Mark Zuckerman

With four late-inning arms, Nats have plenty of relief options

January 24, 2021, 6:13pm

A few national baseball writers referred to Brad Hand as the Nationals' "new closer" upon reporting his contract agreement Sunday night. Don't be so sure about that. Though Hand certainly is going to end up closing some games for the Nats this season, that's not technically the role the club has in mind for him. It's safe to say Davey Martinez will use Hand whenever the matchup is in his favor, whether that comes in the seventh, eighth or ninth inning. Some managers and some teams think...

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Nationals bolster bullpen with top available lefty Hand

January 24, 2021, 3:24pm

Nationals

The Nationals have known all winter they needed an experienced left-hander for their bullpen, someone who could be counted upon to get big outs late in games. They're going to wind up getting the best one available. The Nats are in agreement with veteran reliever Brad Hand on a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, pending a physical, a source familiar with the signing confirmed. Once the deal becomes official, the Nationals will have added one of baseball's best lefty relievers over the last...

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Bell-Zimmerman combo at first base could work nicely for Nats

January 23, 2021, 1:35pm

Nationals

Bell-Zimmerman combo at first base could work nicely for Nats

What kind of production can the Nationals expect from their first basemen in 2021? Would they be satisfied with 30 homers, 99 RBIs, a .305 batting average, .390 on-base percentage and .997 OPS? Because that's what you get when you combine Josh Bell's 2019 numbers against right-handers and Ryan Zimmerman's 2019 numbers against left-handers. Yep, if Bell took all the at-bats against righties and Zimmerman took all the at-bats against lefties, they'd have combined for a .997 OPS across exactly...

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Zimmerman not back for "victory lap," believes he can help

January 23, 2021, 10:05am

Nationals

Zimmerman not back for "victory lap," believes he can help

Ryan Zimmerman was close to 100 percent confident all along he'd return to play for the Nationals this year after opting out of the 2020 season. But his motives weren't personal, and they weren't about ensuring his career didn't end without playing one more season for the only franchise he's ever known. "Me coming back this year was in no means for a victory lap sort of thing. I think you guys know me better than that," the 36-year-old first baseman said today during a Zoom session to...

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Davey Johnson back home after hospital stint with COVID-19

January 22, 2021, 7:25pm

Nationals

Davey Johnson back home after hospital stint with COVID-19

Former Nationals manager Davey Johnson was hospitalized this week with COVID-19 but was back at his Florida home resting comfortably Friday evening, according to a message from his wife to the Mets' longtime public relations director. Word of Johnson's illness first became public Friday afternoon when Ken Davidoff of the New York Post sent him a text message seeking his thoughts on Hank Aaron following the Hall of Famer's death. Johnson, 77, replied to Davidoff: "Loved him. Can't talk, in...

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Zimmerman will return to Nats for 2021 on one-year deal

January 22, 2021, 11:23am

Nationals

Zimmerman will return to Nats for 2021 on one-year deal

Ryan Zimmerman will indeed play at least one more season for the Nationals after sitting out 2020. Zimmerman, as anticipated all along, agreed to terms on a one-year deal today with the only franchise that has ever employed him. Once finalized it will include a $1 million base salary plus incentives, a source familiar with the contract said. Though he opted out of last season for family health concerns - his wife, Heather, gave birth to the couple's third child in June; and his mother, Cheryl,...

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Young arms need to step up if Nats want better prospect ranking

January 21, 2021, 7:39pm

Nationals

Young arms need to step up if Nats want better prospect ranking

Prospect rankings should always be taken with a grain of salt. And if there's anyone in baseball whose mouth is over-seasoned from lack of interest in prospect rankings, it's Mike Rizzo. The Nationals general manager doesn't care what any outside publication says about his farm system. He cares only about what he sees with his own eyes and what his scouts and coaches see with theirs. OK, there's your caveat to the news that comes next: The Nationals do not currently have any of baseball's...

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What's still left on the Nationals' shopping list?

January 20, 2021, 7:25pm

Nationals

The Nationals have made three significant acquisitions so far this offseason, and they addressed unquestionably the club's three biggest needs. They needed a first baseman, and they got one in Josh Bell. They needed a corner outfielder, and they got one in Kyle Schwarber. And they needed a No. 4 starter, and they got one in Jon Lester. But that's not all the Nationals needed to do this winter to bolster their roster. They had a longer list of priorities, and though they've now crossed off...

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Sutton left lasting impression across baseball, including D.C.

January 19, 2021, 6:26pm

Nationals

Sutton left lasting impression across baseball, including D.C.

To Dodgers fans, he was the stalwart member of a championship-caliber pitching staff in the 1970s. To Braves fans, he was the soothing and smart voice who shared his exceptional insight on the air throughout the 1990s and 2000s. To Orioles fans, he was the Brewers' Game 162 starter who dashed their dream of a miracle final weekend surge to the 1982 American League East title. And to countless other baseball fans, he was the Hall of Fame right-hander who never let up during a 23-year career, a...

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Nats are trying to go for it again behind an elite rotation

January 18, 2021, 7:39pm

Nationals

Nats are trying to go for it again behind an elite rotation

The Nationals' opening day starter against the Mets is 36 and entering his 14th big league season. The pitcher who will start the season's second game is 32 and needed wrist surgery last summer after throwing only five innings. The club's No. 3 starter is 31 but coming off a career-worst season in which he had the highest WHIP in the majors. And the guy who was just signed to serve as the No. 4 starter is 37 on the heels of back-to-back rough seasons. This is the rotation general manager...

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Nats finalizing deal with five-time All-Star lefty Lester

January 18, 2021, 3:35pm

Nationals

Nats finalizing deal with five-time All-Star lefty Lester

The Nationals' search for a No. 4 starter appears to have landed on a former ace and postseason hero with ties to the manager and pitching coach. Jon Lester, the three-time World Series champion with the Red Sox and Cubs, is finalizing a one-year deal with the Nats, a source familiar with the discussions confirmed. Though he still needs to pass a physical to make the deal official - that may not happen for several days - Lester will become one of the highest-profile No. 4 starters in the...

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A modest proposal for a better postseason format

January 17, 2021, 6:29pm

Nationals

A modest proposal for a better postseason format

Among the pressing topics reportedly still being discussed between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association as the 2021 season inches ever closer is the possibility of keeping the playoff field expanded again. You'll recall that 16 teams made the postseason in 2020, six more than ever had before. It was an acknowledgment of the inability of a 60-game season to distinguish the best teams from the rest of the pack, and most folks accepted and understood why it was needed. But now...

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If Nats desire another infielder, plenty of options remain

January 16, 2021, 12:05pm

Nationals

If Nats desire another infielder, plenty of options remain

Whether the Nationals were ever seriously interested in DJ LeMahieu isn't clear, but here's what is clear: They were never going to match the six-year, $90 million offer the veteran infielder reportedly accepted from the Yankees on Friday. Look, LeMahieu would've been a great fit for the Nats. He could've led off or batted second, creating an elite 1-2-3 trio with Trea Turner and Juan Soto. He could've played third base or second base, helped out at first base, or played some combination...

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Suzuki, Difo find new homes for 2021

January 15, 2021, 7:46pm

Nationals

Not that either was expected to return to D.C. for another season, but a pair of notable Nationals players from recent years - Kurt Suzuki and Wilmer Difo - officially found new homes Friday. Suzuki signed with the Angels for one year and $1.5 million. Difo agreed to a minor league contract with the Pirates that will include an invitation to big league camp this spring. The Nationals had long since decided to part ways with both players, so the news didn't come as a huge surprise. But we'll...

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Nats avoid arbitration with Soto, Turner and Bell (updated)

January 15, 2021, 10:49am

Nationals

Nats avoid arbitration with Soto, Turner and Bell (updated)

The Nationals came to terms on 2021 salaries with Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Josh Bell today, avoiding arbitration with their three biggest offensive stars. Though the deadline for players and clubs to agree to salaries or file for arbitration was 1 p.m., it took hours for Major League Baseball to process the throng of cases that were submitted to league headquarters before many could be finalized. Turner, in his third of four seasons of arbitration eligibilty, got the biggest salary for the...

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Nats' Latin American program has come a long way

January 14, 2021, 7:45pm

Nationals

Nats' Latin American program has come a long way

The Nationals have been linked to top Dominican prospect Armando Cruz for nearly a year and a half now, and today they're finally expected to announce they've signed the elite young shortstop for a reported $4 million bonus. It's a whopping total for a kid who turns 17 on Saturday, and it's perhaps the latest and most convincing evidence just how far the Nats' Latin American scouting program has come over the last decade-plus. Those who haven't followed the organization since the early...

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Arbitration process is complicated for three Nats stars

January 13, 2021, 7:08pm

Nationals

Arbitration process is complicated for three Nats stars

The majority of arbitration cases are relatively simple. Players who have accrued between three and six years of big league service time and their clubs typically agree on a salary figure without ever needing to file for arbitration or have their cases heard before a panel. There are always a few complicated cases, though, usually involving big-name players whose salary requests go well beyond what the club has proposed. Now throw in the unprecedented nature of the 2020 season, and you've got...

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Improved lineup or not, Nats need to pitch better in 2021

January 12, 2021, 5:48pm

Nationals

Improved lineup or not, Nats need to pitch better in 2021

The Nationals' stated No. 1 priority this winter was to acquire a big bat, and the recent acquisitions of both Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber each meet that criteria. But let's be honest here: The Nats' best path to contending in 2021 isn't via a more productive lineup, it's via a more effective pitching staff. As glaring as the hole in the heart of the batting order last season was, the Nationals still were an average to above-average offensive club. They ranked 10th in the majors in runs,...

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Tuesday morning Nats Q&A

January 11, 2021, 7:02pm

Nationals

Hey, what do you know, the Nationals actually made some news over the weekend. They acquired their second potentially big bat of the winter, signing left fielder Kyle Schwarber for one year and a guaranteed $10 million. This after trading for first baseman Josh Bell on Christmas Eve. It's a start, but the Nats are far from finished assembling their 2021 roster. There are more moves to be made, most notably acquiring a No. 4 starter, at least one more reliever, another catcher, a bench player...

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Does bolstered Nats lineup still need another piece?

January 10, 2021, 2:04pm

Nationals

Does bolstered Nats lineup still need another piece?

The Nationals lineup, as currently constructed this morning, features three guys who hit at least 34 homers and drove in at least 92 runs during the last full major league season. It also includes another guy who hit 22 homers and drove in 86 runs that season, plus one who totaled 63 extra-base hits and yet another who totaled 53. That sounds like a pretty potent and deep lineup, does it not? It does. And yet it still feels like this group is lacking one more significant piece. And that's the...