Mark Zuckerman

Nats' exhibition schedule includes game vs. Twins in D.C.

November 20, 2017, 10:40am

The Nationals announced their 2018 spring training schedule today, one that again takes advantage of their conveniently located new complex in West Palm Beach and concludes with a final exhibition against the Twins in D.C. Twenty-five of the Nationals' 31 Grapefruit League games in Florida will be played in Palm Beach County, either at their shared complex with the Astros or a short 15-minute drive up the road at the Marlins and Cardinals' complex in Jupiter. Three more road games will be...

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Nationals add Gutierrez, Rodriguez to 40-man roster

November 20, 2017, 8:12am

Nationals

The Nationals added third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez and right-hander Jefry Rodriguez to their 40-man roster in advance of today's 8 p.m. league-wide deadline, protecting both prospects from being lost in next month's Rule 5 draft. Neither Gutierrez nor Rodriguez appears on the Nationals' various top-10 prospects list - or is big-league ready - but each is viewed within the organization as worthy of retaining without risk of being lost now. The Rule 5 draft allows teams to select players away...

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Nationals have 40-man roster decisions to make

November 19, 2017, 7:37pm

Nationals

Major league clubs face an 8 p.m. deadline today to add players to their 40-man rosters and thus protect them from being taken away during next month's Rule 5 draft. It's not one of the high-profile deadlines of the offseason, but it can be an important one nonetheless. Consider some of the names the Nationals protected last winter for good reason, as it turned out: Rafael Bautista and Raudy Read. Neither was seen as being all that close to big league-ready at the time, but both wound up...

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What can Nats expect from Fedde after disappointing 2017?

November 18, 2017, 2:33pm

Nationals

What can Nats expect from Fedde after disappointing 2017?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Erick Fedde, who made his highly anticipated debut this year ... PLAYER REVIEW: ERICK FEDDE Age on opening day 2018: 25 How acquired: First-round pick, 2014 draft MLB service time: 39 days 2017 salary: $535,000 Contract status: Under team control in 2018, arbitration-eligible in 2021, free agent in 2024 2017 stats: 0-1, 9.39 ERA, 3 GS, 15 1/3 IP, 25 H, 16 R, 16 ER,...

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Hard-throwing reliever Romero will get another chance in 2018

November 17, 2017, 11:04am

Nationals

Hard-throwing reliever Romero will get another chance in 2018

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Enny Romero, who had an up-and-down first season in Washington ... PLAYER REVIEW: ENNY ROMERO Age on opening day 2018: 27 How acquired: Traded from Rays for Jeffrey Rosa, February 2017 MLB service time: 2 years, 72 days 2017 salary: $551,000 Contract status: Under team control in 2018, arbitration-eligible in 2019, free agent in 2022 2017 stats: 2-4, 3.56 ERA, 53...

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Friday morning Nats Q&A

November 16, 2017, 7:51pm

Nationals

It's been quite a long time since we did one of these things. And quite a bit has happened to the Nationals since then. Dusty Baker was let go. Dave Martinez was hired. Daniel Murphy had knee surgery. Max Scherzer won another Cy Young Award. Plus a lot of other stuff. So let's take a step today and give all of you an opportunity to ask what's on your mind. Leave your questions in the comments section below, then check back throughout the morning as I do my best to answer as many as I can ...

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Rendon ranks sixth in MVP voting, with four other Nats on ballot

November 16, 2017, 1:38pm

Nationals

Rendon ranks sixth in MVP voting, with four other Nats on ballot

Though none of them produced the kind of season worthy of an MVP award, five Nationals did earn recognition as also-rans in the annual voting for the National League's best player. Anthony Rendon finished sixth in MVP voting, with Max Scherzer finishing 10th, Bryce Harper (who may have been headed for the second MVP of his career before suffering his major knee injury in mid-August) finishing 12th, Daniel Murphy finishing 19th and Ryan Zimmerman finishing in a three-way tie for 20th. Results...

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Even with Cy Young showing, 2017 was a grind for Scherzer

November 15, 2017, 7:45pm

Nationals

Even with Cy Young showing, 2017 was a grind for Scherzer

It's easily forgotten now, because so much has transpired since, but Max Scherzer had a serious problem in spring training. He couldn't throw a fastball with his normal grip, the pressure of the side of the ball on the previously fractured knuckle on his right ring finger too painful. Things got so bad that Scherzer, who had to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic due to the injury, wound up changing his grip altogether. Instead of throwing fastballs with the traditional two fingers...

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Max Scherzer wins third career Cy Young Award (updated)

November 15, 2017, 1:52pm

Nationals

Max Scherzer wins third career Cy Young Award (updated)

Max Scherzer just joined an awfully exclusive club featuring some of the greatest pitchers in baseball history: three-time Cy Young Award winner. And he's not exactly sure how to process it all just yet. "That's why I'm drinking a lot of champagne tonight," the right-hander said with a laugh, some 90 minutes after learning of his victory. "Look, anytime you win a Cy Young Award, it's a special feeling, a special moment. ... But this one is special." It's special in part because...

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Nats' new staff complete with hiring of Blanco as bullpen coach

November 15, 2017, 5:18am

Nationals

Nats' new staff complete with hiring of Blanco as bullpen coach

The Nationals announced the hiring of Henry Blanco as bullpen coach this morning, officially filling the final position on new manager Dave Martinez's staff. Blanco is no stranger to Martinez, having served as the Cubs quality assurance coach the last three seasons while the latter was bench coach. He previously was an assistant coach and bullpen catcher for the Diamondbacks. The 46-year-old former catcher has crossed paths with almost everyone in baseball over nearly three decades in the...

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What a Cy Young Award would mean for Scherzer or Strasburg

November 14, 2017, 10:44am

Nationals

What a Cy Young Award would mean for Scherzer or Strasburg

The results of this year's National League Cy Young Award vote, which will be announced at approximately 6:45 p.m. Eastern time, won't change Max Scherzer or Stephen Strasburg's career stats. No matter what happens tonight, Scherzer still owns a 141-75 record, 3.30 ERA and 2,149 strikeouts during an awfully impressive career. And regardless of tonight's winner, Strasburg remains 84-45 with a 3.07 ERA and 1,288 strikeouts during his notable career. And yet the result of this Cy Young vote...

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Where the Nationals payroll stands heading into the winter

November 13, 2017, 7:03pm

Nationals

The annual GM meetings are taking place this week in Orlando. It's the kind of event where a lot of stuff is discussed but very little is actually done. Most clubs and most players prefer to wait until the Winter Meetings in December to start getting serious about contract negotiations or blockbuster trades. But this is the unofficial beginning of the Hot Stove League, with general managers and agents beginning the conversations that may ultimately lead to actual transactions down the...

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Previewing BBWAA awards week

November 12, 2017, 7:00pm

Nationals

It's awards week in baseball, with the big four - MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year - set to be handed out over the next four nights by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Despite their success and deep roster of players who enjoyed impressive seasons, the Nationals have an opportunity to emerge with only one of these four awards. Both Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are finalists for the National League Cy Young Award (along with Clayton Kershaw). Anthony...

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Erratic this season, SolÃs is hardly a sure thing for Nats

November 11, 2017, 7:17pm

Nationals

Erratic this season, SolÃs is hardly a sure thing for Nats

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Sammy SolÃs, who labored through an erratic season. PLAYER REVIEW: SAMMY SOLIS Age on opening day 2018: 29 How acquired: Second round pick, 2010 draft MLB service time: 2 years, 84 days 2017 salary: $545,700 Contract status: Under team control in 2018, arbitration-eligible in 2019, free agent in 2022 2017 stats: 1-0, 5.88 ERA, 30 G, 1 SV, 26 IP, 22 H, 17 R, 17...

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After surprising season, will Albers fit into Nats' 2018 plans?

November 10, 2017, 11:27am

Nationals

After surprising season, will Albers fit into Nats' 2018 plans?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Matt Albers, perhaps the biggest pleasant surprise of the season. PLAYER REVIEW: MATT ALBERS Age on opening day 2018: 35 How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, January 2017 MLB service time: 10 years, 141 days 2017 salary: $1.15 million Contract status: Free agent in 2018 2017 stats: 7-2, 1.62 ERA, 63 G, 2 SV, 61 IP, 35 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 6 HR, 17 BB, 63 SO,...

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Should Nationals try to re-sign Kintzler, keep "Law Firm" together?

November 09, 2017, 6:40pm

Nationals

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Brandon Kintzler, who excelled in a setup role after his July 31 acquisition from the Twins. PLAYER REVIEW: BRANDON KINTZLER Age on opening day 2018: 33 How acquired: Traded from Twins for Tyler Watson and international bonus slot money, July 2017 MLB service time: 6 years, 3 days 2017 salary: $2.925 million Contract status: Free agent in 2018 2017 stats: 4-3, 3.03...

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Murphy wins second straight Silver Slugger Award

November 09, 2017, 1:35pm

Nationals

Murphy wins second straight Silver Slugger Award

Daniel Murphy won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award this evening, deemed once again the best offensive second baseman in the National League. Murphy was the only Nationals player to win a Silver Slugger this season, despite dominant offensive performances by several teammates. Ryan Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon, though, lost out at their respective positions to Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, respectively, while Bryce Harper's case was hurt by the 6 1/2 weeks he spent on the...

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Nats add three more to staff, including pitching coach Lilliquist

November 09, 2017, 9:03am

Nationals

Nats add three more to staff, including pitching coach Lilliquist

The Nationals have hired Derek Lilliquist as pitching coach, Tim Bogar as first base coach and Joe Dillon as assistant hitting coach, adding two more experienced members to new manager Dave Martinez's staff plus another first-timer with ties to the organization. In announcing the additions of Lilliquist, Bogar and Dillon along with the previously reported hiring of Chip Hale (bench coach), Bob Henley (third base coach) and Kevin Long (hitting coach), the Nationals have filled all but one...

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Can key midseason pickup Madson do it again in 2018?

November 08, 2017, 7:08pm

Nationals

Can key midseason pickup Madson do it again in 2018?

As we transition into offseason mode here, we're reviewing each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Ryan Madson, whose midseason arrival helped transform the Nats' struggling bullpen into a strength. PLAYER REVIEW: RYAN MADSON Age on opening day 2018: 37 How acquired: Traded from Athletics with Sean Doolittle for Blake Treinen, Jesus Luzardo and Sheldon Neuse, July 2017 MLB service time: 12 years, 155 days 2017 salary: $7.5 million Contract status: Signed for...

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Wieters exercises $10.5 million option, will return to Nationals

November 05, 2017, 5:19am

Nationals

Matt Wieters will remain with the Nationals for a second season. The veteran catcher has exercised his $10.5 million player option, a source familiar with the decision confirmed, ensuring he'll remain a member of the Nationals for 2018 on the heels of a disappointing debut season in Washington. Wieters' decision, which had to be made over the weekend, had become expected in recent weeks. When he initially signed with the Nationals a week into spring training, he was hoping to re-establish his...