The Nationals beat the Astros in the 2019 World Series, and because that is true they will never have to look back at those nine days in late October with any sense of anger or feelings of "What if?" the way members of the 2017 and 2018 Dodgers will for the rest of their lives. Dodgers players and executives have been careful with their public statements in the two weeks since Major League Baseball punished the Astros for electronically stealing signs during their 2017 championship run and...

When the Orioles released their list of 23 non-roster spring training invitees yesterday it included a name from their farm system that has flown under the radar. He was doing it to an extent even yesterday when bigger names and higher-ranked prospects were listed. But there with Adley Rutschman, Zac Lowther, Yusniel Diaz, Alex Wells and the rest was the name of pitcher Cristian Alvarado. The right-hander, who turned 25 on Sept. 20, had a breakout season in 2019 in the Double-A Bowie Baysox...

The Orioles may have found their veteran starting pitcher to toss into the spring training competition. An industry source confirmed tonight that left-hander Wade LeBlanc, 35, has agreed to a minor league contract and will be in camp when pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 11. The list of spring training invites released this afternoon by the club now includes LeBlanc, an 11-year veteran who's spent the past two seasons with the Mariners. LeBlanc went 9-5 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.179 WHIP in 32...

The Orioles released their list of 23 non-roster invites to spring training earlier today, headlined by catcher Adley Rutschman, their top prospect and the first-overall selection in last year's First-Year Player Draft. Rutschman is joined by pitching prospects Zac Lowther, Alex Wells and Bruce Zimmermann, infielders Rylan Bannon and Mason McCoy and outfielder Yusniel Diaz. The future will be illuminated by the Florida sunshine. Other non-roster invites to camp are pitchers Cristian Alvarado,...

As the weeks went by and the Nationals signed or re-signed eight other members of their World Series-winning roster, Ryan Zimmerman sat at home in Northern Virginia, technically a free agent but never for a moment worried he wouldn't join that list and re-join the Nats for a 16th season. "I don't think there was ever really any doubt," he said. Zimmerman, a free agent for the first time in his career, treated this offseason just as he did every previous one. Yes, he had a little more fun...

The Orioles today announced that they have invited 23 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training in Sarasota, Fla. The list includes six left-handed pitchers, six right-handed pitchers, four catchers, five infielders, and two outfielders. A complete list of the Orioles' non-roster invitees for 2020 Spring Training is below: PITCHERS (12) RHP Cristian Alvarado LHP Ty Blach LHP Hunter Cervenka RHP Marcos Diplán RHP Tom Eshelman RHP Eric Hanhold LHP Zac Lowther RHP Brady Rodgers RHP...

Mark Trumbo was prepared for this. The market dictating his next professional move. The reality that he might have played his last game. Trumbo has been exploring some other options as teams draw closer to opening their spring training camps and the 10-year veteran is unable to get a nibble. The sport hasn't been embracing sluggers like Trumbo, and he talked about it with me back in January 2019 while providing an update on his surgically repaired right knee. "I am aware of the market for...

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms on a one-year contract with first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Zimmerman, 35, returns to Washington after hitting .257 with nine doubles, six homers, 27 RBI, 17 walks and 20 runs scored in 52 games for the Nationals in 2019. He battled plantar fasciitis in his right foot, leading to two stints on the Injured List. When he returned to the active roster...

It's getting closer, I promise. Just another couple of weeks and we'll be talking about real, actual baseball. Yes, spring training is right around the corner, and before you know it, you'll be spending warm afternoons and evenings at the ballpark, bathed in sunshine and reminding people that the Nationals are World Series champions. In the meantime, we'll whet your appetites this week with a handful of "Nationals Classics" on MASN. What's on the menu? Well, a buffet of baseball fun:...

Pat Roessler was formerly the hitting coach for the Mets, most recently in 2018. He takes over as the assistant hitting coach for the Nationals this season. His resume is stacked with stops as assistant baseball coach at Old Dominion University (1983-1988) to years in the big leagues. The University of Arizona product was a minor league hitting coach in the White Sox system from 1988 to 1994, the Expos hitting coordinator from 1995 to 1997 and the Pirates chain from 1998 to 1999. He coached...