Mark Zuckerman

Turner's finger back to normal after November surgery

January 11, 2020, 10:44am

He did his best not to make a big deal about it during the season, but Trea Turner wasn't ever 100 percent healthy after breaking his right index finger in early April. Yes, he returned to the Nationals lineup in late May and played nearly every day the rest of the way. And he still batted .298 with 61 extra-base hits and an .850 OPS while playing an effective shortstop throughout the regular season and postseason. If you watched him closely, though, you noticed Turner had to take precautions...

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Rizzo content with current infield, met with Zimmerman this week

January 11, 2020, 8:23am

Nationals

Rizzo content with current infield, met with Zimmerman this week

Though he wouldn't rule out the possibility of acquiring a big-name player like Josh Donaldson, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo insisted today he's more than comfortable with his team's current options at third base. "We don't see it as a hole. We see it as a strength," Rizzo said during a 17-minute session with reporters at Winterfest. "We've got versatility. Of course, you're not going to replace or replicate Anthony Rendon, his numbers on the field, his presence in the...

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It's Winterfest weekend at Nationals Park

January 10, 2020, 6:18pm

Nationals

Who's up for some baseball on a mid-January weekend? Yes, it's time for Nationals Winterfest, the annual offseason gathering of players, coaches, team executives and fans to whet everybody's appetite for the upcoming season. Not that this upcoming season is going to be difficult to get excited about. The date of this year's event was pushed back (it was Dec. 1-2 last year), but the location remains Nationals Park, which proved popular with fans after previous Winterfests were held at...

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Turner, ElÃas, Ross sign deals to avoid arbitration (updated)

January 10, 2020, 8:49am

Nationals

Turner, ElÃas, Ross sign deals to avoid arbitration (updated)

The Nationals worked out 2020 contracts with Trea Turner, Roenis ElÃas and Joe Ross before today's deadline, avoiding arbitration with all of their eligible players. Those three were the Nats' only remaining unsigned arbitration-eligible players entering today, the deadline for all such players across the sport to either agree to contract terms or submit competing offers for arbitration. Turner earned by far the biggest raise of the group, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $7.45 million,...

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Taylor avoids arbitration with $3.325 million deal

January 09, 2020, 4:44pm

Nationals

Taylor avoids arbitration with $3.325 million deal

The Nationals avoided arbitration with Michael A. Taylor this evening, agreeing to a one-year contract that will pay the outfielder $3.325 million plus incentives in 2020. The deal was announced by the club; terms were confirmed by a source. Taylor was one of four Nationals who was unsigned heading into Friday's deadline for all arbitration-eligible players and teams to either come to terms or submit competing offers to Major League Baseball to then be settled by a three-person judge in...

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Three Nationals head into arbitration deadline day

January 09, 2020, 10:47am

Nationals

This is going to be a busy day across baseball. A lot of news is going to come trickling out over the course of many hours as players from every club either agree to terms on 2020 salaries or file for arbitration. Hey, I only said it's going to be busy. I never said it was going to be exciting. Truthfully, this is one of the most annoying days of the baseball year. All the players involved are staying with their current clubs. These aren't free agents, they're merely players with at least...

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Joining Nationals' enviable roster was "no-brainer" for Thames

January 08, 2020, 5:59pm

Nationals

There's a recurring theme growing among those who have joined the Nationals this winter. All have played on winning teams before, so obviously they were drawn to sign with the team that just won the World Series. But it goes a step beyond that. The Nationals didn't just win last season. They had fun doing it, and they did it as a unified group. And for these newest members of the roster, that extra dynamic - sometimes rare in professional sports - really sealed the deal. "This team, you...

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Looking at potential lineup combinations

January 07, 2020, 7:41pm

Nationals

Looking at potential lineup combinations

At the end, when they were playing for all the marbles in late October, the Nationals lineup was consistent. Consistently productive. And consistently featuring the same hitters in the same spots in the order. As things stand today, five weeks before pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach to begin their title defense, that lineup looks quite different. And if there's one word to describe it in its current form, it might well be: inconsistent. With Anthony Rendon off to Anaheim to play...

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After admiring them from afar, Castro thrilled to join Nats

January 07, 2020, 1:42pm

Nationals

After admiring them from afar, Castro thrilled to join Nats

Starlin Castro always wanted to play for the Nationals because of two men: Alfonso Soriano and Davey Martinez. Way back in 2006, when he was still an unsigned 16-year-old in his native Dominican Republic, Castro watched in awe as Soriano became only the fourth member of the 40-40 club in major league history during his one season in Washington. Castro and Soriano eventually became teammates with the Cubs, and soon after that, Martinez became Chicago's bench coach under manager Joe Maddon....

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Remade bullpen looks promising, but is it enough?

January 06, 2020, 8:21pm

Nationals

Remade bullpen looks promising, but is it enough?

The Nationals bullpen, way back on July 30, 2019, was a mess. Sean Doolittle was beginning to show signs of fatigue from his excessive (but necessary) workload through the season's first four months. Fernando Rodney was his setup man and occasional fill-in closer. Wander Suero was pitching nearly every night. The rest of the unit included Tanner Rainey, Javy Guerra, Tony Sipp, Matt Grace and Michael Blazek. So Mike Rizzo, as he has been forced to do more than once during his tenure as general...

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Nats find new lefty first baseman in free agent Thames

January 06, 2020, 1:24pm

Nationals

Nats find new lefty first baseman in free agent Thames

The Nationals have found themselves this year's left-handed first baseman. Eric Thames, who averaged 24 homers and an .848 OPS the last three seasons for the Brewers, has agreed to terms on a contract with the Nats that guarantees $4 million, a source familiar with the with deal confirmed. Thames, who must pass a physical before the deal is official, will earn a $3 million salary this year, with a $1 million buyout of a mutual option for 2021 likely to be enacted after the season. Thus the...

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Source: Hudson returning to Nats on two-year deal

January 06, 2020, 11:15am

Nationals

Source: Hudson returning to Nats on two-year deal

Turns out last week's signing of Will Harris didn't prohibit the Nationals from bringing back Daniel Hudson. Hudson and the Nats are finalizing a new deal that would keep the veteran reliever in D.C. for two more seasons at the fairly reasonable price of $11 million (plus incentives), a source familiar with the terms confirmed this afternoon. Once completed, Hudson would rejoin a Nationals bullpen that on paper looks much stronger now than it did for most of the 2019 season, when it ranked...

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Where does the Nationals' payroll stand at this point?

January 05, 2020, 8:10pm

Nationals

With one really expensive re-signing of one of the staff aces along with several calculated re-signings or additions of role players to fill the holes in their roster, the Nationals have been one of the most active teams across baseball so far this winter. They're not done, of course, because they still seek a replacement for Anthony Rendon at third base, they still need a first baseman (or two) and they could still use at least one more reliable arm to strengthen a bullpen that's better but...

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Could the Nats re-sign any more of their remaining free agents?

January 04, 2020, 5:23pm

Nationals

Could the Nats re-sign any more of their remaining free agents?

The Nationals had an usually large number of players become free agents off their championship roster: 12 in total, including those who either opted out of the rest of their contracts or had options declined by the club after the season. To their credit, they've managed to re-signed five of those free agents so far (Stephen Strasburg, Howie Kendrick, Yan Gomes, AsdrÃºbal Cabrera, Javy Guerra) while losing only two (Anthony Rendon, Gerardo Parra). But that still leaves five more players from...

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Nats have options, versatility around the infield

January 03, 2020, 5:42pm

Nationals

Nats have options, versatility around the infield

Here, 5 1/2 weeks before pitchers and catchers are due to report for spring training, is what the Nationals don't have: a viable replacement for Anthony Rendon. Here, though, is what they do have: a whole lot of versatility and a whole lot of options across the infield. Friday's signing of Starlin Castro to a two-year, $12 million deal (pending physical) created even more options for the Nats as they try to figure out how to align their infield come opening day. If the season began today (and...

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Source: Nats sign infielder Castro to two-year deal

January 03, 2020, 12:55pm

Nationals

Source: Nats sign infielder Castro to two-year deal

The Nationals added another piece to their ever-changing infield puzzle this afternoon, signing the versatile Starlin Castro to a two-year, $12 million contract that doesn't prevent them from continuing to pursue star third baseman Josh Donaldson. The deal, which is pending a physical, was confirmed by a source familiar with the terms after first being reported by The Athletic. Castro, 29, is a four-time All-Star who first made a name for himself as the Cubs' potential long-term shortstop,...

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Harris doesn't shy from role in Game 7, thrilled to join Nats

January 03, 2020, 11:59am

Nationals

Harris doesn't shy from role in Game 7, thrilled to join Nats

Will Harris could've let the memory of Game 7 linger, could've decided the best way to forget about the championship-changing home run he surrendered was to get as far away from the two teams that were involved in that moment. But that's not Harris' style. When the Nationals came calling this winter, and certainly when they offered a three-year, $24 million deal to the man who gave up the homer that won them the World Series, he didn't hesitate to embrace the idea. "Everybody I talked to...

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Three-year deal for Harris is worth the risk for Nationals

January 02, 2020, 9:03pm

Nationals

Try to forget for a moment the name of the reliever the Nationals just signed, who he previously pitched for and what happened the last time he took the mound. Instead, just look at his numbers over the last five seasons and how he ranks among the 119 big league relievers who have made at least 200 appearances during that time frame: * 2.36 ERA, third best (behind Zack Britton and Aroldis Chapman) * 0.987 WHIP, fourth best (behind Kenley Jansen, Roberto Osuna and Andrew Miller) * 2.72 FIP,...

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Source: Nats signing reliever Will Harris to three-year deal

January 02, 2020, 5:41pm

Nationals

Source: Nats signing reliever Will Harris to three-year deal

In their quest to fix the most notable hole in an otherwise talented and deep roster, the Nationals have signed the veteran reliever who gave up the home run that propelled them to their first World Series title only nine weeks ago. Will Harris, the former Astros right-hander who threw the pitch that Howie Kendrick clanked off the foul pole at Minute Maid Park in Game 7, has agreed to a three-year, $24 million contract with the Nationals, a source familiar with the terms confirmed tonight. The...

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Was 2019 a one-time thing or the start of something even bigger?

December 22, 2019, 8:37pm

Nationals

Was 2019 a one-time thing or the start of something even bigger?

The 2019 season was a long time coming for the Nationals. After eight years as contenders, after 15 years in the District, after 51 years as a franchise and after 95 years without a World Series title in D.C., this Nats club was the one that finally broke through and hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy. Along the way, the members of this championship team won over everyone's heart, forever etching their place in Washington sports history. No matter what happens for the next 95 years, the...