Strasburg delivered just in time to merit huge payday

Strasburg delivered just in time to merit huge payday
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Stephen Strasburg, who made it through a full season healthy for the first time in five years and then topped it off with a history-making postseason. PLAYER REVIEW: STEPHEN STRASBURG Age on opening day 2020: 31 How acquired: First-round pick, 2009 draft MLB service time: 9 years, 118 days 2019 salary: $35 million Contract status: Free agent after opting...

Assistant hitting coach Dillon gets lead position in Philly

Assistant hitting coach Dillon gets lead position in Philly
Joe Dillon, who earned praise throughout the Nationals organization for his work the last two seasons as assistant hitting coach, has been hired by the Phillies for their lead hitting coach position. Dillon joins manager Joe Girardi's new staff in Philadelphia, where he'll be reunited with Bryce Harper and get the first opportunity of his career to be a team's lead major league hitting coach. The 44-year-old joined the Nationals' big league staff in 2018 as Kevin Long's assistant and...

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Mountain cycling makes for fun afternoon

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Mountain cycling makes for fun afternoon
Though we all know that losing a star player to free agency is just part of the business of baseball, that doesn't make it any less aggravating for fans. But seeing as how the Nationals just won their first World Series, we at MASN know you won't mind being reminded of the days when your team piled a lot of its hopes on the young shoulders of a guy named Harper. This next batch of "Nationals Classics" includes a couple of red-letter days for the 2012 Rookie of the Year from back when he was...

After gutting through 2019, what's in store for Scherzer in 2020?

After gutting through 2019, what's in store for Scherzer in 2020?
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Max Scherzer, who was headed toward another Cy Young Award campaign before back injuries forced him to gut his way through the rest of the season. PLAYER REVIEW: MAX SCHERZER Age on opening day 2020: 35 How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2015 MLB service time: 11 years, 79 days 2019 salary: $35 million Contract status: Signed for $35 million in...

As NL East teams remake bullpens, Hudson is a popular free agent solution

As NL East teams remake bullpens, Hudson is a popular free agent solution
The Braves, who have won two consecutive National League East titles, have been the most productive team in the early days of the hot stove season, signing two relievers for their bullpen. But in a division where the four top teams have bullpen arms on their shopping list, what will each do this offseason? The Braves signed lefty Will Smith, who had 34 saves as a closer for San Francisco last season, and re-signed Chris Martin, 33, a reliever they acquired from Texas before the July 31 trade...

Lefty Braymer is Nats' lone addition to 40-man roster

Lefty Braymer is Nats' lone addition to 40-man roster
The Nationals have added Ben Braymer to their 40-man roster, protecting the minor league left-hander from being swooped up by another club in next month's Rule 5 draft. Facing an 8 p.m. Eastern time deadline to add prospects to their 40-man roster, the Nats so far have only announced the selection of Braymer, who went 4-10 with a 4.53 ERA in 26 starts between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Fresno this season. Braymer, 25, was an 18th round draft pick in 2016 who was named the organization's...

Major League Baseball & Washington Nationals host "The 2019 World Series" documentary premiere and red carpet presented by Budweiser

Major League Baseball & Washington Nationals host "The 2019 World Series" documentary premiere and red carpet presented by Budweiser
On Monday, December 2, Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals will host the premiere of "The 2019 World Series," the Major League Baseball documentary produced by MLB Network that captures the spectacular and improbable journey of the 2019 Washington Nationals in winning their franchise's first World Series championship. The documentary premiere presented by Budweiser takes place at The Anthem in Washington D.C. at 7:00 pm ET. Notable Nationals personnel expected to attend and be...

Popular Parra signs with Japanese club

Popular Parra signs with Japanese club
Baby Shark is swimming across the Pacific to begin a new chapter in his career. Gerardo Parra, who surprisingly became a major contributor to the Nationals' World Series title on and off the field, signed overnight with the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese Central League, dashing any hope the popular outfielder would return to Washington for another season. Parra agreed to a deal that includes a $2 million guaranteed salary, plus $500,000 in bonuses and a $3 million vesting option for 2021,...

Gomes stepped up when needed but now is a free agent

Gomes stepped up when needed but now is a free agent
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Yan Gomes, who had a rough regular season but stepped up in September and October when Kurt Suzuki was injured. PLAYER REVIEW: YAN GOMES Age on opening day 2020: 32 How acquired: Traded from Indians for Jefry Rodríguez, Daniel Johnson and Andruw Monasterio MLB service time: 7 years, 83 days 2019 salary: $7,083,334 Contract status: Free agent 2019...

Nationals select the contract of Ben Braymer

Nationals select the contract of Ben Braymer
The Washington Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Ben Braymer on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Braymer, 25, led Washington's Minor League system with 26 starts, ranked third with 139.0 innings pitched and sixth with 116 strikeouts in his fourth professional season in 2019. Between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Fresno, he went 4-10 with a 4.53 ERA. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound left-hander started the...

Nationals Foundation launches donation match of $150,000 to local nonprofits for Giving Tuesday

Nationals Foundation launches donation match of $150,000 to local nonprofits for Giving Tuesday
The Washington Nationals Foundation has launched a donation match of $150,000 to local nonprofits for Giving Tuesday, celebrated on Tuesday, December 3. During the World Series, the Nationals Foundation experienced record-setting ticket sales for the 50/50 raffle at home games at Nationals Park, with a combined total jackpot of $300,000. The Nationals Foundation will now use their half of that jackpot to match fans who donate through nationals.com/GivingTuesday. The Foundation will grant up to...

Ex-Nats Soriano and Dunn make Hall of Fame ballot

Ex-Nats Soriano and Dunn make Hall of Fame ballot
Though they spent more time playing for other franchises in other cities, Alfonso Soriano and Adam Dunn both are remembered fondly for their time with the Nationals. And so there were probably more than a few hearts warmed today when both players were included among the 32 candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot. Neither Soriano nor Dunn is expected to receive anywhere close to the 75 percent support necessary for enshrinement in Cooperstown, and there's a chance neither receives even...

Could lightning strike twice for Parra in D.C.?

Could lightning strike twice for Parra in D.C.?
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Gerardo Parra, whose mid-May acquisition didn't seem significant at the time but proved to be among the most important developments of the season. PLAYER REVIEW: GERARDO PARRA Age on opening day 2020: 32 How acquired: Signed as free agent, May 2019 MLB service time: 10 years, 145 days 2019 salary: $555,000 (Nats were responsible for $429,677) Contract...

Cabrera's cheap in-season signing proved huge for Nats

Cabrera's cheap in-season signing proved huge for Nats
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Asdrúbal Cabrera, a seemingly minor midseason pickup who wound up playing a major role during the World Series run. PLAYER REVIEW: ASDRÚBAL CABRERA Age on opening day 2020: 34 How acquired: Signed as free agent, August 2019 MLB service time: 12 years, 27 days 2019 salary: $3.5 million (Nats were only responsible for $170,000) Contract status: Free...

Questions abound; answers could take awhile

Questions abound; answers could take awhile
As the slowest part of the baseball offseason arrives, here are seven answers to seven questions: Question: Will the signing of major free agents speed up this year, or will teams be signing players the first week of spring training 2020? Answer: Most observers think the process will speed up. The teams' rosters aren't likely to get set before Christmas, which used to be the case, but it's likely not going to drag into late February as it did last offseason with Manny Machado (San Diego)...

After more October heroics, what's Taylor's future with Nats?

After more October heroics, what's Taylor's future with Nats?
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Michael A. Taylor, who spent most of the year in the minors but wound up a significant contributor in the postseason. PLAYER REVIEW: MICHAEL A. TAYLOR Age on opening day 2020: 29 How acquired: Sixth-round pick, 2009 draft MLB service time: 4 years, 129 days 2019 salary: $3.25 million Contract status: Arbitration-eligible in 2020, free agent in 2022 2019...

Healthy all year, Eaton finally showed his true value to Nats

Healthy all year, Eaton finally showed his true value to Nats
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Adam Eaton, who in his third season with the Nats finally showed what a healthy version of himself can do to help a team win. PLAYER REVIEW: ADAM EATON Age on opening day 2020: 31 How acquired: Traded from White Sox for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning, December 2016 MLB service time: 7 years, 30 days 2019 salary: $8.4 million Contract...

Robles flashed plenty of potential during eventful rookie year

Robles flashed plenty of potential during eventful rookie year
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Victor Robles, who in his first full big league season delivered some big moments at the plate along with consistently stellar play in center field. PLAYER REVIEW: VICTOR ROBLES Age on opening day 2020: 22 How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2013 MLB service time: 1 year, 52 days 2019 salary: $557,800 Contract status: Under club...

Rendon finishes a distant third in NL MVP vote

Rendon finishes a distant third in NL MVP vote
The best season of Anthony Rendon's career was good enough for a third-place finish in a hotly contested MVP race. Rendon was revealed tonight as the third-place finisher, behind winner Cody Bellinger and runner-up Christian Yelich, in this year's National League MVP balloting. Bellinger won the award, receiving 19 first-place votes and 362 total points. Yelich finished right behind him with 10 first-place votes and 317 total points. Rendon received 242 points and one first-place vote among...

Nats ensure draft pick compensation if Strasburg, Rendon leave

Nats ensure draft pick compensation if Strasburg, Rendon leave
Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon, to no one's surprise, turned down qualifying offers from the Nationals before today's deadline, leaving both free agents open to sign with any of Major League Baseball's 30 clubs while ensuring the Nats would receive draft pick compensation if either of them plays elsewhere in 2020. The one-year, $17.8 million qualifying offer was extended to 10 major league free agents, including Strasburg and Rendon, on Nov. 4. The players could have accepted the offer...