One of the most joyous days in Nationals history came on a fairly random Saturday afternoon in June 2018.

The Nats won that day, defeating the Giants, 7-5. Bryce Harper homered. Gio Gonzalez lasted only 3 1/3 innings, making him ineligible for the win. Five relievers went the rest of the way to close it out, with Sean Doolittle notching the save. The outcome had zero bearing on the team’s overall fortunes during what proved to be a disappointing season.

You probably remember none of those details. What you probably do remember is who was in attendance that afternoon at Nationals Park: Lord Stanley.

Yes, only 36 hours after he was first hoisted in a hockey arena in Las Vegas, Stanley was hoisted in a ballpark in Washington by the newly crowned champions of the NHL. In their first official D.C. celebration since winning The Cup, the Capitals came to South Capitol Street to be honored before and during the Nats’ matinee game.

Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom shared their joy with Ryan Zimmerman and Max Scherzer. Barry Trotz and Davey Martinez, who had been texting each other for several months, finally met in person and shared coaching philosophies. And two local franchises celebrated together, one congratulating the other one winning its long-awaited first championship, one hoping to help inspire the other to win its long-awaited first title.

In search of more experienced catching depth, the Nationals signed veteran Andrew Knizner to a minor league deal, offering the former Cardinals backup an invitation to big league camp and a chance to compete for a major league job.

The deal, which was confirmed by a source familiar with the terms, was first reported by the Washington Post.

Knizner, who turns 30 next month, has 290 games of big league experience, most of that coming from 2019-23 with the Cardinals, where he served as the primary backup to Yadier Molina and later Willson Contreras. His career offensive numbers (a .210/.279/.317 slash line) aren’t great, but he slugged 10 homers in only 241 plate appearances in 2023 and has worked with a number of prominent pitchers from his time in St. Louis.

A native of Glen Allen, Va., who went on to play at North Carolina State, Knizner was let go by the Cardinals after the 2023 season and signed with the Rangers one year ago. He played 35 games for Texas, batting just .167, before getting claimed off waivers in August by the Diamondbacks. He finished the season playing for Arizona’s Triple-A affiliate in Reno, batting .263 with two homers and 12 RBIs.

Knizner will come to West Palm Beach, Fla., with a chance to compete for a spot on the Nationals’ Opening Day roster, but he’ll have to outplay at least two other catchers who seemingly have a leg up for the No. 2 job behind starter Keibert Ruiz.

The Orioles have made the following roster move:

• INF Livan Soto has cleared outright waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk.

The Nationals have been fortunate when it comes to pitching injuries the last two seasons. No, they haven’t escaped them altogether. But they’ve managed to suffer fewer significant losses than any other team.

It’s true: Over the last two years, the Nats have used only 10 starting pitchers, fewest in the majors. The Blue Jays are next on the list with 12, followed by the Mariners with 14. Everyone else has used at least 15 starters, with the league median number a whopping 22.

Again, the Nationals have dealt with a few significant injuries. Cade Cavalli was ticketed for the Opening Day 2023 rotation but tore his elbow ligament in spring training and has yet to return. Josiah Gray started Opening Day 2024 but was sidelined after only two outings and ultimately needed Tommy John surgery himself. And Trevor Williams, after an outstanding April and May, wound up missing 3 1/2 months with a flexor strain in his right arm.

But the Nats managed to fill those gaps with productive, in-house alternatives. In 2023, it was Jake Irvin stepping up to make his major league debut in early May and then sticking in the rotation all the way through September. In 2024, it was Mitchell Parker and then DJ Herz emerging from Triple-A to replace Gray and Williams, Parker making 29 starts while Herz took the mound 19 times.

It was an impressive example of organizational depth, the kind of pitching depth this organization hadn’t really possessed in a while. And as the countdown to spring training commences, there’s reason to believe the Nationals are well-positioned again with starting pitchers who could step forward if the need arises.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Claimed INF Jacob Amaya off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
• Designated RHP Roansy Contreras for assignment.

There’s no more perilous endeavor in baseball than the scouting of 18-year-old high school players, trying to determine who is going to develop into major leaguers and who isn’t. Well, aside from the scouting of 16-year-old Latin American prospects, who have the ability to sign for millions of dollars long before anyone truly knows their chances for professional success.

Victor Rodriguez has been scouting these players for a decade and a half, first for the Red Sox and then for the Rays. Now the newly promoted director of international scouting for the Nationals, Rodriguez on Wednesday was tasked with officially signing his first class of Latin American teenagers.

How does he differentiate between one 16-year-old and another? How can he tell who’s going to make it and who probably won’t at such a young age?

“We try to keep it as simple as possible,” Rodriguez said. “Basically, don’t ignore the obvious here. The big leaguers, they stick out. Hitters stick out. Guys that throw strikes. … We use as much information as we can, but also not lose our instincts as scouts. That’s mainly how I try to simplify it. From a young age, I’ve been able to scout guys that have reached the big leagues. And one thing that always sticks out is: A hitter hits, and a pitcher throws strikes.”

Rodriguez and the Nationals hope as many of the 14 players they signed Wednesday as possible fit that criteria and find their way to Washington in due time. Two, though, stand out from the crowd and were deemed worthy of seven-figure signing bonuses.

Scan the Nationals’ current roster, and it’s easy to lump young, core players into one of three categories: Those who were acquired via the draft, those who were acquired via trade and those who were acquired via international signing.

That final group, the international free agents, is by far the smallest group, which underscores just how difficult it is to discover and sign good players from other countries at age 16 and then develop them into big leaguers. But it is a vital part of roster building, and the Nats know they need to improve in that area just as they’ve been trying to improve in the drafting and developing of young American players.

The two notable homegrown Latin American players currently on the major league roster are Luis García Jr. and Jose A. Ferrer. García, still only 24, was signed out of the Dominican Republic for $1.3 million way back in 2016, making him the longest tenured player in the entire organization. Ferrer, also 24, was signed one year later in 2017 for a mere $100,000.

Also on the 40-man roster is Andry Lara, the Venezuelan right-hander signed in 2019 for $1.25 million who finally enjoyed his breakthrough season and earned a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg.

But that’s it on the 40-man roster. Other recent Latin American signees like Armando Cruz (21), Jeremy De La Rosa (23), Cristhian Vaquero (20) and Victor Hurtado (17) are still either in the lower levels of the minors or haven’t performed well enough yet to climb the organizational ladder.

Voting is now open for NATS20 Fan Favorite Moments, part of the Washington Nationals season-long 20^th Anniversary celebration.

A panel of former players, broadcasters and longtime employees submitted their favorite memories from the first two decades of Nationals baseball, but fans will have the final say on which moments will be prominently featured throughout Nationals Park this season.

The initial list, curated by panelists like Mr. National, Ryan Zimmerman; broadcasters Bob Carpenter, Kevin Frandsen, Dave Jageler, Dan Kolko and Charlie Slowes; public address announcer Jerome Hruska; and organist Matthew Van Hoose, includes game-changing moments like Howie Kendrick’s foul-pole home run; franchise firsts like Jordan Zimmermann’s no-hitter; and even Teddy’s first win in the Presidents Race.

The top 20 moments, as chosen by the fans, will be announced in February, and images representing the selections will be prominently displayed throughout the ballpark, including around the concourse and hanging from the outfield garages. Plus, three of the top moments will be featured as part of the Mystery Bobblehead giveaway on Saturday, May 24, where 20,000 fans in attendance will receive one of the three collectibles.

Voting is open now through Thursday, Jan. 30, at nats.com/NATS20.

The Orioles today announced that they opened the 2024-25 International Signing Period with 22 contract agreements. Highlighting the Orioles’ 2024-25 international signing class are: shortstop JOSÉ LUIS PEÑA, outfielder JOHANSE GÓMEZ, shortstop MEYKEL BARO, shortstop RONALD TERRERO, catcher YEISON ACOSTA, outfielder LISANDRO SANCHEZ, left-handed pitcher KELVIN ZAPATA, and catcher JOSE FLORES. Of the 22 total agreements, 11 are from the Dominican Republic, six are from Venezuela, four are from Cuba, and one is from St. Thomas. The signing class includes eight pitchers, five infielders, five catchers, and four outfielders.

"I am very ecstatic to welcome these remarkable individuals and their families to Birdland,” said KOBY PEREZ, Orioles Vice President, International Scouting and Operations. “We believe that we were able to introduce a new wave of exciting, young players this signing period. These efforts continue to be made possible only through the hard work and commitment of our staff, as well as the continued support of our international operations from Mike Elias and the partnership group.”

Peña, 16, was born in Bani, Dominican Republic. He is ranked as the No. 42 international prospect by Baseball America and No. 47 by MLB Pipeline. He has the chance to be a solid, everyday type of player with a plus hit and power combo, who projects to stay at shortstop long term. Peña possesses a large frame and athletic build, showing great body projection in the future. He has plus-plus bat speed and a short swing that stays through the zone, resulting in baseballs jumping off the bat. He has the hands and feet of a good defender with a plus arm.

Gómez, 17, an outfielder from St. Thomas, is an excellent athlete with a lot of tools. He has the ability to impact the game with his power and speed, projecting as a power hitter and a plus runner. Offensively, he drives the ball to all fields, generates loft, and shows raw power. He profiles as a corner outfielder with great range and a plus arm.

Baro, 16, a native of Havana, Cuba, is an athletic shortstop with speed and power. An excellent athlete, he has the type of speed that makes the defense rush. Baro carries plus bat speed and makes a lot of hard contact, with strength and leverage that can lead to plus power in the future. An alert defender with a quick first step, he displays loose defensive actions and has good lateral mobility. He projects as a five-tool player.

The Washington Nationals today announced an agreement with Costa Media, extending the official Spanish-language radio broadcast partnership through the 2027 season. During the Nationals’ upcoming season, fans can tune in to DC 87.7 FM and La Pantera WFAX 100.7 FM/1220 AM for live Spanish-language broadcasts for both home and away games, with in-game play-by-play analysis, 15-minute pre- and postgame shows, in-depth organizational reporting and player interviews.

“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Nationals organization and deliver first-class Spanish-language play-by-play to the DMV Latino community,” said Jose Villafane, Founder and Managing Partner of Costa Media.

Luciano Rodríguez and Gustavo Salazar will once again team up and return to the Nationals’ Spanish-language radio booth for the upcoming 20^th Anniversary season. Rodríguez, a Venezuelan native, provides play-by-play and is a 40-year veteran of D.C. Latin sports broadcasts. He began his Spanish-language radio career in the late 1980s at WILC 900 AM, and in 1993, became the first Spanish-language color commentator for the Baltimore Orioles. From 2005 to 2015, he worked for SiriusXM as a Spanish-language host, commentator and producer covering baseball and other sports. Born in Bolivia, Salazar serves as the color analyst and producer. A third-generation broadcaster, Salazar’s family has combined for nearly 100 years in the Latin broadcast industry. Salazar was an integral part of CBS Radio and iHeart Radio’s Latino radio market growth in D.C. and Philadelphia, and from 2013 to 2022, he served as a Spanish radio broadcaster for the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles, including calling the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII championship season.

The continued partnership with Costa Media is an extension of the Nationals’ ongoing engagement with the area’s Spanish-speaking community. Each season, the Nationals celebrate the rich history and culture during Hispanic Heritage Day at Nationals Park. In 2024, the Nationals held its first-ever dual-language Spanish/English Q&A session with Salazar and Nationals players on Hispanic Heritage Day. Additionally, Manager Dave Martinez shows his appreciation for his Hispanic roots through his Davey’s Dugout initiative – a monthly event held during the season that invites families and individuals of Hispanic heritage to join a special Q&A with Martinez and Spanish-speaking players, as well as stay to enjoy that day’s game.

For more information on Costa Media, visit costa-media.com and nats.com.

The Nationals’ projected Opening Day outfield has long been set. Barring some unforeseen development, James Wood and Dylan Crews will man the corners, with Gold Glove Award finalist Jacob Young in center field.

That’s the same outfield the Nats used throughout the final month-plus of the season, from the moment they promoted Crews from Triple-A Rochester to make his major league debut. And none of the three got much time off down the stretch. Aside from a handful of Joey Gallo appearances in right field, the starting trio all played together every night through season’s end.

There’s not much reason to believe that will change heading into the coming season. Wood and Crews, obviously, are two of the top prospects in baseball. Aside from an occasional day off here and there, they’re going to be in the lineup all the time. The same is probably true for Young, provided he produces enough offense to go along with his stellar defensive work.

Which brings us to today’s question: Who’s going to be the fourth outfielder, and do the Nationals need to devote much time and energy to answering that question?

At the moment, there are three other full-time outfielders on the club’s 40-man roster: Alex Call, Stone Garrett and Robert Hassell III. Infielders Amed Rosario, Darren Baker and perhaps Josh Bell could also play the outfield in a pinch, though none would figure to see regular playing time out there.

The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher ANDREW KITTREDGE on a one-year contract for the 2025 season with a club option for 2026.

Kittredge, 34, was 5-5 with one save and a 2.80 ERA (22 ER/70.2 IP) with 60 hits (10 HR), 26 total runs, 20 walks (2 IBB), and 67 strikeouts in a career-high 74 appearances, all in relief, with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024. His 37 holds set the Cardinals single-season record and led the National League, one behind Houston’s Bryan Abreu for the MLB high. Kittredge’s 74 games ranked fifth in the NL. Last season was his first full year since 2021 after undergoing right elbow UCL surgery (Tommy John) in June of 2022 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kittredge is 23-12 with 16 saves, 52 holds, and a 3.44 ERA (109 ER/285.1 IP) with 268 hits (38 HR), 123 total runs, seven hit batters, 76 walks (13 IBB), and 273 strikeouts in 255 career games (15 starts) over eight seasons between the Cardinals and Rays. He’s posted a 2.48 ERA (48 ER/174.0 IP) since 2021, tied for the seventh-best ERA in the majors among players with at least 150 appearances during that time. He was originally signed by the Seattle Mariners as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of Washington on August 25, 2011. Tampa Bay acquired him along with two players from Seattle in exchange for Taylor Motter and Richie Shaffer on November 18, 2016. He elected free agency following the 2020 season before signing back with the Rays on a minor league deal on December 16, 2020. Kittredge made Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster in 2021 and was an American League All-Star after posting a 1.47 ERA (7 ER/43.0 IP) through the break that season. St. Louis acquired him from Tampa Bay in exchange for Richie Palacios on January 5, 2024.

To make room on the 40-man roster, catcher BLAKE HUNT has been designated for assignment. The Orioles’ 40-man roster currently has 40 players.

The weekend-long tour returns from January 30-February 1 to bring Orioles baseball directly to fans throughout the region

The Orioles today announced the return of the club’s ‘Birdland Caravan,’ a three-day winter tour, that will take place from Thursday, January 30, through Saturday, February 1, at multiple locations throughout the region. The celebration will include pop-up photo opportunities at surprise locations, community projects, mascot meet and greets, happy hours, and bowling. New to 2025, fans can participate in Karaoke Happy Hour at PBR Baltimore, along with new youth events like the Rip & Play Event at Bel Air Sports Cards, Orioles PLAY BALL Rookie Clinic, and a new family-friendly, interactive Kids Rally.

Current Orioles players participating in select events include COLTON COWSER, GUNNAR HENDERSON, JACKSON HOLLIDAY, CHAYCE McDERMOTT, RYAN MOUNTCASTLE, RYAN O’HEARN, CADE POVICH, ADLEY RUTSCHMAN, ALBERT SUÁREZ, and JORDAN WESTBURG. Additionally, Orioles Executive Vice President and General Manager MIKE ELIAS and Manager BRANDON HYDE will attend select events throughout the weekend. 

Designed to take the Oriole Park experience directly to the fans, Birdland Caravan will make stops throughout Maryland including Baltimore, Bel Air, Columbia, Ellicott City, Halethorpe, and Severn, along with three additional surprise locations in Frederick, Harford, and Montgomery Counties. Fans in Pasadena and Westminster will also have the opportunity to meet and take photos with the Oriole Bird, Mr. Splash, and the Camden Franks. 

New this year, tickets are required for several key events, including the Kids Rally in Severn, the Bowling Experience at Bowlero Columbia, Orioles PLAY BALL Rookie Clinic in Ellicott City, Rip & Play Event at Bel Air Sports Cards, and all happy hours. This marks an exciting update to enhance the experience and ensure a smooth process for participants. All profits from 2025 Birdland Caravan events will benefit the Orioles Charitable Foundation, supporting impactful community initiatives and programs. Fans must purchase tickets in advance as availability will be limited. Tickets are now on sale and available at Orioles.com/Caravan.  

Though the approach has been somewhat methodical, the Nationals have addressed their most obvious needs so far this winter. They acquired a first baseman and a designated hitter, hopefully adding more power to a lineup that sorely needs it. They acquired one experienced starting pitcher and re-acquired another, giving them rotation depth with at least six (maybe seven) candidates for Opening Day jobs.

And then finally over the weekend they made the first move to address the last remaining obvious hole: the bullpen. In signing right-hander Jorge López for $3 million, they added an experienced late-inning arm to a relief corps woefully short on such things.

That shouldn’t be the end of Mike Rizzo’s to-do list, though. There should be more bullpen moves to come before pitchers and catchers report to West Palm Beach in a mere four weeks.

López is a solid addition, a soon-to-be 32-year-old with 31 career saves, an All-Star selection as recently as 2022 and a 2.89 ERA in 52 games last season with the Mets and Cubs. He fits right into the same mold as Derek Law and Dylan Floro, two experienced right-handers who signed similar deals last winter. (Law’s was officially a minor league contract, but he was a lock to make the club as long as he was healthy.)

Law, of course, returns, having just agreed to a $2.75 million salary to avoid arbitration. Floro is long gone, having been traded to the Diamondbacks in July for Andres Chaparro. In a perfect world, López would take over that role, which would carry some extra irony considering the Twins traded him to the Marlins for Floro less than two years ago.

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Jorge López on a one-year contract and designated right-handed pitcher Amos Willingham for assignment on Saturday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

López, 31, joins the Nationals after he went 2-3 with a 2.89 ERA, 50 strikeouts and four saves in 52 relief appearances last season between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. He worked 39 scoreless appearances, including 14 consecutive from July 11 to August 16. That 16.0-inning scoreless streak was tied for the 10^th-longest by a National League reliever in 2024.

An American League All-Star in 2022, López has pitched in parts of nine Major League seasons with Milwaukee (2015, 2017-18), Kansas City (2018-20), Baltimore (2020-22, 2023), Minnesota (2022-23), Miami (2023), New York (NL) (2024) and Chicago (NL) (2024). He is 24-43 with a 5.25 ERA, 31 saves and 468 strikeouts in 282 career games (58 starts). Since transitioning to the bullpen full-time in 2022, López is 12-12 with a 3.74 ERA, 30 saves, 21 holds and 171 strikeouts in 183.0 innings.

López was originally selected by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft out of Caguas Military Academy in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

The initial reaction for many to the Nationals and Nathaniel Lowe filing for arbitration Thursday night was one of incredulity. This is really how they’re going to treat their biggest offseason acquisition, by haggling over money and taking him to court?

It’s admittedly not a great look when a team can’t work out a contract with any player and has to rely on the arbitration process to determine that player’s salary. Even more so when that player is brand new and doesn’t already have some kind of established relationship with the club.

But let’s not get too worked up about this. It may not look great on the surface, but it’s not the end of the world. It’s actually not that uncommon. And there’s a decent chance this saga doesn’t even end with a hearing.

The Nationals had six arbitration-eligible players they needed to work out 2025 salaries with before Thursday’s deadline. They managed to settle on deals with five of the six: Luis García Jr., MacKenzie Gore, Josiah Gray, Derek Law and Riley Adams. They could not get a deal done with Lowe, the 29-year-old first baseman acquired from the Rangers last month for reliever Robert Garcia.

So the two sides had to formally file for arbitration, with Lowe seeking a salary of $11.1 million and the Nats countering with an offer of $10.3 million, according to MLB.com. A hearing will be set for early February, with a three-judge panel ultimately deciding which side wins.

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell on a one-year contract on Sunday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Bell, 32, joins the Nationals after he hit .249 with 23 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs and 71 RBI in 145 games between the Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024. He capped off the season by batting .304 with six doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 31 RBI in 48 games after July 21.

Bell returns to Washington after he hit .278 with 48 doubles, four triples, 41 home runs and 145 RBI in 247 games with the Nationals between 2021 and 2022. During those two seasons, he hit .302 with 25 doubles, two triples, 22 home runs and 72 RBI in 125 games at Nationals Park.

A National League All-Star in 2019 and Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award winner in 2022, the nine-year Major League veteran has hit .258 with 209 doubles, 19 triples, 171 home runs, 613 RBI, four stolen bases and 550 runs scored in 1147 career games.

The Orioles have made the following roster moves:

• Agreed to terms with LHP Keegan Akin, RHP Kyle Bradish, RHP Dean Kremer, INF Ryan Mountcastle, OF Cedric Mullins, LHP Trevor Rogers, C Adley Rutschman, LHP Gregory Soto, INF Ramón Urías, and RHP Tyler Wells on one-year contracts for the 2025 season, avoiding arbitration.

We are, believe it or not, five weeks away from spring training. The holiday season is over, we're well into January and Nationals pitchers and catchers are starting to make plans to report to West Palm Beach, Fla.

After an awfully slow start to their offseason, the Nats have made a decent amount of news here recently. They've now acquired five major league players in the last three weeks, trading for first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, signing designated hitter Josh Bell and infielder Amed Rosario and signing right-handers Michael Soroka and Trevor Williams. Big splash? No, not yet. But they have addressed five real roster needs, with more likely to come in the next month.

Let's take this opportunity to get back to the Friday Q&A routine. If you've got something you'd like to ask, please submit your question in the comments section below. Then check back throughout the morning for my responses ...