In late September, we got a chance to check in with shortstop Jackson Cluff, who spent the last month of the season at the Nationals alternate training site in Fredericksburg, Va.
Cluff is rated as the No. 20 Nats prospect by MLBPipeline.com. He played his first season of pro ball at low single-A Hagerstown. Cluff said it was exciting to get a chance to work out with other Nationals players as part of the 60-man player pool.
"I think that excitement raises when you get to play at this level...
Utility infielder Jake Noll was called up mid-September and got to play in seven games with the Nationals. As he had done all season long at the alternate training site, he continued to swing the bat well. From Sept. 15-27, Noll hit .353 (6-for-17) with one double, two runs scored and just four strikeouts.
"It's a great opportunity," Noll said during the last weekend of the regular season. "I've been waiting for this chance to prove myself and prove I belong all year. I'm happy to be here...
One factor manager Davey Martinez pointed toward that the Nationals must get better at in 2021 is their defense.
The Nats scuffled to a 26-34 record and fourth place in the National League East in 2020. Martinez believes one reason for their struggles was a lack consistent quality defense the club demonstrated during their championship season.
As an example, the outfield defensive analytical numbers were down from 2019.
Last season, center fielder Victor Robles led the league in Outs Above...
On May 2, 2019, the Nationals elected to fire pitching coach Derek Lilliquist and replace him with Paul Menhart, who had been with the organization since 2006.
Menhart guided the Nats through rough waters in May last year, then helped the Nats bullpen turn the season around. At 12 games below the .500 mark on May 24, the Nats would ultimately earn a National League wild card spot and finish the miraculous comeback season with a world championship.
But nearly 12 months later, the Nats have...
After a season where injuries wrecked the starting rotation and ineffectiveness hampered the bullpen, the Nationals have cut ties with pitching coach Paul Menhart following 15 years in the organization.
Menhart, 51, said he received a telephone call from manager Davey Martinez this evening with the news that his contract, which was up on Oct. 31, would not be renewed.
"I'm not sure how to take all of this," Menhart said in a text message to MASNsports.com. "It's quite a shock."
Menhart...
The Nationals had high expectations in 2018, hoping to put it all together for a shot at the postseason after 2017 ended in the National League Division Series against the Cubs. But the Nats ended up at just 82-80, eight games back of the Braves for the NL East crown.
There were some parallels to that disappointing ending to a campaign in 2020. The Nats were fresh off an incredible run to the 2019 World Series title as they got ready for an abbreviated 2020 regular season.
With most of that...
One Nationals player who stayed consistent on offense and made good contact throughout the season was shortstop Trea Turner.
Regardless of where manager Davey Martinez hit Turner in the lineup, he delivered.
Batting first in the lineup, Turner hit .340. Batting second, he hit .323. And for the four games he hit third, the former N.C. State infielder batted .333.
Against left-handed pitching, Turner hit .375, and against right-handers, he hit .322.
That is consistency.
Turner said he got off to...
Here are some more updates on pitchers who were working at the alternate camp site in Fredericksburg, Va., during the regular season. A few of them have moved over to the instructional league in West Palm Beach, Fla., for the next month.
This is third installment on pitchers who were working out in Fredericksburg. Top-rated prospects Cade Cavalli and Jackson Rutledge also were at the alternate site and have moved on to West Palm Beach.
Right-hander Joan Adon is in Florida at instructional...
MASNsports.com has obtained a copy of the Nationals' official fall instructional league 65-player roster for 2020.
Players in attendance whom MLBPipeline.com lists as top Nats prospects include pitchers Jackson Rutledge, Cade Cavalli, Tim Cate, Mason Denaburg, Cole Henry, Andry Lara, Eddy Yean, Matt Cronin and Seth Romero, who is on a major league rehab assignment with a broken right hand.
Top 20 rated Nats position players on hand: first baseman Drew Mendoza, shortstop/third baseman Yasel...
In his September for the Nationals, outfielder Andrew Stevenson got at least one base hit in all 12 games he played, a new career-high.
Stevenson, 26, returned to the Nats on Sept. 18, playing in nearly every game for the rest of the season, which included appearing in three doubleheaders in that span. During the final two weeks of the season, the Nats went 8-4 with Stevenson on the field.
He hit .417 with seven doubles, one triple, two homers and 12 RBIs in those 36 at-bats. For 2020,...
Juan Soto won the 2020 National League batting title on the last day of the season after going 1-for-1 with a walk in the Nationals' 15-5 trouncing of the Mets at Nats Park Sunday.
"Outstanding," said manager Davey Martinez of the accomplishment during the postgame Zoom video session. "Not only a batting champ, but I think he's one of the youngest in over 100 years. What can we say about Juan Soto. He comes every day ready to play, not just hitting but his defense, his baserunning,...
The Nationals announced the winners of the fifth annual end-of-season awards voted on by members of the local media. Outfielder Juan Soto was voted the 2020 Nationals Player of the Year. Right-hander Max Scherzer was named Pitcher of the Year. Reliever Sean Doolittle won the "Good Guy" Award, given to the player for his professional dealings with members of the media and representing the Nats organization with class on and off the field.
Soto, 21, has had a Most Valuable Player-caliber...
Josh Harrison broke a 3-3 deadlock with a drive to right field and the Nationals came back from an early deficit to upend the Mets 4-3 in the first seven-inning game of a Saturday doubleheader at Nats Park.
In the bottom of the sixth, Harrison went after reliever Edwin DÃaz's first pitch and laced it past Mets first baseman Pete Alonso into right field to score Brock Holt from third. Yan Gomes, making sure the ball fell before breaking for second, got forced out, but the Nationals had...
The Nationals and the Mets are scheduled to play two seven-inning games today as part of a doubleheader, thanks to Friday's postponement.
Max Scherzer will start the first game. AnÃbal Sánchez, already scheduled to pitch Saturday, will start the nightcap. Jacob deGrom to start game 1 for the Mets, who at 26-31 have a 1.2 percent chance of making the postseason.
Scherzer enters today's final start of 2020 with a 4-4 record. He has not finished under .500 since going 9-11 with the Arizona...
The game did not turn out the way the Nationals wanted, but one thing is for certain: Patrick Corbin battled.
Robinson Chirinos went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and an RBI single as the Mets won 3-2 at Nationals Park, taking the opener of a season-ending four-game series on Thursday night.
The signature moment for the lefty came in the seventh inning when the Nats were down two runs. Corbin again demonstrated his value with a gutsy performance to get out of a jam.
The Mets loaded the bases on...
Third baseman Carter Kieboom was disappointed that a left wrist injury ended his season prematurely. The 23-year-old felt like he made several strides forward in the field and in the batter's box, especially over the last couple of weeks.
Kieboom knows his numbers at the plate did not jump out, but that doesn't mean those at-bats weren't extremely valuable.
Kieboom ended up hitting .202 in 33 games, with one double, nine RBIs and 17 walks. He struck out 33 times. But his defense at third...
Third baseman Carter Kieboom said his left wrist is improving, but he understands it was the smart move for the Nationals to place him on the injured list for the remainder of the season. Three days ago, Kieboom got hit by the Phillies' Zack Wheeler's sinker and suffered a left wrist contusion.
"Grip strength is where my problem is right now," Kieboom said today on a pregame Zoom call. "Swelling is still a little bit there. I think we are going to get some more opinions at it, some more...
The Nationals enter the final series of the regular season knowing they have only four games against the Mets remaining on the schedule. With the Giants' 7-2 win over the Rockies late last night, the Nats were officially eliminated from postseason consideration a year after winning the World Series.
Tonight, left-hander Patrick Corbin (2-6, 4.76 ERA) makes his final start of 2020 against Mets left-hander David Peterson (5-2, 3.80 ERA). The Mets are almost done themselves, but at 25-31 still...
Erick Fedde did a lot of things right on Wednesday night, minus a couple of pitches to Bryce Harper. The right-hander ended up finishing the season strong, going seven innings in a hard-luck loss to the Phillies.
Fedde allowed two homers to Harper, but overall just three runs on five hits. He walked one batter and struck out five. The Phillies salvaged the final game of the four-game set over the Nationals 12-3, scoring six runs in the ninth to pull away.
Andrew McCutchen also doubled and came...
Manager Davey Martinez moved Juan Soto to right field for the second game of yesterday's doubleheader against the Phillies and it worked out well.
"Just wanted to throw him out there," Martinez said during today's pregame Zoom video session. "I talked about it to him for quite a while. The short stint he was in the minor leagues coming up, that's where he played, right field. He feels comfortable over there. So, we thought we give him a shot to play over there. He's going to play over...
