The Washington Nationals today announced an agreement with Costa Media, extending the official Spanish-language radio broadcast partnership through the 2027 season. During the Nationals’ upcoming season, fans can tune in to DC 87.7 FM and La Pantera WFAX 100.7 FM/1220 AM for live Spanish-language broadcasts for both home and away games, with in-game play-by-play analysis, 15-minute pre- and postgame shows, in-depth organizational reporting and player interviews.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Nationals organization and deliver first-class Spanish-language play-by-play to the DMV Latino community,” said Jose Villafane, Founder and Managing Partner of Costa Media.

Luciano Rodríguez and Gustavo Salazar will once again team up and return to the Nationals’ Spanish-language radio booth for the upcoming 20^th Anniversary season. Rodríguez, a Venezuelan native, provides play-by-play and is a 40-year veteran of D.C. Latin sports broadcasts. He began his Spanish-language radio career in the late 1980s at WILC 900 AM, and in 1993, became the first Spanish-language color commentator for the Baltimore Orioles. From 2005 to 2015, he worked for SiriusXM as a Spanish-language host, commentator and producer covering baseball and other sports. Born in Bolivia, Salazar serves as the color analyst and producer. A third-generation broadcaster, Salazar’s family has combined for nearly 100 years in the Latin broadcast industry. Salazar was an integral part of CBS Radio and iHeart Radio’s Latino radio market growth in D.C. and Philadelphia, and from 2013 to 2022, he served as a Spanish radio broadcaster for the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, including calling the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII championship season.

The continued partnership with Costa Media is an extension of the Nationals’ ongoing engagement with the area’s Spanish-speaking community. Each season, the Nationals celebrate the rich history and culture during Hispanic Heritage Day at Nationals Park. In 2024, the Nationals held its first-ever dual-language Spanish/English Q&A session with Salazar and Nationals players on Hispanic Heritage Day. Additionally, Manager Dave Martinez shows his appreciation for his Hispanic roots through his Davey’s Dugout initiative – a monthly event held during the season that invites families and individuals of Hispanic heritage to join a special Q&A with Martinez and Spanish-speaking players, as well as stay to enjoy that day’s game.

For more information on Costa Media, visit costa-media.com and nats.com.

The Nationals’ projected Opening Day outfield has long been set. Barring some unforeseen development, James Wood and Dylan Crews will man the corners, with Gold Glove Award finalist Jacob Young in center field.

That’s the same outfield the Nats used throughout the final month-plus of the season, from the moment they promoted Crews from Triple-A Rochester to make his major league debut. And none of the three got much time off down the stretch. Aside from a handful of Joey Gallo appearances in right field, the starting trio all played together every night through season’s end.

There’s not much reason to believe that will change heading into the coming season. Wood and Crews, obviously, are two of the top prospects in baseball. Aside from an occasional day off here and there, they’re going to be in the lineup all the time. The same is probably true for Young, provided he produces enough offense to go along with his stellar defensive work.

Which brings us to today’s question: Who’s going to be the fourth outfielder, and do the Nationals need to devote much time and energy to answering that question?

At the moment, there are three other full-time outfielders on the club’s 40-man roster: Alex Call, Stone Garrett and Robert Hassell III. Infielders Amed Rosario, Darren Baker and perhaps Josh Bell could also play the outfield in a pinch, though none would figure to see regular playing time out there.

Though the approach has been somewhat methodical, the Nationals have addressed their most obvious needs so far this winter. They acquired a first baseman and a designated hitter, hopefully adding more power to a lineup that sorely needs it. They acquired one experienced starting pitcher and re-acquired another, giving them rotation depth with at least six (maybe seven) candidates for Opening Day jobs.

And then finally over the weekend they made the first move to address the last remaining obvious hole: the bullpen. In signing right-hander Jorge López for $3 million, they added an experienced late-inning arm to a relief corps woefully short on such things.

That shouldn’t be the end of Mike Rizzo’s to-do list, though. There should be more bullpen moves to come before pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach in a mere four weeks.

López is a solid addition, a soon-to-be 32-year-old with 31 career saves, an All-Star selection as recently as 2022 and a 2.89 ERA in 52 games last season with the Mets and Cubs. He fits right into the same mold as Derek Law and Dylan Floro, two experienced right-handers who signed similar deals last winter. (Law’s was officially a minor league contract, but he was a lock to make the club as long as he was healthy.)

Law, of course, returns, having just agreed to a $2.75 million salary to avoid arbitration. Floro is long gone, having been traded to the Diamondbacks in July for Andres Chaparro. In a perfect world, López would take over that role, which would carry some extra irony considering the Twins traded him to the Marlins for Floro less than two years ago.

It’s rare for a player to be traded away and then return to that same team later in his career. It's even rarer still for that to happen and the player becomes teammates with the players he was once traded to acquire.

That will be the case when Josh Bell reports to West Palm Beach for the second time in his career next month. He’ll be back in the clubhouse where he last reported ahead of the 2022 season, only this time he’ll be joined by young players to whom he’s forever linked but have never before been his teammates.

Halfway through that 2022 season, Bell was included in the biggest trade deadline deal in major league history. Joining superstar Juan Soto, the veteran first baseman was sent to the Padres for a historic returning package of prospects: CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, James Wood, Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana.

Three of those prospects – Abrams, Gore and Wood – will be key figures for the Nationals this season. As will Bell, who signed a one-year, $6 million deal last week to return to Washington 2 ½ years after his departure.

“It's exciting. It's definitely a lot of people that can be household names here very soon,” Bell said of the young talent on the Nats roster during his re-introductory meeting with the media over Zoom. “Just looking from afar, I've heard great things about James Wood. Obviously, I've seen CJ play. Dylan Crews, you name it. You have superstar talent. Guys that have gotten a taste of the big leagues, had some success and coming back for more time. This is when they can continue to take that step forward and make themselves elite in this game. So I'm excited to hopefully help guide and also learn from them. Also benefit from having speed in front of me. So I'm definitely excited. I know that both parties will benefit, myself and them.”

The Nationals made the sixth addition to their major league roster in the last month Saturday afternoon. The team announced signing reliever Jorge López to a one-year deal, adding the former All-Star closer to the back end of the bullpen.

López, who turns 32 in February, will earn $3 million plus incentives this year, a source confirmed. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman was first with terms of the deal.

Over a nine-year career that includes stops with the Brewers, Royals, Orioles (twice), Twins, Marlins, Mets and Cubs, the right-hander has a 5.25 ERA, 1.462 WHIP, 31 saves and 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 282 appearances (58 starts). However, since moving to a full-time reliever with the Orioles in 2022, López has a 3.74 ERA, 30 saves, 21 holds and 171 strikeouts in 183 innings.

Last year, López went 2–3 with a 2.89 ERA, 50 strikeouts and four saves in 52 appearances between the Mets and Cubs. He caused some controversy in New York when he was ejected in the eighth inning of a May 29 game against the Dodgers and threw his glove into the stands while walking off the field. After the game, he was quoted as seemingly calling the Mets “the worst team” in the majors.

Though he tried to clarify that he was calling himself “the worst teammate on the worst team in baseball,” the Mets designated López for assignment the next day and released him on June 5.

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Jorge López on a one-year contract and designated right-handed pitcher Amos Willingham for assignment on Saturday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

López, 31, joins the Nationals after he went 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA, 50 strikeouts and four saves in 52 relief appearances last season between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. He worked 39 scoreless appearances, including 14 consecutive from July 11 to August 16. That 16.0-inning scoreless streak was tied for the 10^th-longest by a National League reliever in 2024.

An American League All-Star in 2022, López has pitched in parts of nine Major League seasons with Milwaukee (2015, 2017-18), Kansas City (2018-20), Baltimore (2020-22, 2023), Minnesota (2022-23), Miami (2023), New York (NL) (2024) and Chicago (NL) (2024). He is 24-43 with a 5.25 ERA, 31 saves and 468 strikeouts in 282 career games (58 starts). Since transitioning to the bullpen full-time in 2022, López is 12-12 with a 3.74 ERA, 30 saves, 21 holds and 171 strikeouts in 183.0 innings.

López was originally selected by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Caguas Military Academy in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

The initial reaction for many to the Nationals and Nathaniel Lowe filing for arbitration Thursday night was one of incredulity. This is really how they’re going to treat their biggest offseason acquisition, by haggling over money and taking him to court?

It’s admittedly not a great look when a team can’t work out a contract with any player and has to rely on the arbitration process to determine that player’s salary. Even more so when that player is brand new and doesn’t already have some kind of established relationship with the club.

But let’s not get too worked up about this. It may not look great on the surface, but it’s not the end of the world. It’s actually not that uncommon. And there’s a decent chance this saga doesn’t even end with a hearing.

The Nationals had six arbitration-eligible players they needed to work out 2025 salaries with before Thursday’s deadline. They managed to settle on deals with five of the six: Luis García Jr., MacKenzie Gore, Josiah Gray, Derek Law and Riley Adams. They could not get a deal done with Lowe, the 29-year-old first baseman acquired from the Rangers last month for reliever Robert Garcia.

So the two sides had to formally file for arbitration, with Lowe seeking a salary of $11.1 million and the Nats countering with an offer of $10.3 million, according to MLB.com. A hearing will be set for early February, with a three-judge panel ultimately deciding which side wins.

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell on a one-year contract on Sunday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Bell, 32, joins the Nationals after he hit .249 with 23 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs and 71 RBI in 145 games between the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024. He capped off the season by batting .304 with six doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 48 games after July 21.

Bell returns to Washington after he hit .278 with 48 doubles, four triples, 41 home runs and 145 RBI in 247 games with the Nationals between 2021 and 2022. During those two seasons, he hit .302 with 25 doubles, two triples, 22 home runs and 72 RBI in 125 games at Nationals Park.

A National League All-Star in 2019 and Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winner in 2022, the nine-year Major League veteran has hit .258 with 209 doubles, 19 triples, 171 home runs, 613 RBI, four stolen bases and 550 runs scored in 1147 career games.

We are, believe it or not, five weeks away from spring training. The holiday season is over, we're well into January and Nationals pitchers and catchers are starting to make plans to report to West Palm Beach, Fla.

After an awfully slow start to their offseason, the Nats have made a decent amount of news here recently. They've now acquired five major league players in the last three weeks, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, signing designated hitter Josh Bell and infielder Amed Rosario and signing right-handers Michael Soroka and Trevor Williams. Big splash? No, not yet. But they have addressed five real roster needs, with more likely to come in the next month.

Let's take this opportunity to get back to the Friday Q&A routine. If you've got something you'd like to ask, please submit your question in the comments section below. Then check back throughout the morning for my responses ...

It’s arbitration deadline day across Major League Baseball, the day when hundreds of players either agree with their clubs on 2025 salaries or file for arbitration.

The decisions made today don’t change the contractual status of any player. All are already under club control and don’t have the ability to leave. Teams can’t decide now to release them, having already announced plans to tender them contracts in November. The only thing determined today (or later, if cases go to arbitration) is the players’ salary figures for the upcoming season.

And yet, the way this day proceeds often tells us a lot about the relationship between players and teams, and whether the two sides value each other in a comparable way or not.

Who’s impacted by this deadline? It’s anyone with at least three years but fewer than six years of big league service time, plus the top 22 percent of players with at least two years of service time (the so-called “Super-2” players).

The Nationals entered the offseason with nine arbitration-eligible players: Kyle Finnegan, Luis Garcia Jr., Josiah Gray, Derek Law, MacKenzie Gore, Riley Adams, Ildemaro Vargas, Tanner Rainey and Mason Thompson. Finnegan and Rainey, however, were non-tendered, and Vargas was cut loose as well, bringing the number down to six.

The Nationals signed Amed Rosario to a one-year, $2 million contract this morning, adding an experienced middle infielder who could take over the utilityman role on the 2025 roster.

Rosario, 29, owns a .273 batting average and .706 OPS in 942 career big league games with five clubs, most of those coming with the Mets and Guardians. An everyday shortstop in New York and Cleveland during the first portion of his career, he has shifted into more of a utility role in recent seasons.

Rosario played for three different teams (Rays, Dodgers, Reds) in 2024, finishing with a .280 batting average, .686 OPS, 18 doubles, three homers, 32 RBIs and 13 stolen bases across 346 plate appearances. He played all around the field, with 27 games at second base, 26 in right field, 15 at third base and 14 at shortstop.

To clear space for Rosario on their full 40-man roster, the Nationals designated right-hander Joan Adon for assignment. Adon, who burst onto the scene with a nine-strikeout debut against the Red Sox on the final day of the 2021 season, never rediscovered that magic during the ensuing three years. In 35 total big league games with the Nats (26 of them starts), he went 3-16 with a 6.66 ERA.

Rosario appears poised to take over the utility role previously held by Ildemaro Vargas, who was cut loose in November after 2 1/2 seasons in D.C. Rosario is four years younger than Vargas, with better offensive numbers but less defensive prowess.

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with infielder Amed Rosario on a one-year contract and designated pitcher Joan Adon for assignment on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Rosario, 29, joins the Nationals after he hit .280 with 18 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 32 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 29 runs scored in 103 games between Tampa Bay, Los Angeles (NL) and Cincinnati in 2024. He began his season by recording 10 multi-hit games in his first 18 starts and finished the year with 26 multi-hit efforts in 82 starts.

A versatile defender, Rosario played 27 games at second base, 26 games in right field, 15 games at third base and 14 games at shortstop last season.

A veteran of parts of eight Major League seasons, the Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic, native is a career .273 hitter with 157 doubles, 46 triples, 63 home runs, 366 RBI, 109 stolen bases and 449 runs scored between New York (NL) (2017-20), Cleveland (2021-23), Los Angeles (NL) (2023-24), Tampa Bay (2024) and Cincinnati (2024). Rosario has played 766 games at shortstop, 63 games at second base, 26 games in right field, 18 games in center field, 15 games at third base and seven games in left field since his debut in 2017.

Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by New York (NL) in 2013, Rosario played his way onto the Baseball America top 100 prospect list beginning in 2015 and peaked at No. 8 in 2017.

The notion of scribbling out potential lineups for the 2025 Nationals has seemed pointless most of the offseason, because there were too many vacancies still to fill, vacancies in prime spots in the batting order.

It may still be too early to attempt this exercise, because more moves are possible between now and the first day of spring training, especially as it pertains to third base. But the recent additions of Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell did fill the two most significant holes in the lineup, so it’s not impossible to start thinking about Davey Martinez’s plan for his regular one through nine.

There’s no perfect order to arrange the current group, whether due to a lack of track record for some, a lack of recent power for others and an excess of left-handed hitters who are going to have to be stacked together by default. But here’s one possible look Martinez could consider for Opening Day against the Phillies …

1. SS CJ Abrams (L)
2. RF Dylan Crews (R)
3. LF James Wood (L)
4. 1B Nathaniel Lowe (L)
5. DH Josh Bell (S)
6. 2B Luis Garcia Jr. (L)
7. C Keibert Ruiz (S)
8. 3B Jose Tena (L)
9. CF Jacob Young (R)

The biggest question Martinez faces is at the top of his lineup. The Abrams-Crews-Wood trio is likely to occupy the top three slots, but the order isn’t necessarily a sure thing.

Josh Bell first came to the Nationals, not by choice, on Christmas Eve 2020. Traded to Washington by the Pirates franchise that drafted him nine years earlier, he quickly embraced the team and the town and openly spoke of his desire to stay here for the long haul.

That, of course, didn’t happen. And it again wasn’t by his choice. The Nats included Bell in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade, sending both stars to the Padres in exchange for a horde of prospects. And in the 2 1/2 years since, Bell bounced all around the sport.

He finally got to pick his destination as a free agent following the 2022 season and chose the Guardians, who offered him a two-year, $33 million deal. But within months he was traded again, this time to the Marlins. Who one year later shipped him to the Diamondbacks.

Now, at long last after a nomadic baseball existence, Bell finally got another chance to return to D.C. The Nationals were interested in bringing him back. He was interested in returning. And nearly four years to the day of that initial trade from Pittsburgh, he agreed to a new $6 million contract with the Nats, fulfilling a longstanding wish.

“When I initially got traded, I always told myself I was going to come back,” he said Monday in a Zoom conference call with reporters. “I understood the business part of the game, but different opportunities presented themselves. I kind of bounced around a little bit here and there. I was a little bit of a journeyman the last couple years. But I’m thankful for those opportunities. And when I reached free agency again this year, I talked to (agent Scott Boras) and he told me the Nats liked me. I said: ‘If you can make something happen, let’s do it.’”

You can be forgiven if you missed this news item while paying attention to football, snow prep or both on Sunday, but the Nationals officially announced the Josh Bell signing. That one-year, $6 million deal was agreed to one week earlier but wasn’t done-done until Bell passed his physical, which has now happened.

There’s an important side note to mention with this transaction. Bell’s addition now leaves the Nats’ 40-man roster entirely full for the first time in months. They had maneuvered their way to create four openings heading into the Winter Meetings in December, then proceeded to fill those spots with the signings of free agents Bell, Trevor Williams and Michael Soroka, the selection of Evan Reifert in the Rule 5 Draft and the one-for-one trade of Robert Garcia to the Rangers for Nathaniel Lowe.

What that means: If they want to acquire any more major league players this winter, the Nationals will first need to clear more 40-man spots to make that possible. Considering they are still woefully thin on experienced relievers, while also potentially still looking for a more established third baseman, it’s safe to say moves are forthcoming.

You never want to have to drop someone from the 40-man, but a scan of the Nats’ current roster reveals more than a few names who will probably be under consideration when the time comes.

Here’s a look at the full 40-man roster as it now stands, broken down by position …

It’s been a slow offseason, not only for the Nationals but across the sport. Though teams began to get more active before the holidays, hundreds of free agents remain unsigned as the calendar shifts to 2025.

This isn’t anything new; the market seems to get slower and slower each winter, with more and more players forced to wait until February (or even March) to find out where they’re going to play that season. And we could be headed down a similar path over the next two months.

We’ve talked about the players the Nats have added so far this offseason. We haven’t talked a lot about the players they lost. Most of them remained unsigned at this date, with Trevor Williams (who returned to the club on a new two-year deal last week) a notable exception.

Here’s a look at the seven other members of the 2024 Nationals who became free agents at season’s end, either because their contracts expired or the team decided to part ways with them …

JACOB BARNES
The veteran reliever became a free agent after going 8-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 63 games, serving in a variety of bullpen roles. Barnes, who turns 35 in April, hasn’t signed anywhere yet, with the market for relievers having yet to take off. The Nationals could show interest in bringing him back, though he may have to be willing to accept another minor league deal.

The Nationals entered the offseason knowing they needed to acquire a new first baseman. Then they went and essentially acquired two of them over the holidays.

Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell aren’t the same kind of player. Lowe is more well rounded, draws more walks and plays better defense. Bell is more of a prototypical, all-or-nothing slugger who can carry a lineup for weeks at a time but is typically a liability in the field.

So, the plan – as best as we can tell at this point – is for Lowe to be the everyday first baseman, with Bell assuming designated hitter duties. Given the strengths and weaknesses of these two, that seems to make the most sense.

What, though, becomes of the other first basemen/DH types already on the Nats roster?

The team had a bunch of them last season, with Joey Gallo, Joey Meneses and Juan Yepez each getting roughly equal playing time at first base (54 games, 50 games, 45 games, respectively) and Andrés Chaparro (12 games) also getting a look down the stretch.

As he walked out of Nationals Park following his team’s Sept. 29 season finale, Trevor Williams made sure to soak it all in and say some goodbyes. Just in case this was his final day as a member of the team.

“I was hopeful that I would come back. I was really hopeful,” he said. “I really loved it there. My family loved it in D.C. and Virginia, and I was hopeful we’d come back. But it was also sad, because you never know what could happen in free agency. I’m thankful that I was able to sign back and be here for at least another two years.”

Williams indeed is back for at least two more years, having now officially signed a new $14 million contract with the Nats that runs through the 2026 season. Speaking with reporters via a Zoom conference Thursday, the veteran right-hander expressed gratitude the team wanted him back, especially in his preferred role.

Having already signed Michael Soroka to a $9 million deal two weeks ago, the Nationals might not have had a guaranteed rotation spot for Williams anymore. There’s long been thoughts of using him as a swingman, knowing he’s had success as a long reliever and spot starter in the past. But when asked Thursday what he’s been told about his role heading into 2025, Williams made it clear he’s been assured of a spot in the rotation.

“I’ll be a starter,” he said. “And then we’re keeping the door open for second base/shortstop, too. But definitely starting pitcher.”

The Nationals entered the offseason knowing they needed to bolster their lineup, especially in the power department. They have made two prominent additions so far, trading for Rangers first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and bringing back old friend Josh Bell to serve as designated hitter in his second go-around with the club.

Will those two make a substantial difference to a lineup desperate for more production? If they duplicate their 2024 performances, yes, they should make a difference. Though improvement is still needed elsewhere in the lineup.

It’s worth noting how much (or how little) production the Nationals got from their first basemen and designated hitters last season. Their first basemen combined for a .686 OPS, which ranked 22nd among major league teams. Their collective 0.3 bWAR ranked 21st out of 30 teams. Meanwhile, their assortment of DHs combined for a woeful .615 OPS (28th in the majors) and 0.1 bWAR (25th).

Yeah, that’s bottom-of-the-barrel production out of two of the most important offensive positions in baseball.

Lowe and Bell may not be superstars, but they’re clearly better than what the Nats had in 2024.

It’s officially 2025 now, and that means a fresh start and raised expectations for a Nationals club that made strides in 2024 but still hasn’t climbed all the way out of the franchise rebuild they first embarked on in July 2021.

This is the year, everyone hopes, when the Nats end their streak of five consecutive losing seasons. This is the year, everyone hopes, when they return to contention for the first time since 2019. This is the year, everyone hopes, when their new core of young players realizes its full potential and leads the club to heights not experienced since the last star-studded core did it over an eight-season run of success.

And this is the year, everyone hopes, when the Nationals start adding established big leaguers via free agency and/or trade to bolster that promising young core.

Alas, that didn’t happen during the final two months of 2024. The Nats made very little news through all of November and the majority of December, but the final two weeks finally saw a flurry of activity with the acquisitions of four major league players.

It began with the signing of Michael Soroka to a one-year, $9 million contract, giving the pitching staff a former All-Star and Rookie of the Year runner-up whose career in Atlanta was sidetracked by freak injuries but may have been rejuvenated late last season in the White Sox bullpen.