Federal Baseball 7 hours ago
Max Scherzer strikes out 12 in 5-5 tie between Nationals and Marlins...
In his final tune-up before Opening Day, Max Scherzer gave up 10 hits and struck out 12 batters in what ended up a 5-5 tie between the Nationals and Marlins. Adam Eaton doubled off Miami Marlins’ starter Dan Straily to start tonight’s game, moved to third on a sac bunt by Trea Turner, and after a walk to Juan Soto, scored on a sac fly to right off Anthony Rendon’s bat, 1-0. It was the start of a big offensive night for Eaton. With a leadoff single (by Curtis Granderson, on Max Scherzer’s first pitch), and a two-out RBI double to left (by Starlin Castro), however, the Marlins tied...
Federal Baseball 19 hours ago
Wire Taps: Howie Kendrick, Tony Sipp, Michael A. Taylor getting ready; Oysters and Lobster Rolls at Nationals Park; Juan Soto’s prowess...
Catch up on the last 24 hours in Nationals news while you wait for the start of tonight’s game against the Marlins... As Spring Training wraps up, the Nats are just a half-game behind the Yankees for the number one spot in the Grapefruit League. That’s right: this team’s AAAA players and number-98s are better than anyone else but New York’s on this side of the Mississippi. Here’s what’s new in West Palm: Juan Soto Is Extreme (Fangraphs)Juan Soto's numbers garner historical comparisons — and that's because of his incredible approach at the plate and his ability to crush...
Federal Baseball 20 hours ago
Washington Nationals’ reliever Tony Sipp and the last run (?) of the left-handed specialist...
Washington Nationals’ lefty Tony Sipp is working hard to get ready for the start of the 2019 campaign after signing late this Spring. While both manager Davey Martinez and Washington Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo talked up the fact that their right-handed relievers in the bullpen could retire left-handers, and Martinez at times entertained questions about whether or not there was even a need for a left-handed specialist these days, the Nationals did end up signing veteran left-hander Tony Sipp to a 1-year/$1.3M back on March 14th. Sipp, 35, earned $6M in 2018, in the final year of a...
Federal Baseball Mar 21, 2019
Washington Nationals 7-1 over St. Louis Cardinals: Jeremy Hellickson sharp in final tune-up for regular season...
Jeremy Hellickson tossed five scoreless and Ryan Zimmerman and Brian Dozier homered as the Nationals beat the Cardinals, 7-1 in West Palm Beach. #TKCHZ: Starting in his 10th game of the Spring, which is nine more games than he played in last time around, Ryan Zimmerman homered in his first at bat of the night tonight, taking St. Louis Cardinals’ starter Chris Beck deep to lead off the bottom of the second inning. It was Zimmerman’s second home run over 22 at bats in Grapefruit League action, leaving him 5 for 22 (.227 AVG) so far down in Florida. Dozier: Yan Gomes walked to start the...
Federal Baseball Mar 21, 2019
Wire Taps: Anthony Rendon declines an extension offer; Phillies fans will invade Nationals Park again; Boring camp what Nationals needed...
Catch up on the last 24 hours in Nationals news before the start of tonight’s 6:35 PM EDT matchup with the Cardinals. The Astros locked up Alex Bregman. The Angels got Mike Trout for the rest of his career. Eloy Jimenez is set in Chicago. It all leads to the question: when will the Nationals extend Juan Soto until the 2051 season? Here’s the news from Nationals Park: Nationals made recent offer to Anthony Rendon, talks expected to continue (WaPo)The Nats made their first offer to Anthony Rendon in late February, but Rendon's camp turned it down. However, it still doesn't seem like he's...
Federal Baseball Mar 21, 2019
What will it take to keep Nationals’ third baseman Anthony Rendon in the nation’s capital long-term?
Reports on Wednesday said the Nationals made another offer to Anthony Rendon last month that Rendon and his side rejected... Damn it. Max Scherzer was right. Again. As soon as Bryce Harper signed, agreeing on a 13-year/$330M deal with the Philadelphia Phillies on March 2nd, after two-plus years and the innumerable questions about where he’d land, the talk quickly turned to Anthony Rendon, and the third baseman’s future in Washington, D.C. Rendon is, of course, the next potential free agent the Nationals are discussing signing to a long-term deal. If he and the Nationals, who have been...
Federal Baseball Mar 20, 2019
Wire Taps: Rain may delay Tony Sipp, Howie Kendrick; Mike Trout eclipses Bryce Harper; Joe Ross in the ‘pen?
Catch up on the last 24 hours in Nationals news and enjoy a day off from Grapefruit League action. Boy, it’s great that Bryce Harper spent the entire winter holding out for such a high contract, because it’s never going to be topped, at least not for a few yea–oh? Well, at least he can play with Mike Trout when he returns to Philly in 2020, right? Right? Right? Here’s the scoop from South Capitol: Anthony Rendon extension talks come to a 'halt' after he turns down recent offer - (NBC Sports Washington)"A new deal was offered in late February when Arenado, expected to provide the...
Federal Baseball Mar 19, 2019
Washington Nationals 3-2 over Atlanta Braves with late rally: Aníbal Sánchez faces former team...
Aníbal Sánchez gave up five hits, a walk, and two earned runs in five innings on the mound against the Braves in what ended up a 3-2 win for the Nationals. Starters: Washington’s hitters, at least according to what the announcers doing Atlanta’s radio broadcast saw, had a tough time figuring out Braves’ starter Max Fried’s curve. Fried tossed five scoreless against the Nationals, working around five hits (all singles), a walk, and an error. Aníbal Sánchez, who pitched for the Braves in 2018, before signing a 2-year/$19M deal with the Nationals this winter, tossed two scoreless...
Federal Baseball Mar 19, 2019
Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League GameThread...
Aníbal Sánchez and the Nationals take on the Braves in a 1:05 PM EDT game in Lake Buena Vista, FL’s Champion Stadium... In his last Grapefruit League start, before he faced off against Washington Nationals’ minor leaguers last time out, Aníbal Sánchez tossed four scoreless innings against Miami back on March 9th, giving up just four hits and inducing 10 ground ball outs. He was not concerned about the results after the outing, however. “The good thing is just I was able to throw the four innings, it’s an opportunity to continue to build my arm for the season, and it’s just...
Federal Baseball Mar 19, 2019
Wire Taps: Gio Gonzalez to Yankees; Joe Ross starts; Patrick Corbin & first inning problems
Catch up on the last 24 hours in Nationals news before the start of today’s Grapefruit League game with the Braves... With just nine days until Opening Day, it sure seems like Craig Kimbrel won’t be wearing a Nationals uniform come April. Now, if Kimbrel were a Boras client, this would be a different story... Here’s the scoop from South Florida: Yankees agree to deal with LHP Gio Gonzalez (ESPN)Gonzalez will start in the minors — which really means Spring Training — and if he doesn't crack a big-league roster by April 20th, he's allowed to opt out. At $3 million, it's a severe pay...
Federal Baseball Mar 19, 2019
Washington Nationals’ latest round of cuts sends group of right-handers to Triple-A...
Washington’s Nationals optioned four pitchers to Triple-A Syracuse, and reassigned two players to their Minor League camp on Monday afternoon. There were no surprises in the third round of cuts when the Washington Nationals made the official announcement after splitting a split-squad doubleheader with the Miami Marlins and New York Mets on Monday. Austin Voth, Jimmy Cordero, Kyle McGowin, and Tanner Rainey were all optioned to Triple-A Fresno, and veteran reliever J.J. Hoover, who will remain with the organization, according to Washington Post writer Jesse Dougherty, and outfielder...
Federal Baseball Mar 18, 2019
Nationals beat Mets, 6-5, drop 7-1 decision to Marlins in split-squad Grapefruit League action
Joe Ross made his first start of the Spring, giving up four hits and two runs in three innings against the Mets, while Patrick Corbin struggled against the Marlins... STARTING PITCHERS: Joe Ross left a 3-2 fastball out over the plate and up in the zone to Michael Conforto with a runner on and two out in the first, and his 21st pitch of the inning ended up clearing the left field wall for a two-run blast that gave the New York Mets a 2-0 lead in Port St. Lucie, FL’s First Data Field. Ross ended up throwing 26 pitches total in the bottom of the first. Meanwhile, in West Palm Beach, Patrick...
Federal Baseball Mar 18, 2019
Washington Nationals vs New York Mets vs Miami Marlins: Grapefruit League GameThreads...
Some Washington Nationals are staying home in West Palm Beach to back Patrick Corbin up against the Miami Marlins (Radio only via MLB’s At Bat app) while some Nationals are in Port St. Lucie with Joe Ross for another game with the New York Mets (which is available on MLB dot TV via SNY). Through four starts and thirteen innings pitched this Spring, Patrick Corbin, who signed a 6-year/$140M deal with the Washington Nationals this winter, has given up 15 hits, seven runs, six earned, and two walks, striking out seven, with opposing hitters hitting .294 against him thus far. He makes his...
Federal Baseball Mar 18, 2019
Wire Taps: Michael A. Taylor injury exposes Nationals’ weak depth; Seth Romero update; Jake Noll keeps rolling...
Catch up on the last 24 hours in Nationals news before today’s split-squad games against the Marlins and Mets... As of today, Opening Day is ten days away. The Nationals play at home against the Yankees in seven days. If it’s starting to feel real, it’s because it is. Here’s the news from Nats Park: Michael Taylor wasn’t going to start, but here’s why his injury is so concerning for the Nationals (The Athletic)The expectation for the Nats had long been that Michael A. Taylor would get almost regular playing time, taking the spot of any outfielder in need of a day off. Now, they...
Federal Baseball Mar 18, 2019
The stage is finally set for Nationals’ Victor Robles to start his rise to stardom
With the 2019 season just around the corner, Victor Robles finally has the opportunity to prove he was worth the hype as the Washington Nationals center fielder Washington Nationals fans have been hearing the name Victor Robles for quite some time now. Signed way back in 2013, he proceeded to have a meteoric rise up prospect lists everywhere. Now, after a couple cups of coffee in two straight Septembers, he finally has a clear path to an everyday role in the Nationals’ outfield. Unfortunately, the path cleared via an injury to Michael A. Taylor. The toolsy outfielder strained his left...
