PHOENIX —lta out of the lineup against the Dodgers in a game critical to the NL West. Contender Colorado knew it was coming.Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo briefed Colorado skipper Bud Black in a telephone conversation Sunday Hank Aaron Jersey , as the Rockers were sweeping a three-game series at Chase Field.“I just wanted to make sure he knew … that even though the lineup may look like we weren’t doing what we were supposed to do, and hold serve for him the best way we could, we were,” Lovullo said.Article continues below ...“Our team is a little emotionally spent. I think we’ve all felt that for the past three weeks. We have two more games against a team we are contending, and we don’t want to make anything easy on them.”It had worked before.Arizona beat the NL Central-leading Cubs with four understudies starting last Wednesday but could not pull it off Monday, when the Dodgers took a 7-4 comeback victory to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Colorado. The Rockies beat the Phillies’ regular group 10-1 Monday.The Dodgers got a homer and three RBIs from David Freese and two RBIs from Manny Machado, one on a double off the right-field fence in a three-run ninth inning, a ball Machado was so sure that was a homer that he eased his was out of the box. He took some ribbing from Matt Kemp in the clubhouse afterward.“I have to hit the weight room, Matthew, I get it,” Machado said, grinning.“I thought it was way out. At least I got the RBI and we got the lead. Matthew is just trying to play with me. It’s OK. I’ll wear it.”The Dodgers have a little room to play with, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he was not concerned what lineup opposing teams use, whether it is the Diamondbacks or the Rockies’ remaining opponents, Philadelphia and Washington.“For us, it’s just about playing good baseball,” Roberts said.“They are men of high character. They are going to do their best to win a baseball game. We will do the same thing. You sign up to put this uniform on, your goal is to win every game, regardless of the situation.Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.74) is to face Arizona right-hander Matt Koch (5-5, 4.26).Buehler, arguably http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey , has been the ace of the staff for the last two months, since limiting Milwaukee to one run while striking out seven in seven innings on July 31 at Dodger Stadium. He suffered the loss in that game but has lost only one since.He is 3-2 with a 1.58 ERA in his last 10 starts, with 79 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings. Buehler tied his career high with nine strikeouts in an 8-0 victory in St. Louis on Sept. 14 and set his career high with 12 in his last outing Wednesday against Colorado, although he did not get a decision while giving two unearned runs in a 5-2 victory.Buehler, a first-round pick in the 2015, made eight relief appearances as a rookie September call-up last year. He made his first career start April 21 this season and joined the rotation for good after the All-Star break.“One part of it is, he’s more comfortable being here a lot of the year and getting in a routine and not going up and down, not being in the ‘pen,” manager Dave Roberts said when talking about the strides Buehler has made this year. “Learning hitters. Having the rapport with his teammates.“As far as the stuff, like many pitchers, when his fastball command is on, he’s pretty much unhittable. And a lot of this year, that’s what we’ve had. Now the curve ball, the slider, the change off of it has been lethal. It’s two variables, comfort level and consistency and the pitch execution.”Buehler throws his 96-mph fastball about 60 percent of the time and works off that.Koch is making his second spot start in place of Clay Bucholz, who was shut down for the rest of the season when he felt elbow pain while warming up for a scheduled start at Colorado on Sept. 13. Koch replaced him on very short notice that day and gave up four runs in three innings but followed that with four innings of scoreless relief in a loss to the Cubs on Sept. 18.Koch made 12 starts early-season starts after first Taijuan Walker and then Robbie Ray went out with injuries and the Diamondbacks were 7-5 in that stretch, but he lost his spot in the rotation when Ray returned, and Buchholz pitched well. He has faced the Dodgers once this season, giving up three runs (two earned) in five innings in a no-decision in Arizona’s 4-3 victory. WASHINGTON (AP) — Not only did the 2018 Washington Nationals fail to get over the hump — despite those infamous camels — they didn’t even make the postseason, let alone finally win a playoff series for the first time.“It’s not something you want to go through,” Bryce Harper said. “You have all the hopes and aspirations to be one of the best teams in baseball in spring training. We did what we could to possibly get there Julio Teheran Jersey , but we didn’t do enough.”Now the big question looming over the earlier-than-expected offseason becomes whether Harper will leave as a free agent.“Nobody knows if I’m going to be back or nobody knows if I am going to be in a different uniform,” the 2012 NL Rookie of the Year and 2015 NL MVP said. “If something happens, I am not afraid of change.”Plenty of roster shuffling is expected for a club that finished 82-80 for second place in the NL East under rookie manager Dave Martinez after winning two consecutive division titles with the discarded Dusty Baker.Nothing will matter quite as much as what happens with Harper, who is not only one of the on-field leaders of the Nationals, he is one of the most prominent players in the entire sport.That’s why the slugging outfielder, who posted team highs of 34 homers, 100 RBIs, 103 runs (tied) and 130 walks, should get a contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars, perhaps even surpassing the record for the largest deal in baseball history.“With these type of deals you’re talking about, you’re not betting on the baseball player, you’re betting on the person,” general manager Mike Rizzo said. “And he’s a person we’d like to have with us.”A resolution to that, however it goes, would help Rizzo determine what resources he has to use toward all of the other issues that need addressing.“I consider this year an anomaly,” Rizzo said.A look at what else to know about the Nationals as thoughts turn to 2019:INJURIES TO BLAME?Both Rizzo and Martinez — along with some of their players — pointed to injuries as a contributing factor in the disappointing season. 1B Ryan Zimmerman, 2B Daniel Murphy, OF Adam Eaton and C Matt Wieters each played in fewer than 100 games. Key backup Howie Kendrick played in only 40. RHP Stephen Strasburg missed about a third of the season. 3B Anthony Rendon was sideline for a few weeks early on. Closer Sean Doolittle and other members of the bullpen sat out stretches, too. “We were always missing pieces,” Martinez said. “As we (cleared) one hurdle, something happened.”MARTINEZ’S FUTUREThere have been questions about whether Martinez will keep his job. Rizzo has been supportive, although the GM seemed to be in Baker’s corner http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey , too. “We haven’t considered anything else. We think he’s got a firm grasp on the clubhouse. He’s doing a good job in the dugout,” Rizzo said. “I think he’s getting better each and every day, each and every game.” As for what Martinez thinks he might do differently next season? “We’re going to spend a lot more time on just the fundamentals of baseball and doing the little things,” he said. “Because little things, to me, can become really big things.”SCHERZER AND STRASBURG Max Scherzer’s 300 strikeouts, 2.53 ERA, 220 2/3 innings and various other stats showed once again how valuable the righty is. Beyond him and Strasburg, though, there’s not much there in the rotation. Washington could add at least two, maybe three, starters.SOTO AND ROBLESThe most promising news of 2018 was the discovery of 19-year-old outfielder Juan Soto, the NL Rookie of the Month in June, July and September who finished with a .292 average, 22 homers, 70 RBIs and 79 walks. Only two other teenagers (Harper was one) ever hit 20 HRs in a season. Another young outfielder, 21-year-old Victor Robles, also appears to be a keeper.SO MANY NEEDSThe Nationals must find starters at second base and catcher. They need bullpen help. They need new bench pieces.