In only two years, Soto has proven he's one of MLB's best hitters

In only two years, Soto has proven he's one of MLB's best hitters
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Juan Soto, whose second big league season was even more impressive than his historic rookie campaign. PLAYER REVIEW: JUAN SOTO Age on opening day 2020: 21 How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2015 MLB service time: 1 year, 134 days 2019 salary: $578,300 Contract status: Under club control, arbitration-eligible in 2022, free agent in...

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Homer-happy memories from a title season

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Homer-happy memories from a title season
Two of the most memorable regular-season wins from the Nationals' championship season kick off the next batch of MASN's "Nationals Classics," which also include a couple of walk-off wins from previous years. Spoiler alert: One of them belongs to Ryan Zimmerman, who's had a few. Thursday, Nov. 14 - 7 p.m. - Like offense? Then settle in for a total of 24 trips around the bases. Who knows what the Nats and Brewers had for breakfast on the morning of Sunday, Aug. 18, but they spent that...

Perfectly timed career year sets Rendon up for huge payday

Perfectly timed career year sets Rendon up for 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 Anthony Rendon, who picked the perfect time to put together an MVP-caliber regular season and postseason. PLAYER REVIEW: ANTHONY RENDON Age on opening day 2020: 29 How acquired: First-round pick, 2011 draft MLB service time: 6 years, 130 days 2019 salary: $18.8 million Contract status: Free agent 2019 stats: 146 G, 646 PA, 545 AB, 117 R, 174 H, 44 2B, 3...

Scherzer finishes third, Strasburg fifth in NL Cy Young vote

Scherzer finishes third, Strasburg fifth in NL Cy Young vote
Jacob deGrom won his second straight National League Cy Young Award this evening, the Mets ace honored again for a season that while short on wins was dominant in every other capacity. In receiving 29 of 30 first place votes and 202 total points, deGrom easily bested Dodgers left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu (one first-place vote, 88 points) and Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer (72 points). Scherzer's third place finish means he's been in the top five in Cy Young Award voting for the seventh...

Martinez finishes fifth in NL Manager of the Year voting

Martinez finishes fifth in NL Manager of the Year voting
At this point, two weeks into November, nobody would dare suggest Davey Martinez didn't play a major role in leading the Nationals to their first World Series title and didn't deserve to be honored for it. But all ballots for National League Manager of the Year were submitted before the start of the postseason, and on the final day of September, Martinez's work hadn't yet been fully appreciated. Which explains why the Nats skipper finished a distant fifth in voting that was revealed...

Despite broken finger, Turner put up big numbers this year

Despite broken finger, Turner put up big numbers this 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 Trea Turner, who after missing six weeks with a broken finger returned to play every day and produced despite lingering effects. PLAYER REVIEW: TREA TURNER Age on opening day 2020: 26 How acquired: Traded from Padres with Joe Ross for Steven Souza Jr. and Travis Ott, who went to Rays in three-team deal, December 2014 MLB service time: 3 years, 135...

Robles finishes sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting

Robles finishes sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting
In a normal year, Victor Robles' performance might have been enough to warrant serious consideration for Rookie of the Year honors. This, however, was no normal year, which meant the Nationals center fielder wound up well down the list in voting among his fellow first-year players. Robles finished sixth in the race for 2019 National League Rookie of the Year, an award that went to Mets first baseman Pete Alonso in overwhelming fashion. Alonso, who set a new major league record for home runs by...

Forever etched into Nats lore, what's next for Kendrick?

Forever etched into Nats lore, what's next for Kendrick?
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Howie Kendrick, who as a part-time player in the regular season put up some of the best numbers of his career and then became a postseason legend. PLAYER REVIEW: HOWIE KENDRICK Age on opening day 2020: 36 How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2018 MLB service time: 13 years, 91 days 2019 salary: $4 million Contract status: Free agent 2019 stats:...

Zimmerman got healthy just in time, now hopes to return in '20

Zimmerman got healthy just in time, now hopes to return in '20
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Ryan Zimmerman, who after an injury-plagued regular season came up big in the postseason to win his first World Series title. PLAYER REVIEW: RYAN ZIMMERMAN Age on opening day 2020: 35 How acquired: First-round pick, 2005 draft MLB service time: 14 years, 32 days 2019 salary: $18 million Contract status: Free agent 2019 stats: 52 G, 190 PA, 171 AB, 20 R,...

Despite late struggles, Suzuki was critical to Nats' success

Despite late struggles, Suzuki was critical to Nats' success
As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We begin today with Kurt Suzuki, who at 35 enjoyed one of the best offensive seasons of his career and became a trusted batterymate for the team's two aces. PLAYER REVIEW: KURT SUZUKI Age on opening day 2020: 36 How acquired: Signed as free agent, November 2018 MLB service time: 12 years, 113 days 2019 salary: $4 million Contract status: Signed for $6 million in 2020. Free...

Friday morning Nats Q&A

Friday morning Nats Q&A
So anything interesting happen around here recently? It was quite an October for the Nationals, the most memorable October in franchise history. And November has been pretty interesting so far, as well, with some awfully significant players responsible for winning the World Series now free agents, and a couple of others making some headlines off the field. So there's no shortage of topics to discuss today. You've got questions. We've (hopefully) got answers. Submit them in the comments...

Rendon wins second career Silver Slugger Award

Rendon wins second career Silver Slugger Award
The Nationals' first (and potentially only) individual award from the 2019 regular season went to Anthony Rendon, who tonight was named the Silver Slugger Award winner as the National League's best offensive third baseman. Rendon led the league's third basemen in batting average (.319), runs (117), doubles (44), RBIs (126), on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.598) and OPS (1.010). His 34 homers trailed only Eugenio Suárez, Nolan Arenado and Josh Donaldson at his...

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Let's see that again

#TBT to "Nationals Classics": Let's see that again
Remember when you were a little kid and your mom or dad would toss you into the air? It felt so wonderful that you'd immediately say "Do it again!" Over and over until your poor parents wondered why they ever started this in the first place. Well, we at MASN are experiencing that feeling again, having just witnessed the Nationals pull off the most incredible in-season turnaround and postseason run in the history of the big leagues. And we have a feeling that you might be feeling it,...

Keep the band together or try to build a new champion?

Keep the band together or try to build a new champion?
For 15 years - but especially for the last eight years - they tried to find the right combination of talent, character and toughness to win a championship. And when they finally found it this season, the Nationals enjoyed one of the greatest October runs in baseball history. So it's only natural to now wonder how they might best try to put themselves right back in the same position next October in search of back-to-back titles. And the easiest answer is: Just keep the band together. Why...

Anthony Rendon wins Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award

Anthony Rendon wins Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award
Anthony Rendon was honored as the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winner for National League third baseman on Thursday night. Louisville Slugger made the announcement on MLB Network. Rendon, 29, earned his second career Silver Slugger Award after leading all National League third basemen in batting average (.319), on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.598), OPS (1.010), RBI (126), multi-hit games (55), extra-base hits (81) and runs scored (117). His 174 hits and 80 walks both...

What are the Nationals' positions of need this winter?

What are the Nationals' positions of need this winter?
As stated over the last couple of days, the fun is now over and it's time to start looking ahead to 2020. Not that the Nationals wouldn't love to just freeze time for a while and keep celebrating their championship. Unfortunately, the rest of the baseball world doesn't care about that and has already proceeded into the hot stove league. Thus, the Nats have no choice but to start making plans for next season. Which means we have no choice but to start looking at what they need for next...

Nationals wrap up title celebration with White House visit

Nationals wrap up title celebration with White House visit
One by one, they walked out, players and coaches filling the steps on both sides of the South Portico, where they were greeted by a crowd of several thousand that included team employees, administration employees and fans with connections who were given the opportunity to fill out the South Lawn and watch as the Nationals wrapped up their three-day World Series victory celebration with a White House visit. These events, offered to most professional and major college teams that win...

With free agency underway, Nats extend two qualifying offers

With free agency underway, Nats extend two qualifying offers
Five full days have passed since the Nationals won the World Series, and a lot has a lot happened in those five days. The celebration phase of the post-Game 7 victory time period, alas, is over. And now it's time to get down to serious business. Free agency is now fully underway, with all unsigned players free to negotiate with anybody they want. That doesn't mean there's going to be a sudden flurry of moves in the next 48 hours. Baseball, lest you forget, doesn't act that way. It's a...

As offseason begins, clubs facing difficult choices with longtime franchise cornerstones

As offseason begins, clubs facing difficult choices with longtime franchise cornerstones
The Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman held a World Series trophy one day and became a free agent the next. The Nationals declined his $18 million option and gave him a $2 million buyout. The 35-year-old first baseman, who has been with the team since their first season in D.C. in 2005, wants to finish his career with the Nationals. He doesn't want to move to a new team and uproot his family. At least with 81 home games, he gets more family time. Chances are good that the Nationals ownership will make...

A look at every player's contract status entering the offseason

A look at every player's contract status entering the offseason
As you may have already realized, the offseason came quick this year. Not because it began any earlier than any previous one. Because the Nationals' season lasted longer than any previous one. So even though the Nats are still in the midst of a World Series championship celebration that continues this afternoon with a trip to the White House, they're already in the process of figuring out who's going to be on the roster in 2020. Stephen Strasburg opted out of the remaining four years of his...