The Washington Nationals are counting on Tony Sipp to give them s

WEST PALM BEACH http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , Fla. (AP) — omething they think will matter a lot in the NL East: a lefty reliever to go after lefty hitters in late-game situations.Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday that the team and Sipp agreed in principle to a deal, pending the successful completion of a physical exam.Rizzo did not disclose the financial terms, but a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press that Sipp is guaranteed $1.25 million and the agreement includes a mutual option for 2020. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because nothing had been finalized.“We think he’s a really good value for us. It was time for him to sign, and we have opportunities for him. This is one of the places he wanted to be, because he’s got a chance to win and he’s been used to that,” Rizzo said. “He was a guy that we were monitoring.”Sipp would get a $1 million salary this year, and the contract includes a $2.5 million mutual option for next year, with a $250,000 buyout. There are not any performance bonuses.This move gives Washington’s rebuilt bullpen someone to use in a key spot against left-handed batters — such as Bryce Harper, the former Nationals slugger who joined the NL East rival Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent for $330 million over 13 seasons. Sipp and Harper have never faced each other.Other key lefty bats in the division include Freddie Freeman with the Atlanta Braves, and Robinson Cano with the New York Mets.“You can’t have enough lefty specialists,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “You really can’t.”The Nationals were in the market for a left-handed reliever after releasing Sammy Solis last weekend.Solis agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.“They really want that lefty matchup guy and I think you look around our division now and each team really has at least one or two big (lefty hitters) David Wright Jersey ,” Nationals closer Sean Doolittle said. “Unfortunately, he is going to have his work cut out for him. Welcome to the NL East. Here’s Harp. Here’s Freeman. Here’s Cano.”The 35-year-old Sipp is entering his 11th season.He has a 25-20 career record with a 3.67 ERA and 513 strikeouts in 482 2/3 innings spanning 580 appearances for Cleveland, Arizona and Houston, all in relief.Last season with the Astros, Sipp was 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA, holding lefty hitters to a .191 batting average. That was his final season of an $18 million, three-year contract.“I think that he balances our bullpen out. He’s had success in big moments. He’s been in the playoffs and had success. I think that, not only with our division but just in general, I think he’s a sound relief pitcher,” Rizzo said. “And he gets righties out, too. Let’s not forget that.”Notes: The Nationals optioned RHP Austin Adams to Triple-A Fresno and reassigned five players to minor league camp: INF Luis Garcia, INF-OF Brandon Snyder http://www.metsfanproshop.com/authentic-tim-tebow-jersey , INF Matt Reynolds, C Taylor Gushue, INF Jacob Wilson. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Leave it to Antonio Senzatela to end Colorado’s longest scoring drought this season with his first hit in nearly five months.The right-hander pitched a pretty good game, too.Senzatela pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning and also hit a two-run single as the Rockies topped the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Sunday and moved back into first place in the NL West.Colorado jumped a half-game in front of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who lost 5-0 at St. Louis on Sunday night.“I knew they were big moments but I just really tried to stay in the moment and execute my pitches and then roll with it,” Senzatela said. “That at-bat I just tried to put the ball in play and I did. I got a good result and I helped the team to win.”The Rockies, blanked the previous two days, avoided a three-game sweep.Colorado also improved to 41-34 on the road this season, tying the franchise record for wins away from Coors Field set in 2009 and matched in 2017.Ian Desmond added two hits and DJ LeMahieu had a sacrifice fly for Colorado.The Rockies scored three times in the second against Dereck Rodriguez (6-4).Senzatela (5-6) pitched out of jams in the second and third, and left after giving up a single and a walk to open the sixth. The right-hander allowed one run and struck out five with two walks for his first win since July 28.“He’s still growing as a pitcher,” Colorado manager Bud Black said. “He’s still learning a lot. What we like about him is just the competitive streak he has and the toughness.”Four relievers finished, with Wade Davis retiring three batters for his NL-leading 40th save.The Rockies snapped their longest scoring drought this season in the second after a one-out error by first baseman Austin Slater.Desmond singled and Rodriguez walked Chris Iannetta to load the bases. Senzatela followed with his second hit of the season Mookie Wilson Jersey , a single to left. After Charlie Blackmon walked, LeMahieu hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.Black called Senzatela’s single the biggest hit of the series for Colorado. Senzatela’s only other hit this season was on April 27 at Miami.“We had those opportunities on Friday and Saturday but we couldn’t capitalize,” Black said. “Today we did and ironically it’s just the pitcher.”Chris Shaw had a two-out RBI single in the sixth for the Giants.Slater singled in Joe Panik in the eighth to make it 3-2.Rodriguez allowed five hits and one earned run in six innings.“It’s a tough one to lose when you’re getting pitching like that,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had some chances but we took a series. You try to take something from that and hopefully carry that into the next one.”ROOKIE LUCKRodriguez has yielded three runs or fewer in all 11 of his starts at AT&T Park this season. He has received two runs or fewer in support in his last four starts overall. “I just go out and throw the best game I can regardless of what’s happening offensively,” Rodriguez said. “The rest I let it take care of itself.”ODDS AND ENDSColorado has not been swept on the road this season. . The Giants lost to the Rockies for only the second time in the last eight home games between the two division opponents. . San Francisco 2B Joe Panik is hitting .364 (12 for 33) in his last 11 games. . Desmond has 26 multi-hit games this season, tying Gerardo Parra for fifth-most on the Rockies.TRAINER’S ROOMRockies: LF Matt Holliday, in a 3-for-20 slump, was held out of the starting lineup. . RHP Seunghwa Oh (hamstring) threw in the bullpen and could be available to pitch at some point on the road trip.Giants: 1B Brandon Belt remains day to day with a sore right knee.UP NEXTRockies: RHP Jon Gray (11-7, 4.80 ERA) pitches against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Monday. Gray is 4-0 in 11 starts since returning from the minors.Giants: LHP Andrew Suarez (6-11, 4.33) faces the San Diego Padres on Monday in the opening game of San Francisco’s final road trip this season. Suarez’s 121 strikeouts are the 10th-most by a rookie starter in franchise history.__