The Washington Nationals agreed to terms on a one-year contract with catcher Alex Avila on Wednesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Avila, 34, is a veteran of 12 Major League seasons, having played for the Minnesota Twins (2020), Arizona Diamondbacks (2018-19), Chicago Cubs (2017), Detroit Tigers (2009-15, 2016) and Chicago White Sox (2016). He's hit .235 with a .348 on-base percentage and a .394 slugging percentage with 146...

Because his final year-plus was beset by injuries and inconsistent performances on the mound, we might tend to forget just how great Sean Doolittle was for the majority of his Nationals career. Make no mistake: Doolittle not only was the anchor of the Nats bullpen, but one of the most dominant relievers in baseball for a prolonged stretch. The left-hander made his Nationals debut July 18, 2017. From that moment through May 15, 2019 - just before the first of his multiple meltdowns against the...

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder Jahmai Jones (juh-MY) from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for right-hander Alex Cobb. The Orioles 40-man roster currently has 40 players. Jones, 23, made his Major League debut in 2020 for the Angels, appearing in three games and collecting three hits in seven at-bats. Jones has appeared in 484 career minor league games, slashing .258/.338/.386 (491-for-1900) with 90 doubles, 24 triples, 35 home runs, and 96 stolen...

Left-hander Wade LeBlanc is headed back to the Orioles. LeBlanc has agreed to terms on a minor league deal with a spring training invite, according to a source. LeBlanc can earn a base salary of $700,000 if he's on the club. Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has sought at least one veteran starting pitcher. The trade of Alex Cobb to the Angels, which is still awaiting approval from the commissioner's office, could lead to another signing. The Orioles have major league offers...

When the Nationals convene in 10 days at West Palm Beach, Fla., they will be full of optimism and eager to erase the stench of a 26-34 record in the truncated 2020 season that earned them a share of last place in the National League East. But amid all the cliches about being in the best shape of their lives, boundless hope that things will be better in 2021 and the inevitable focus on how newcomers to the organization will adjust, one factor drives performances more than any other. Some guys in...

Baseball America recently released its prospect position rankings, which followed up its release of the publication's top 100, where the Orioles placed five players. Adley Rutschman, ranked No. 2 in the Baseball America top 100 (subscription may be required), is rated as the No. 1 catcher in what Baseball America calls a loaded group of catchers, with nine of their top 10 rated also in their top 100. Baseball America points out that it was only three seasons ago that there were only four...

The chances of Sean Doolittle's return to D.C. already looked slim after the Nationals signed All-Star left-hander Brad Hand last week. Today, that chance became nonexistent after Doolittle reportedly agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Reds. That agreement, first reported by The Athletic, gives Doolittle an opportunity to re-establish his career in Cincinnati after a rough 2020 season in Washington that was derailed by injuries and diminished velocity. Unable to throw his...

The structure of the 2021 season is beginning to take shape. And just in time. The union rejected, as expected, a proposal from Major League Baseball that would have pushed back opening day about a month and reduced the schedule to 154 games with full pay. The plan included expanded playoffs and a universal designated hitter. Seemed reasonable to me - especially the part about full pay - but players are concerned that there's a higher risk of injury if the season starts on April 28. Pitchers...

As miserable as it can be in most of the country, weather-wise, February is normally a joyous time for baseball fans, as it means the start of spring training in the sunny climes of Florida and Arizona. But as Bill Murray experienced on film one February, baseball could be having, in the words often attributed to an oft-quoted Yankees catcher, deja vu all over again. Just as it did last year, COVID-19 has made the schedules for spring training and the regular season anything but a sure...

As expected, the Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday night shot down MLB's proposal to push back the start of spring training one month, reduce the regular season to 154 games and complete an expanded postseason in early November, all while receiving full-season pay and reinstituting the universal designated hitter for 2021. "The MLBPA Executive Board and Player leadership reviewed and discussed the owners' proposal throughout the weekend and today," the union said in a...