Judging from the responses in our comments section and on Twitter, there's a significant portion of NatsTown that wants general manager Mike Rizzo to come back from next week's Winter Meetings in Nashville with an outfielder, preferably one who hits left-handed to break up the spate of righty sticks in the Nationals lineup.
I'm not sure one will fit into his carry-on, and you know how those bag fees can add up. Just a guess here, but I don't think Rizzo is flying Southwest and paying the...
The Orioles today announced that they have tendered contracts to eight arbitration-eligible players: infielders Ryan Flaherty and Manny Machado, first baseman/outfielder Mark Trumbo, right-handers Brad Brach, Miguel Gonzalez and Chris Tillman, and left-handers Zach Britton and Brian Matusz. Additionally, outfielder Nolan Reimold and right-hander Vance Worley have agreed to terms on contracts for 2016, avoiding arbitration.
Infielder Paul Janish, outfielder David Lough and right-hander Steve...
The Orioles tonight announced that they have acquired catcher Francisco Pena from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations. To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Paul Janish has been designated for assignment.
Pena, 26, batted .251/.305/.430 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI in 95 games with Triple-A Omaha in 2015, including a .274/.303/.522 slash line against left-handed pitching. In 784 career minor league games, Pena has hit .238/.288/.378 with 80 home runs and 352...
The Orioles today announced that they have acquired outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo and left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for catcher Steve Clevenger. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Steve Johnson has been designated for assignment.
Trumbo, 29, batted .262/.310/.449 with 22 home runs and 64 RBI in 142 games between the Mariners (96 games) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (46 games) in 2015, including a .302/.358/.490 slash line over his final...
If you've got some time before or after FanFest on Dec. 12, or just want to immerse yourself in some Baltimore sports history, head over to the outdoor pavilion at the Baltimore Museum of Industry at 1415 Key Highway.
On that day, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation will offer area sports fans a unique opportunity to own a piece of some of the most iconic and memorable moments in Maryland Sports history.
A one-day sale will feature hundreds of photographs and graphics...
Vouchers for autograph sessions at Orioles FanFest will go on sale Saturday, December 5, at 10:00 a.m. ET. The list of autograph session times and participants will be posted online for preview at www.orioles.com/fanfest by 9:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4. Orioles FanFest will be held on Saturday, December 12, at the Baltimore Convention Center from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with early entry for Orioles Season Plan Members beginning at 10:00 a.m. as part of the Orange Carpet Program.
At this...
The Nationals have agreed to a one-year, $900,000 deal with first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore, reaching a pact ahead of tonight's 11:59 p.m. Eastern time deadline to tender contracts to unsigned players.
Moore was the first of eight arbitration-eligible Nationals to sign. CBSSports.com was first to report the agreement.
The 28-year-old Moore has seen his statistical output and playing time fall over the past few seasons, and he has been unable to replicate the .263/.327/.513 slash line with...
It wouldn't be the hot stove season if there weren't rumors swirling about. And with the Winter Meeting looming next week in Nashville, the Nationals continue to be strongly linked to one of the more popular free agents out there, utility man extraordinaire Ben Zobrist.
See, that's what some fuel on the ol' hot stove fire feels like.
Multiple reports over the past few days have indicated that the Nationals, Mets and Giants were among the 20 or so teams that were hot and heavy in pursuit of...
The Orioles today announced the return of the weekly "Hot Stove Show" on CBS Radio's 105.7 The Fan (WJZ-FM), the flagship station of the Orioles Radio Network. Beginning on December 3, 2015, fans will be able to enjoy one hour of Orioles news, analysis, special guests, and more each week on 105.7 The Fan.
MASN broadcaster Jim Hunter will join MASNsports.com beat writer Roch Kubatko to host the program live from Dempsey's Brew Pub & Restaurant. Orioles Executive Vice President of Baseball...
Tomorrow is another one of those important housekeeping dates on the Major League Baseball offseason calendar. By 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, teams must offer their arbitration-eligible players contracts or non-tender those whose services they're no longer interested in.
While some Nationals players have multi-year contracts - think Max Scherzer, Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman, Bryce Harper and other guys who helped push the team's 2015 opening day payroll north of $162 million -...
The first of the big free agent dominoes has fallen, and it's Jordan Zimmermann, who is soon to be an ex-National.
The Tigers have reportedly agreed to terms with the right-hander on a deal that would pay Zimmermann about $110 million over the next five years. The contract is, of course, pending a physical, a process that should be completed later this week before the Winter Meetings convene in Nashville.
MLBTradeRumors.com had predicted that Zimmermann could be in line for a deal worth $126...
We know the Nationals want to remake their bullpen for 2016, and we also know that that potentially means significant changes over the corps of relievers who ended the 2015 season in Washington. But right now, there are more questions than answers when it comes to general manager Mike Rizzo's plan to reconfigure his relief corps.
While the two biggest questions seem to be right-handers Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon, and while at least one of those arms could be gone before or at the Winter...
More than a few eyes were raised in recent weeks when the Nationals signed a succession of guys who play center field to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training. To be honest, the Nats usually wait a little deeper into the offseason before this news trickles out, and they routinely make a formal announcement only after all of their signings of this kind are in the fold.
To recap, the Nats have inked Reed Johnson, Chris Heisey and Logan Schafer - three veteran...
When the Nationals acquired Yunel Escobar from the A's in January, general manager Mike Rizzo said the veteran infielder's lure was his ability to play strong defense at both second base and shortstop, and promised that playing on natural turf at Nationals Park would be a better fit for the now 33-year-old than the unforgiving artificial surface that had hampered him at Tropicana Field, where he played the previous two seasons for the Rays.
Escobar's .314/.375/.415 slash line in 139 games...
It's the day before Thanksgiving, and in addition to dreaming about my turkey coma, I'm eagerly anticipating a full day (and then some) of Black Friday holiday shopping.
Time was, in the pre-Internet days, when the only way to get the bargains was to drag your carcass out of bed at an ungodly hour on the day after the feast and high-tail it to the mall at dark o'thirty. You had a large cup of coffee in one hand and your credit card in the other. All the better to buy with, my dear.
Nowadays,...
The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contracts of right-hander Parker Bridwell, left-hander Chris Lee and right-hander Andrew Triggs.
Bridwell, 24, went 4-5 with a 3.99 ERA (43 ER/97.0 IP) in 18 starts with the Baysox this season. Over six minor league seasons, he has gone 26-41 with a 4.83 ERA (309 ER/576.1 IP) in 114 games (110 starts). He is currently ranked by MLB.com as the No. 20 Orioles prospect. Bridwell was selected by the Orioles in the ninth round of the 2010...
Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper was named the 2015 National League Most Valuable Player on Thursday night, in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers' Association of America on MLB Network.
Harper, who was 22 years, 353 days old at the close of the 2015 season, is the fourth-youngest player ever to win the MVP award, and the third-youngest to take the National League honors. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the only players younger than Harper ever to earn baseball's...
The Washington Nationals selected the contracts of infielder Chris Bostick, catcher Spencer Kieboom and left-handed pitcher Nick Lee on Thursday, adding them to the team's 40-man roster. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.
Bostick, 23, ranked first in the Nationals' system in stolen bases, fourth in home runs, and fourth in RBI in 2015. In 137 games between Single-A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, Bostick hit .258 with 22...
The Nationals have selected the contracts of catcher Spencer Kieboom, infielder Chris Bostick and left-hander Nick Lee, adding the trio of prospects to the 40-man roster.
By adding the trio to the 40-man, the Nationals will protect them from being selected in the Rule 5 draft, which will be the final order of business at the Winter Meetings in Nashville on Dec. 10. The deadline for setting the 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft is tomorrow.
Kieboom, 24, was a fifth-round selection in the...
The Washington Nationals released their 29-game 2016 Spring Training schedule on Thursday, featuring 14 home games at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, FL. The home Grapefruit League slate will open on Thursday, March 3 vs. the New York Mets.
The Nationals will get their share of competition against 2015 playoff teams, facing the Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros numerous times throughout the spring. The home Grapefruit League schedule includes three visits from the division rival Mets...
