Nats swap with Bucs, acquire Morgan

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- The Nationals have traded reliever Joel Hanrahan and outfielder Lastings Milledge to the Pirates for reliever Sean Burnett and outfielder Nyjer Morgan on Tuesday afternoon.

Nats swap with Bucs, acquire Morgan....

Opportunity missed in extra-inning loss

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- Closer Joel Hanrahan struggled in the 10th inning and it proved costly as the Nationals lost to the Mets, 3-1, at Nationals Park on Friday night.

Opportunity missed in extra-inning loss....

Hanrahan out as Nationals' closer

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA -- One day after watching the bullpen blow a four-run lead, the Nationals decided Tuesday that right-hander Joel Hanrahan will no longer be their closer and that right-hander Garrett Mock is out as the eighth-inning setup man.

The team will go with a bullpen-by-committee, with right-handers Julian Tavarez and Kip Wells as the late-inning options. Once left-hander Joe Beimel is activated from the disabled list next week, he will most likely be the closer, with Tavarez and Wells becoming the setup men.

"All we are going to do is put the veteran guys in at the end of the game and take the pressure off these young kids -- put them in earlier in the game," manager Manny Acta said.

Hanrahan out as Nationals' closer....

Nats undone by their 'pen in loss

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- Closer Joel Hanrahan could not convert another save opportunity in the ninth on Saturday afternoon, as the Nationals fell to the Marlins, 9-6, in 11 innings at Nationals Park.

Washington has lost nine of its last 10 games to start the season.

The Nationals had a 6-3 lead entering the ninth inning, but the Marlins scored three runs off Hanrahan. Pinch-hitter Ross Gload singled to left to drive in Alfredo Amezaga. After Wes Helms struck out, Jeremy Hermida hit a two-run homer over the right-center-field fence to tie the game at 6.

In the top of the 11th inning, Hermida did it again, hitting a three-run home run against left-hander Wil Ledezma.

Before the ninth, it looked like the power of Austin Kearns and the left arm of Scott Olsen would be enough for the victory.

Nats undone by their 'pen in loss....

Adam Dunn and Joel Hanrahan back to work with Nationals

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

VIERA, Fla. -- Left fielder Adam Dunn and closer Joel Hanrahan returned to the Nationals' Spring Training facility on Tuesday morning, two days after Team USA was eliminated by Japan in the World Baseball Classic in Los Angeles.

Both players went to work immediately. Dunn took batting practice at Space Coast Stadium, while Hanrahan pitched an inning during a Minor League game at the Nationals' training complex.

Hanrahan acknowledged he was nervous when the Classic began in Toronto, but he calmed down once Padres right-hander Jake Peavy reminded him and his bullpen mates that they were still in Spring Training mode.

"Peavy had come out [of the game] and told the bullpen guys, 'Remember, it's early Spring Training. There are 44,000 Canadians there. We are playing Team Canada,'" Hanrahan remembered. "He said it was a playoff atmosphere. 'Just be careful when you go out there, because when you try to reach back, [the velocity is] not going to be there. It's too early. Try to take a step off [the mound], relax, take a deep breath. Take it all in.' After the first outing, it wasn't too bad."

Adam Dunn and Joel Hanrahan back to work with Nationals....

Nationals Plan To Carry Seven Relievers

By Bill Ladson / MLB.com

JUPITER, Fla. -- Nationals manager Manny Acta said Monday that he plans to carry seven relievers when the regular season starts against the Marlins on April 6th. It is already known that Joel Hanrahan is the closer, while Joe Beimel and Saul Rivera are the setup men. Here is the list of candidates for the final four spots in the bullpen.

The leading candidates, so far.

Nationals Plan To Carry Seven Relievers....