Mark Zuckerman

Nats shift three coaches into new roles, add one new staffer

December 11, 2019, 10:04am

SAN DIEGO - The Nationals are shuffling three of their coaches to new positions for the 2020 season, with Tim Bogar taking over as bench coach, Chip Hale moving to third base coach and Bob Henley switching to first base coach. Every member of Davey Martinez's World Series winning staff returns next season, with one exception: Pat Roessler has been hired as assistant hitting coach, replacing Joe Dillon, who accepted the lead hitting coach's job with the Phillies last month. That means three...

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With or without Rendon, Nats have infield spots to fill

December 10, 2019, 10:24pm

Nationals

With or without Rendon, Nats have infield spots to fill

SAN DIEGO - Whether or not Anthony Rendon re-signs with them, the Nationals are going to need to address other needs across their infield this winter. It's a complicated puzzle with several moving parts. But all paths ultimately lead to the same place: Multiple transactions necessary to fill out their entire infield before spring training. If they had to fill out a lineup card today, the Nationals would know they had Trea Turner at shortstop. They could pencil the recently re-signed Howie...

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Rizzo wants to improve bullpen now, not next summer

December 10, 2019, 3:36pm

Nationals

Rizzo wants to improve bullpen now, not next summer

SAN DIEGO - The Nationals won the World Series despite boasting - if that's the proper word for it - the majors' worst bullpen during the regular season. They managed to pull that remarkable feat off thanks to two key developments along the way: The acquisition of Daniel Hudson at the July 31 trade deadline, and the willingness of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin to make a combined seven relief appearances in between their respective starts during the postseason. Somehow, it...

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Strasburg making direct pitch to Rendon, Nats to sign new deal

December 10, 2019, 12:22pm

Nationals

Strasburg making direct pitch to Rendon, Nats to sign new deal

SAN DIEGO - While Stephen Strasburg was motivated to get his new deal with the Nationals done early this offseason, Anthony Rendon appears to be more willing to let the free agency process play out over the course of the winter. If Rendon somehow winds up rejoining the Nationals, though, Strasburg may play a key role in making it happen. The World Series MVP and new recipient of the largest contract ever given to a pitcher has been actively trying to convince Rendon to return to Washington...

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Guerra returning to Nationals on minor league deal

December 09, 2019, 8:56pm

Nationals

SAN DIEGO - It's not nearly as big a deal as the others they've given out so far this winter, but the Nationals did make sure they're bringing back yet another member of their World Series roster who could have been headed elsewhere. The Nats agreed to terms with reliever Javy Guerra on a minor league contract for 2020 late Monday night, according to a source familiar with the signing. The deal would pay the veteran right-hander $1 million if he makes the opening day roster, with more money...

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Forget the old narrative: D.C. is Strasburg's home for life

December 09, 2019, 8:19pm

Nationals

Forget the old narrative: D.C. is Strasburg's home for life

SAN DIEGO - Stephen Strasburg always wanted to go home to the West Coast. He wasn't an East Coast guy. He didn't like humidity, and his stats in hot and sticky weather would back up that claim. He was only a National because that's the organization that drafted him in 2009, not because he chose to play in Washington. Surely he'd want out as soon as the opportunity arose. Oh, and he wilted under pressure and couldn't be trusted to come through in a big game. Remember when that was the...

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Strasburg signed deal he believes won't hinder Nats' other plans

December 09, 2019, 2:05pm

Nationals

Strasburg signed deal he believes won't hinder Nats' other plans

SAN DIEGO - Citing him as "one of our most popular and most important players on the roster," general manager Mike Rizzo officially announced the re-signing of Stephen Strasburg to a record-setting contract this afternoon, kicking off the Winter Meetings with the kind of bang the Nationals have only occasionally delivered at this annual event. "As you all know, he's a player near and dear to my heart," Rizzo said of the No. 1 draft pick he signed upon becoming GM in 2009. "Drafted,...

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Source: Strasburg re-signs for seven years, $245 million

December 09, 2019, 10:10am

Nationals

Source: Strasburg re-signs for seven years, $245 million

SAN DIEGO - Only hours into the opening day of the Winter Meetings, the Nationals have checked off one of their biggest boxes of the offseason: re-signing Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg and the Nationals have agreed to terms of a new contract that will pay him $245 million over seven years, a record deal for a major league pitcher both in total value and average annual value ($35 million), a source familiar with the terms confirmed. The new deal is expected to be formally announced later this...

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Pitching lesson with Menhart, photo with trophy up for auction

December 09, 2019, 7:03am

Nationals

Pitching lesson with Menhart, photo with trophy up for auction

SAN DIEGO - How would you like to get a personal bullpen session in with a World Series champion pitching coach? Or get a family photo session with the Commissioner's Trophy? Those items are now up for bid as part of the Major League Baseball's annual Winter Meetings auction, which this year benefits ALS Charities. Bids can be placed here and remain live until 10 p.m. Thursday. Every MLB club offers up multiples items for auction, and the Nationals have two offerings for fans. The first is a...

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Nats are front and center as Winter Meetings open

December 08, 2019, 4:39pm

Nationals

Nats are front and center as Winter Meetings open

SAN DIEGO - It's not unusual for the Nationals to hold a position of prominence at the Winter Meetings, given all the prominent players they've employed and/or pursued over the last decade, but they've never held a position quite like this. The Nats front office reported to the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Sunday night not only as the recently crowned World Series champions but as the team that now has two of the most prominent players available on the free agent market. If Gerrit Cole is the...

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Nats sign career minor league reliever Finnegan to MLB deal

December 08, 2019, 6:21am

Nationals

Nats sign career minor league reliever Finnegan to MLB deal

SAN DIEGO - In their quest to refortify a bullpen that was in a constant state of change all season, the Nationals have signed Kyle Finnegan to a big league deal, taking a chance on a 28-year-old right-hander with a big arm and eye-popping minor league numbers this season but zero big league experience. Finnegan has spent the last seven years in the Athletics' farm system, a former struggling starter who made the conversion to reliever in 2016 and enjoyed a career renaissance in the process. A...

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Nationals have trade chips if they're inclined to deal

December 07, 2019, 8:14pm

Nationals

The entire baseball world today makes it way to San Diego, where on Monday the 2019 Winter Meetings open for business. As always, the focus will be on free agents, many of them key members of the Nationals' championship roster. But the odds of Stephen Strasburg or Anthony Rendon signing this week probably aren't great. Agent Scott Boras is still in the preliminary stages of a courtship process with several franchises that could drag on well into the winter. So perhaps the more likely...

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Fates of second-tier free agents just as critical to Nats' chances

December 06, 2019, 6:43pm

Nationals

Fates of second-tier free agents just as critical to Nats' chances

So much attention has been paid - and will continue to be paid - to the Nationals' two biggest free agents this winter: Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg. But let's not forget the host of other key veterans from their World Series roster who currently aren't under contract, because their fates are plenty important to the franchise's chances in 2020 as well. Friday's deal to bring back Howie Kendrick for one guaranteed year at $6.25 million plus a mutual option for 2021 is a really...

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Nationals finalizing deal to bring Kendrick back in 2020

December 06, 2019, 5:50am

Nationals

The Nationals are finalizing a deal with Howie Kendrick to bring the postseason hero back for at least one more season. Kendrick and the Nats have agreed to the framework of a one-year contract that will pay him $6.25 million in 2020, with a mutual option for 2021, a source familiar with the deal confirmed this morning. The deal, first reported by the Washington Post, is pending a physical. It's an increase in salary for the veteran infielder, who turns 37 in July and made $4 million this...

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How much can the Nats actually afford to spend this winter?

December 05, 2019, 7:54pm

Nationals

How much can the Nats actually afford to spend this winter?

There's a lot of talk about the Nationals and money right now, namely how much money they can spend in an attempt to keep Anthony Rendon and Stephen Strasburg. This comes after managing principal owner Mark Lerner, in an interview with former tennis player, lawyer and agent Donald Dell on NBC Sports Washington, claimed the club "really can only afford to have one of those two guys." This perhaps caught a lot of folks off guard, if not for the actual message than for the fact Lerner was...

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Rest of NL East now trying to unseat champion Nationals

December 04, 2019, 6:34pm

Nationals

The National League East is a competitive division, if not always in the actual standings then at least in the mindset four of the five franchises take when trying to outdo each other. And that hasn't changed one bit since the Nationals won the World Series. If anything, the major participants in this division appear to be growing even more competitive with each other. The task facing the Braves, Phillies and Mets this winter is crystal clear: Overtake the Nationals. In the case of the...

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What to make of other clubs' pursuits of Rendon and Strasburg

December 03, 2019, 6:22pm

Nationals

What to make of other clubs' pursuits of Rendon and Strasburg

Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon are free agents. They've been free agents for a month now. One or both could still end up re-signing with the Nationals. But right now, they're free agents. Which means they're free to talk to any club that wants to talk to them. It all sounds so basic, but sometimes we tend to forget basic matters. As much as everyone in Washington wants to believe Strasburg and Rendon prefer to return to the only franchise they've ever played for, you just don't...

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As celebrations wrap up, time for Nats to get back to work

December 02, 2019, 8:29pm

Nationals

As celebrations wrap up, time for Nats to get back to work

They gathered Monday evening at The Anthem along the Southwest Waterfront, Mark Lerner and Mike Rizzo and Ryan Zimmerman and several thousand Nationals fans who wanted to watch the premiere of the official 2019 World Series documentary and celebrate the ballclub's achievement en masse one more time. Lerner talked about the moment he knew his team was going to win the series (when Astros manager A.J. Hinch pulled the dominant Zack Greinke up 2-1 in the seventh inning of Game 7). Rizzo talked...

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Guerra non-tendered, Nationals will bring back others

December 02, 2019, 4:43pm

Nationals

The Nationals did not tender contracts to relievers Javy Guerra and Koda Glover before tonight's league-mandated deadline, essentially releasing both right-handers, though the oft-injured Glover had already announced his retirement earlier this afternoon. The club did tender contracts to four other arbitration-eligible players: Trea Turner, Michael A. Taylor, Joe Ross and Roenis ElÃas. None of those players have agreed to terms on 2020 contracts yet, as Wilmer Difo and Hunter Strickland did...

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Unable to overcome injuries, Glover retires at 26

December 02, 2019, 10:43am

Nationals

Unable to overcome injuries, Glover retires at 26

Unable to get himself healthy enough to pitch this year after missing much of the previous two seasons with various injuries, Nationals reliever Koda Glover surprisingly announced his retirement from professional baseball this afternoon. "I write to you all today with great despair, that I will be announcing my retirement from professional baseball," the 26-year-old wrote in a message posted to his Twitter account. "I have experienced a number of injuries the past three years and I believe...