.2 innings in his next scheduled outing against the division-rival Mets.
House isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Baltimore, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
House will take a day to reset Saturday after going 0-for-11 with four strikeouts over his last three games. Jose Tena will start at third base with House out, and Jorbit Vivas will work as the Nats' designated hitter.
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Nationals' Daylen Lile: Powers offense in Friday's win
Rotowire
Lile went 3-for-4 with a double and a two-run home run in Friday's 3-2 win over the Orioles.
The Nationals managed only six hits in total, but Lile had half them and produced what proved to be the game-winning hit when he took Shane Baz deep in the sixth inning. Lile has gone yard four times in the last four games, and over the last 10 contests he's slashing a blistering .378/.419/.811 with four doubles, two steals, eight runs and 10 RBI in addition to the four homers.
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Nationals' Gus Varland: Settles for hold Friday
Rotowire
Varland walked one and struck out one without being charged with a run in two-thirds of an inning Friday, recording his fifth hold of the season in a 3-2 win over the Orioles.
The right-hander was put in a bit of a tough spot, being brought in with nobody out and two runners on in the ninth inning to protect a 3-0 lead. Varland allowed one inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly, and he was lifted for matchup purposes, as manager Blake Butera had southpaw Richard Lovelady face Gunnar Henderson instead, a move that nearly backfired. Varland remains the top high-leverage option in the bullpen for Washington and leads the team in both holds and saves (four), but his 4.32 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB through 16.2 innings show how much that's due to a lack of viable alternatives rather than his own performance.
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Nationals' Richard Lovelady: Collects one-out save
Rotowire
Lovelady didn't allow a run but gave up a hit and a walk in one-third of an inning Friday to record his second save of the season in a 3-2 win over the Orioles. He struck out one.
Andrew Alvarez, who had already worked three scoreless innings of relief, came out for the ninth to try and complete a combined shutout, but he put the first two runners aboard before being lifted. Gus Varland then tried to close things out, but after a walk, a strikeout and a sacrifice fly, manager Blake Butera turned to Lovelady to get left-handed hitter Gunnar Henderson for the final out. Henderson instead singled home another run, but Lovelady finally fanned Adley Rutschman to escape the jam. The veteran southpaw has been more lucky than good since joining the Washington bullpen, posting a 0.82 ERA, 1.82 WHIP and 12:10 K:BB through 11 innings, but he's seen consistent high-leverage usage and has a win, two saves and three holds in 11 appearances.
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Nationals' Zack Littell: Blanks O's in second win
Rotowire
Littell (2-4) picked up the win in Friday's 3-2 victory over the Orioles, allowing two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings. He struck out three.
The 30-year-old right-hander put together his best performance of the season on 87 pitches (49 strikes), as Littell lasted at least five innings for the first time since April 22 and didn't serve up a homer for only the third time in nine trips to the mound. After a ghastly April, Littell has found a rhythm in May, posting a 2.13 ERA. 0.95 WHIP and 4:4 K:BB though 12.2 innings over three appearances, two of them as a bulk reliever. He'll look to keep rolling in his next turn through the rotation, which lines up to come at home next week against the Mets.
Nationals' Keibert Ruiz: Sitting out second straight
Rotowire
Ruiz is absent from the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Orioles.
Ruiz still leads the Nationals with 23 starts at catcher this season, but Drew Millas has almost pulled even with him, as this will be his 22nd start behind the dish Friday. It's the second start in a row for Millas.
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Nationals' Nasim Nunez: Sitting out Friday
Rotowire
Nunez is not in the lineup for Friday's contest against the Orioles.
It looks to be a routine day off for Nunez, who had started each of the previous 11 games. The Nationals will roll out Jorbit Vivas at second base in Friday's series opener.
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Nationals' DJ Herz: Facing hitters
Rotowire
Herz (elbow) will throw to live hitters Friday at the Nationals' spring training facility in Florida, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
It's a big milestone for Herz, who will be facing hitters for the first time since he had Tommy John surgery last April. A rehab assignment shouldn't be too far off for the lefty, and Herz is likely looking at a return around midseason if his rehab continues at its current trajectory.
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Nationals' Cole Henry: Kicking off rehab assignment
Rotowire
Henry (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester this weekend, Mark Zuckerman of NatsJournal.com reports.
Henry is ready to pitch in games again after missing more than a month with a right rotator cuff strain. He will likely require at least a few rehab outings before rejoining the Nationals' bullpen, which could happen before the end of May if all goes well.
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Nationals' Andrew Alvarez: Summoned from minors
Rotowire
The Nationals recalled Alvarez from Triple-A Rochester on Friday.
He'll grab the roster spot vacated by Zak Kent, who was sent down to Rochester following Thursday's loss to the Reds. Alvarez will provide some bullpen protection Friday against the Orioles in case starting pitcher Zack Littell struggles again.
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