The Nationals could still be searching for an answer at third base and second base heading into the 2020 season. One player who could fill that opening is Jake Noll, who got a taste of the big leagues last season in eight games. He went 2-for-12 with a double and two RBIs with the Nats after a very impressive 2019 spring training. His two-out RBI double at Colorado on April 24 was his first major league base hit. His first major league RBI was a memorable one: a walk-off walk to beat the...

Even if math isn't your strong suit, it's easy to see that Michael A. Taylor is the odd man out in the Nationals outfield. Contract status, defensive prowess and previous production dictate that Juan Soto will start in left field in 2020, with Victor Robles in center and Adam Eaton in right. So where does that leave Taylor, who was tendered a contract last season and lost his arbitration hearing against the Nationals, who paid him $3.25 million in 2019 instead of the $3.5 million he sought?...

Christmas has come and gone, and you're probably strategizing about when exactly to disassemble the tree, store the ornaments and take down the lights that have been blinking on and off outside your home. Or perhaps you're a procrastinator and you just can't bear the thought of dissipating holiday cheer. If that's the case, we've got a few "Orioles Classics" in the week ahead on MASN, the perfect fodder for settling into your comfy couch or recliner, grabbing a glass or bottle of your...

David Hess isn't certain if he'll follow John Means in the Orioles rotation. However, he's decided to follow in the left-hander's offseason footsteps. Means turned from fringe pitching prospect to staff ace and runner-up in American League Rookie of the Year voting after a winter spent at P3 (Premier Pitching & Performance) in St. Louis - a center that offers personalized baseball training to athletes across the Midwest with the goal of providing instruction and individualized strength...

The 2019 season was a long time coming for the Nationals. After eight years as contenders, after 15 years in the District, after 51 years as a franchise and after 95 years without a World Series title in D.C., this Nats club was the one that finally broke through and hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy. Along the way, the members of this championship team won over everyone's heart, forever etching their place in Washington sports history. No matter what happens for the next 95 years, the...

Entering final week of 2019, let's take a look back at some of the most exciting and intriguing regular season wins for the Nationals on their road to their first World Series title. We will focus on a handful signature wins, looking at one or two from each month. Here a few of the best regular season victories of 2019. We start with a comeback thriller in Philadelphia. No. 5: April 9, 2019: Nationals 10, Phillies 6 (10) Stephen Strasburg allowed six runs early and the Nats found themselves...

We've talked a lot about what the Nationals still need to do this winter to get their roster back into full form, whether that includes the re-signing of players who helped them win the World Series or the addition of newcomers who could help offset the losses of key figures. But what do the Nats already have internally to address any positions of need? If they had to take the field today - and thank God they don't - what would their roster look like? Even if they didn't have to cobble...

The holiday season is presenting a new set of challenges for Orioles third baseman Rio Ruiz, who can't seem to avoid them. Some are a grind, others pure joy. Trying to make the club out of spring training, trying to stay in the lineup, trying to get back to the majors after a surprise demotion, life as a first-time father. Which brings him to the current situation, relayed with a laugh as he ponders spending Christmas with his 5-month-old son, Luca James. "Completely different," he said...

Knowing that the Orioles have more work to do on their roster is on par with being able to recite your zip code. You won't gain the respect of your peers or earn bragging rights among friends. The rotation and middle infield are in a construction zone. The bullpen and bench aren't set. A new rule allowing teams to carry 26 players also increases the guesswork. I reached my yearly deadline for submitting a mock lineup, rotation, bullpen and bench for consideration by a national publication....

It feels like the Nationals have perpetually been searching for a left-handed reliever who can consistently get left-handed hitters out. Because they have. Sure, there have been a few guys over the years who have been successful: Mike Gonzalez in 2012, Matt Thornton in 2014, Sean Burnett and Sean Doolittle over multiple years. But there have been far more failures than successes in this department: Enny Romero, Sammy Solís, Tim Collins, Tony Sipp, Matt Grace, Dan Jennings, Tom Gorzelanny,...