A Nationals club desperate for some left-handed power is addressing that need with a notable, if flawed, addition: Joey Gallo.

Gallo and the Nats have agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth a guaranteed $5 million, plus another $1 million in incentives, sources familiar with the deal confirmed. The 30-year-old outfielder/first baseman must still pass a physical, and the team must clear a spot on the 40-man roster before the move is official.

Gallo provides the Nationals lineup exactly what it was lacking: left-handed power. The 2012 first-round pick of the Rangers has hit 198 career home runs, averaging 30.2 in each of his last six full seasons (excluding the shortened 2020 campaign). He’s a two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner who figures to play both left field and first base in D.C.

Gallo’s offensive game is not without flaws, though. His career .197 batting average is lowest among all major leaguers with at least 3,000 plate appearances since he debuted in 2015. His 1,190 strikeouts in that same time frame are fifth-most in the majors.

Gallo does draw walks, though, leading the American League with 111 of them in 2021 and producing a .323 career on-base percentage that rates near the overall league average during that time despite his excessively low batting average.

It’s Hall of Fame election night, and while that may not be huge news here in Washington, it’s big news across the baseball world at large.

At 6 p.m. Eastern, we’ll learn the names of the newest residents of Cooperstown, and it could be a sizeable list for the first time in several years.

The votes all were submitted before New Year’s Day, so there’s been plenty of time for everyone to speculate and pontificate on the eventual results. The ever-present Hall of Fame Tracker by Ryan Thibodaux has once again given interested fans and media members alike tantalizing evidence of what we may learn tonight, based on the ballots that already were made public by some members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

If you’ve been reading me for a while, you already know that I’ve been a voter since 2011 but I don’t reveal my ballot until after the results are announced. Please do check back this evening for my full column explaining why I did or did not vote for each of the 26 players who appeared on this year’s ballot.

But since there’s nothing else to do between now and then but delude ourselves into thinking the Nationals might actually make some news for the first time in weeks, let’s look at some of the major storylines heading into tonight’s announcement …

There is no storyline in sports more compelling, at least to this humble sportswriter, than a team or individual historically the victim of postseason heartbreak finally exorcising its demons and winning the big one.

More than great dynasties, more than unexpected upsets, the reversal of a longstanding narrative to secure a championship makes for the best sports theater. Think the Red Sox and Cubs breaking their curses. Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup at last. John Elway hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after losing the Super Bowl three previous times.

And, of course, the Nationals finally getting over the hump in 2019 after repeatedly losing in the National League Division Series in soul-crushing fashion.

It’s why I find the Buffalo Bills one of the most compelling franchises in any sport and why I was so intrigued by their AFC Divisional Playoff matchup Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Nobody has suffered the kind of playoff heartbreak the Bills have suffered in their history. Four consecutive Super Bowl losses in the 1990s. The Music City Miracle. And then three straight playoff losses the last three seasons, two of them to the Chiefs (including one of the all-time heartbreakers two years ago in Kansas City).

So when it happened again Sunday night, when Tyler Bass pushed a 44-yard field goal attempt wide right to seal yet another dagger of a playoff loss, I couldn’t help but feel devastated for “Bills Mafia,” which at this point has to be numb to the experience of Lucy pulling the ball away at the last second, leaving them flat on their backs yet again.

It’s easy to look at the Nationals right now, silent for more than a month, and stress over what they still need to acquire this winter.

The Nats still need a left fielder. They still need a designated hitter. They may need another starting pitcher. And though several other positions are filled, there are still major question marks about several of those, with few sure things to put your mind at ease.

There’s a lot the Nationals don’t have yet, and it’s certainly fair to worry about that. It’s also fair to look at what they do have in place and take some comfort there.

The cupboard isn’t entirely bare. It’s most definitely better stocked now than it was a year or two ago when the rebuild was still in its early stages.

This is especially true at some of the most important positions on the field, starting with shortstop. CJ Abrams was a big question mark entering 2023, and halfway through the season there remained some real questions about him. But his performance over the second half of the year, at the plate, in the field and on the bases, erased a lot of those questions. Abrams looks like a keeper, and there are few positions around the diamond you’d rather say that about than the one he plays.

Austin Voth’s career in Washington didn’t turn out the way he hoped it would. For a brief while, it looked like he might have figured something out in Baltimore, but things fizzled out there as well.

Now Voth will get a chance to resurrect his career in his hometown.

The Mariners signed the right-hander to a $1.25 million contract earlier this week, taking a chance on the 31-year-old right-hander who grew up outside Seattle and pitched for the University of Washington before the Nationals drafted him.

It’s not a bad deal for Voth, given his struggles and the way things played out for him the last few seasons with the Nats and Orioles.

Originally a fifth-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, Voth slowly worked his way up through the minors before debuting in 2018. His best year in D.C. came in 2019, when he posted a 3.30 ERA and 1.053 WHIP in nine games (eight starts). Things took a sharp turn downhill from there, though.

No, the Nationals still haven't signed a left fielder, first baseman or designated hitter. No, they still haven't made any major-league roster move since Dec. 12. But, hey, they did hire Sean Doolittle to be their pitching strategist this week, so at least they've made some news of consequence!

The slowest offseason in a long time unfortunately continues. We're now inside of four weeks until pitchers and catchers report, so the Nats have to get the ball rolling on a few things at some point here. But until that glorious day comes, we'll continue the every-other-Friday routine of taking and answering your questions on the team.

If you've got something you'd like to ask, just leave it in the comments section below. Then check back throughout the morning for my responses ...

Sean Doolittle surely had no shortage of options when deciding what to do first in his post-playing career. The 37-year-old reliever, who retired from the Nationals in September after a knee injury prevented him from returning from the elbow procedure he underwent the previous season, could do just about anything he wanted.

Broadcaster? Sure, he has the knowledge and the personality. Coach? Absolutely, he has always enjoyed imparting his wisdom on teammates. Community relations representative? Most definitely, given his longstanding passion for making a difference off the field in a number of important areas. Mayor of Washington? Well, even though it was the running joke on his retirement day, Doolittle was quick to shoot down that notion. Grateful Dead roadie? Don’t tempt him.

He may wind up doing any or all of those things during the remainder of his time on Earth, or something completely different nobody has thought of yet. For his first post-retirement act, though, Doolittle has decided to stick around Nationals Park and offer the organization something it hasn’t had before: a hybrid coach/analytics guru.

The Nats announced Tuesday they’ve hired Doolittle to be their pitching strategist, a newly created position that will allow the lefty to work directly with pitchers, the coaching staff and the front office in an attempt to bring out the best in all of them.

According to the club’s press release, Doolittle will serve “as a liaison between the analytics department and pitching staff, while assisting the manager and pitching coach with strategy, mental preparation and mechanics.”

The Washington Nationals on Tuesday added All-Star and World Series champion pitcher Sean Doolittle to their staff as a Pitching Strategist. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

In this role, Doolittle will serve as a liaison between the analytics department and pitching staff, while assisting the manager and pitching coach with strategy, mental preparation and mechanics.

“Sean Doolittle was always an extremely talented pitcher, but he is also one of the most intelligent baseball minds you can find,” said Rizzo. “We’re incredibly excited to have him on our staff to help guide our talented group of young pitchers.”

“I can’t thank the Lerner family, Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez enough for all they’ve done for me and my family,” Doolittle said. “I love the Nationals and Washington D.C., and look forward to this new challenge while remaining an active member of an organization that means so much to me.”

Doolittle, 37, spent six seasons with the Nationals, retiring in 2023 after an 11-year Major League career. The hard-throwing left-handed reliever instantly became a staple of Washington’s bullpen, clubhouse and community after joining the club in July 2017 and ranks tied for third in Nationals history (2005-pres.) with 75 saves. His 153 relief appearances are second most by a Nationals pitcher since 2017 and 13th most in Nationals history (2005-pres.).

The Orioles today announced that tickets for all 2024 regular season home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, January 25, at 10 a.m. ET. Tickets can be purchased at Orioles.com/Tickets. The club also announced its 2024 promotional schedule, which features 24 giveaway items and is highlighted by five bobbleheads, multiple t-shirt nights, a City Connect Reversible Floppy Hat, presented by Coors Light, a City Connect Hawaiian Shirt, an Orioles Football Jersey, and an Orioles Soccer Jersey. 

Fans who subscribe to the free Orioles Insider email newsletter will receive an invitation to participate in an online pre-sale opportunity beginning Tuesday, January 23, at 10 a.m., including a limited time special offer for up to 50 percent off all April and May home games. Fans can subscribe online at Orioles.com/Newsletter. This year, due to high demand, tickets for Opening Day on Thursday, March 28, when the Orioles host the Los Angeles Angels at 3:05 p.m. are available exclusively to Birdland Members. For more information, or to purchase a 2024 Birdland Membership, call 888-848-BIRD or visit Orioles.com/Memberships.

The Bird Bath Splash Zone will return to Section 86 for the 2024 season with tickets available to purchase beginning on Tuesday, January 23. Fans who purchase single game tickets in Section 86 may get wet and are encouraged to secure their belongings in waterproof bags before entering the Bird Bath.

The bobblehead giveaways will feature 2023 American League Manager of the Year BRANDON HYDE on Saturday, April 27, Orioles Chief Hydration Officer MR. SPLASH on Friday, May 10, Orioles 2023 co-home run leader ANTHONY SANTANDER on Saturday, June 1, Silver Slugger ADLEY RUTSCHMAN on Sunday, July 28, and 2023 American League Rookie of the Year GUNNAR HENDERSON on Friday, August 23.

Returning this year are popular fan favorites, including the City Connect Hawaiian Shirt on Saturday, June 29, City Connect Reversible Floppy Hat, presented by Coors Light, on Friday, July 26, and Orioles Soccer Jersey on Saturday, August 24. 

There’s no right way to approach the signing of teenage Latin American ballplayers, nor is there a wrong way. Whether they devote millions of dollars to top-rated prospects or spread the wealth out among a couple dozen lesser-touted kids, the Nationals’ goal is always the same: Sign talented young players and hope you can develop at least a few of them into successful big leaguers.

Fausto Severino has seen both approaches work and fail during his 15 years with the organization. And given the ages of these players when they’re signed, it’s impossible to know how it’s all going to work out for many years.

So, there’s no telling how the Nats’ international class of 2024 will be remembered. Perhaps one or both of the top-rated players they signed for big bucks – outfielder Victor Hurtado ($2.8 million), shortstop Angel Feliz ($1.7 million) – will become stars in D.C. many years from now. Perhaps one or more of the 18 lesser-touted players who signed Monday for lesser amounts will develop into the better players. And perhaps nobody will emerge from the pack.

All the Nats can do today is trust they scouted well and made the right decisions with the 20 newest members of the organization, who face a long road ahead to reach the major leagues.

“Try to get the best players,” Severino said. “And we had the budget for it, so we went and got some guys aside from those two prospects.”

The Orioles today announced that they have opened the 2023-24 International Signing Period with 19 contract agreements. Highlighting the Orioles’ 2023-24 international signing class are: shortstop EMILIO SÁNCHEZ, outfielder STIVEN MARTÍNEZ, shortstop ELVIN GARCÍA, shortstop JEMONE NUEL, right-handed pitcher YAKI MONDESIR, outfielder ÁNGEL GARCÍA, and right-handed pitcher ESTEBAN MEJÍA. Of the 19 total agreements, 13 are from the Dominican Republic and six are from Venezuela. The signing class includes seven infielders, six outfielders, four pitchers, and two catchers.

Sánchez, 16, was born in San Juan De La Maguana, Dominican Republic. He is ranked as the No. 30 international prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 31 by Baseball America. He has the chance to be a solid, everyday type of player who is capable of plus offense with average defense. He carries a solid approach at the plate and has a loose swing with good extension and bat speed. The bat stays in the hitting zone for a long time. He possesses good balance and feel for the barrel. Defensively, he will start his career at shortstop but could move to third base as he physically matures and gets stronger.

Martínez, 16, is an outfielder from the Dominican Republic who has the potential to be a five-tool player. He is ranked as the No. 28 international prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 42 by Baseball America. He carries a plus arm and possesses plenty of raw power for his age as one of the youngest players in his class. He has the ability to hit to all fields as the ball jumps off the bat. Defensively, Martínez has a very strong arm with proper mechanics and an on-line carry. He is viewed as one of the best projects in this class.

García, 16, a native of Mao, Dominican Republic, has the chance to be an everyday shortstop. He has a large frame with a lot of space to fill out, making for excellent body projection. Offensively, he has a short swing with bat speed and carries a good approach at the plate. He is a line-drive type of hitter with the ability to hit the ball to the opposite field. On the dirt, he has a chance to stay at shortstop due to his good hands and feet. He maintains fluid and effortless actions with plenty of body control. He is a smart player who understands his role well.

Nuel, 16, is a shortstop out of the Dominican Republic, with Jamaican descent, who profiles best as an everyday player. He is a solid hitter who possesses great bat-to-ball skills, shows good feel for the barrel, and sees spin well. He is an advanced hitter for his age and has line-drive power that will help him hit a lot of extra-base hits. On defense, he projects as someone who will remain in the middle of the infield. He is a plus runner who is aggressive on the bases. Nuel will be fun to watch as someone who plays the game with good energy.

The Nationals will be signing players today. A bunch of them, as a matter of fact.

Not big-league players. But players they certainly hope will become big leaguers someday once they join the organization from Latin America and work their way up the depth chart.

It’s the start of the 2024 international signing period across Major League Baseball, and this one will be notable for the Nationals because for the first time in a long time, there’s a new person in charge of the process.

Johnny DiPuglia, the franchise’s lead international scout since 2009, resigned in September and recently was hired by the Royals as a special assistant. Taking his place is Fausto Severino, who has worked for the Nats just as long but is only now getting his first opportunity to lead the department after serving as DiPuglia’s right-hand man for years.

Severino joined the Nationals in 2009 as the administrator of their Dominican academy, which was in a state of chaos after it was discovered an alleged top prospect falsified his name (Esmailyn Gonzalez) and age in order to secure a then-record $1.6 million signing bonus. The investigation into that case led to the downfalls of former general manager Jim Bowden and his top Latin American lieutenant, Jose Rijo.

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with 20 international free agents on Monday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Director of International Operations Fausto Severino made the joint announcement.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

PLAYER                   POS         B/T          HT           WT           AGE         D.O.B.                      HOMETOWN                            SIGNING SCOUT

Enmanuel Carela      RHP         R/R          5-11           160           16             3/10/2007               Santo Domingo                        Bolivar Pelletier

Marlon De La Cruz    RHP         R/R          6-2           155           18             11/3/2005                Santo Domingo                        Riki Vasquez

One word for the MLB trade market right now would be frustrating. Frustrating for fans and maybe even front office execs alike that, while we have rumors, we have so much less actual movement and action.

The rumors about right-hander Dylan Cease never seem to end yet nothing so far has led to a move.

What might create further frustration here is that neither the Orioles or the Chicago White Sox need to make a move. They can simply keep what they have and go at it in the 2024 season. In the case of the White Sox, they could trade Cease next month, at the trade deadline, next winter or maybe never. And as for the Orioles, they may already have enough pitching.

The White Sox's Chris Getz was promoted to the general manager position on Aug. 31 and is going to want to make sure he makes the right deal if he trades Cease, a pitcher who was second for the AL Cy Young Award in the 2022 season.

Getz addressed the Cease trade talks with Chicago reporters this week.

When the Nationals removed Travis Blankenhorn from their 40-man roster in early October, the 27-year-old outfielder had the option of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Rochester or becoming a free agent. He chose to become a free agent, perhaps believing a better opportunity would be available elsewhere.

Blankenhorn, though, eventually found his way back to the Nationals, recently signing a minor-league deal with the organization, which was willing to give him another shot.

The Nats got only a brief look at Blankenhorn last season. After putting up big numbers (23 homers, 75 RBIs, .877 OPS) in 108 games at Rochester, he was promoted to the majors Sept. 1 and immediately made his presence known, homering in his first game that night at Nationals Park.

That proved the high point of his season, though. Blankenhorn played in only 10 games, going 5-for-31 with no other extra-base hits or RBIs following the homer in his debut. And he wound up going on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his foot, missing the final two weeks of the season.

Given the organization’s well-known crop of top outfield prospects, Blankenhorn didn’t seem to have much future with the Nationals, which explains in part why they took him off the 40-man roster. But they will still need outfield depth in the minors, and perhaps someone who could be used in the majors if the need arises before prospects like James Wood, Dylan Crews and Robert Hassell III are deemed ready.

The interest in the Orioles can’t always be confined to one mailbag entry. There’s some spillover that must be cleaned up.

Think of this space as aisle 5.

Here’s the remainder, along with a reminder that my mailbag parts ways amicably and yours is fired.

Where is Félix Bautista rehabbing?
I’m told he’s rehabbing at the spring training complex in Sarasota, but he’ll be in the Dominican Republic for Tuesday’s unveiling of the new state-of-the-art academy.

Are there any MLB teams not linked to a trade for Dylan Cease?
I like how you emphasized “MLB.” Just to be clear that you weren’t referring to the Northwoods League. It isn’t every team in the majors, but it’s more than a half-dozen, right? And yes, the Orioles are talking to the White Sox about him. Why is this treated like breaking news? And are they reportedly the “favorites” simply because they have the most prospects to offer?

The Orioles today announced their 2024 Major League staff, led by 2023 American League Manager of the Year BRANDON HYDE. The club has named DREW FRENCH Pitching Coach, MITCH PLASSMEYER Assistant Pitching Coach, and GRANT ANDERS Major League Development Coach. All other coaches remain in their same positions: CODY ASCHE as Offensive Strategy Coach, MATT BORGSCHULTE and RYAN FULLER as Co-Hitting Coaches, TIM COSSINS as Major League Field Coordinator/Catching Instructor, FREDI GONZÁLEZ as Bench Coach, JOSÉ HERNÁNDEZ as Major League Coach, RYAN KLIMEK as Pitching Strategy Coach, TONY MANSOLINO as Third Base Coach, and ANTHONY SANDERS as First Base Coach.

French, 39, joins the Orioles from the Atlanta Braves, where he spent the past three seasons as the Bullpen Coach, including on the 2021 World Series champion team. Prior to his first Major League coaching role with the Braves, he spent five seasons (2016-20) as a Pitching Coach in the Houston Astros organization. In 2020, he worked as one of two Pitching Coaches at Houston’s Alternate Training Site. He then joined the Astros for the end of the regular season and playoffs as the Pitching Coach for the club’s Major League taxi squad. In 2019, he served as Triple-A Round Rock’s Pitching Coach. Under his guidance, Express pitchers set a franchise record with 1,265 strikeouts and posted 12 shutout victories, the most in the Pacific Coast League. He joined the Astros in 2016 as the Pitching Coach for Short-Season A Tri-City. In the following two seasons, he helped teams win championship titles, first as Pitching Coach for the 2017 Midwest League Champion Quad City River Bandits (A), and then as Pitching Coach for the 2018 Carolina League Champion Buies Creek Astros (A+). Before coaching in professional baseball, French spent nine seasons in similar roles with four different universities. He graduated from Concordia University (TX) in 2006 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Minor in Communication.

Plassmeyer, 28, was promoted from Minor League Pitching Coordinator, a role he had held since May 2022. Prior to joining the Orioles, he worked at the University of Missouri-Columbia as Pitching Coach (2022) and Director of Player Development - Baseball (2021-22). He began his coaching career at Premier Pitching and Performance (P3) in Missouri, where he served as Pitching Trainer (2019-22), Director of Remote Pitching (2019-21), and Director of Pitching (2021). Plassmeyer pitched three seasons at Bradley University (IL), where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Leadership from the Foster College of Business in 2019.

Anders, 27, was promoted from Major League Player Development Analyst, a role he had held since December 2021. He joined the Orioles organization as Double-A Bowie’s Development Coach in November of 2019, serving in that capacity through the 2021 season. Prior to joining the Orioles, Anders spent the 2019 season as a Baseball Operations Trainee with the Cincinnati Reds and the 2017-18 seasons as a Minor League Video Intern in the Kansas City Royals organization. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Radford University (VA), where he served as the Director of Player Development for the Radford Highlanders baseball team from 2015-18. He earned his Master of Sports Law and Business from Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2019.

Hyde enters his sixth season as Manager after being named to the post prior to the 2019 campaign. In 2023, he led the Orioles to an AL-best 101-61 record, the first time since 1997 that the Orioles claimed the top seed in the AL. The 2023 season saw the O’s clinch their 10^th AL East title and first since 2014, as well as their first playoff berth since the 2016 AL Wild Card. Hyde guided the Orioles to their first 100-win season since 1980, joining EARL WEAVER as the only O’s skippers to manage a team to a 100-win campaign. He has now led the Birds to their first back-to-back winning seasons since 2013-14. He was voted the Baseball Writers’ Association of America AL Manager of the Year, becoming the fourth Orioles skipper to win the award. He was also voted the Sporting News AL Manager of the Year by fellow American League managers for the second consecutive year. 

It took the entire day, but the Nationals did sign all four of their arbitration-eligible players to 2024 contracts Thursday, with Lane Thomas ($5.45 million) and Luis García ($1.95 million) agreeing to their deals prior to Major League Baseball’s 1 p.m. deadline, then Kyle Finnegan ($5.1 million) and Hunter Harvey ($2.325 million) agreeing to their deals before the 8 p.m. deadline to file arbitration offers.

With that, the Nats avoided any awkwardness – or even nastiness – that could have come from an arbitration hearing next month. The best takeaway from the day: The team and the players appear to have been on the same page on those players’ value to the club. That’s always better than the alternative.

The other notable takeaway from the day: The team’s Opening Day payroll is starting to come into clearer focus.

The Nationals now have 13 players signed for the 2024 season. The list is top-heavy, with both Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin set to earn $35 million this year (though each is deferring at least $10 million until a later date, so their actual income will be closer to $25 million.

Four other players are signed for $5 million to $7 million: Thomas, Finnegan, Keibert Ruiz ($6.875 million) and Trevor Williams ($7 million). Everyone else makes less than $3 million, that list including Harvey, García, Victor Robles, Dylan Floro, Nick Senzel, Tanner Rainey and Ildemaro Vargas.

For the first time in a long time, there will be Nationals news today. Not news about the signing of a prominent free agent (unless Mike Rizzo has a surprise up his sleeve). But news about the status of four players who must either agree to 2024 salaries today or file for arbitration.

The four players on the clock today: Lane Thomas, Kyle Finnegan, Luis García and Hunter Harvey.

What’s actually happening today? Major League Baseball requires all players who are arbitration-eligible (between three and six years of big-league service time, plus a percentage of the most experienced players with less than three years) to negotiate and ultimately agree to their one-year salary figures. Anyone who doesn’t real a deal on their own must then submit a formal salary request, with the team also submitting its formal contract offer, and then an arbitration hearing is scheduled for February before a three-person panel which decides which offer wins.

The all-important caveat: Even if players and teams file for arbitration today, they’re still free to negotiate a deal on their own over the next month. And more often than not, those cases are settled before ever reaching the arbitration panel.

The Nationals actually entered the offseason with eight arbitration-eligible players. But Dominic Smith and Michael Chavis each was cut loose months ago, and Victor Robles ($2.65 million) and Tanner Rainey ($1.5 million) already agreed to their 2024 salaries back in November.