Nationals keeping dispute between pitchers in house

Families fight, even on special occasions. Birthday boy Stephen Strasburg and Nationals ace Max Scherzer are leaving it at that.

S t r a s b u r g wa s b a t t e d around by the Atlanta Braves, then engaged in a heated spat with Scherzer in the dugout during the Washington Nationals’ 8-5 loss Friday night.

The Nationals delayed opening their clubhouse to reporters after the game, and Strasburg then offered no clarification for the animated discussion between him and Scherzer.

“It’s part of family, man,” he said. “You got to be in the family.”

The dispute occurred after Strasburg, activated from the 10-day disabled list earlier in the day and throwing on his 30th birthday, gave up six runs and eight hits in 42/3 innings. He walked into the dugout, got a pat on the back from Scherzer and sat down on the bench.

They be gan barking at each other, then both quickly went off-camera by leaving the dugout.

Another reporter asked if the two pitchers spoke again after the initial tiff.

“You got to be in the family,” Strasburg said forcefully. “You’re not.”

Washington, which has lost six of nine, fell to 48-49, six games behind Atlanta and 6½ behind NL East-leading Philadelphia. The Phillies and Braves games were rained out Saturday.

Brewers: Reliever Josh Hader apologized to his team after years-old racist and homophobic tweets surfaced during the All-Star Game.

Hader spoke with team- mates before a game Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the first action for the Brewers since the AllStar break.

“I just want them to know that I’m sorry for what I did back in the day and the mistakes that I made,” Hader said, “and that they are a family to me and that they (the tweets) aren’t me and what I meant.”

Outfielder Brett Phillips said Hader offered a sincere apology. Manager Craig Counsell described Hader as emotional and remorseful.

Hader expressed regrets again during a news conference about 90 minutes b e f o re t h e g a me. Te a mmates filed into the Miller Park media auditorium as Hader spoke, with fellow All-Stars Jesus Aguilar and Lorenzo Cain among those who stood directly behind Hader.

C u b s - R a n g e r s : J e s s e Chavez was added to Chic ago’s roster as part of a flurry of moves before Saturday. The veteran righthander was acquired in a trade with Texas on Thursday for minor league pitcher Tyler Thomas. The 34-yearold Chavez went 3-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 30 appearances with the Rangers. He made his major league debut with Pittsburgh in 2008. He also has played for Atlanta, Kansas City, Toronto, Oakland and the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels.

Mets-Athletics: Jeur ys Familia was been traded by the New York Mets to the Oakland Athletics for two minor leaguers and international bonus money Saturday. The Mets get righthander Bobby Wahl, infielder Will Toffey and $1 million in international slot money.