Finnegan has established himself, but there's still room to grow

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PLAYER REVIEW: KYLE FINNEGAN

Age on opening day 2023: 31

How acquired: Signed as free agent, December 2019

MLB service time: 3 years

2022 salary: $725,900

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Is there a chance Nats would re-sign 39-year-old Sánchez?

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PLAYER REVIEW: ANÍBAL SÁNCHEZ

Age on opening day 2023: 39

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, March 2022

MLB service time: 15 years, 83 days

2022 salary: $2 million

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Espino still has value to Nats, if used properly

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PLAYER REVIEW: PAOLO ESPINO

Age on opening day 2023: 36

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, January 2019

MLB service time: 2 years, 75 days

2022 salary: $716,200

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Gore primed to lead Nats rotation, if he's healthy again

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PLAYER REVIEW: MACKENZIE GORE

Age on opening day 2023: 24

How acquired: Traded from Padres with CJ Abrams, Luke Voit, Robert Hassell III, James Wood and Jarlin Susana for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022

MLB service time: 1 year

2022 salary: $700,000

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Voit is finalist for NL Silver Slugger Award

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Despite a performance he deemed substandard by his career norms, Luke Voit nonetheless received at least some support for a Silver Slugger Award this season.

The 31-year-old, acquired by the Nationals in this summer's Juan Soto-Josh Bell blockbuster trade, was revealed today as one of six finalists for the Silver Slugger among National League designated hitters. Winners at every position will be announced Nov. 11.

Owner of an .818 OPS over the entirety of his six-year career with the Cardinals, Yankees, Padres and Nationals, Voit finished the 2022 season with career lows in batting average (.226), on-base percentage (.308), slugging percentage (.402) and OPS (.710). His 22 homers matched a career high, though he set that mark during the 60-game, pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when he actually led the American League.

Silver Slugger Awards are selected by managers and coaches, who submitted their votes in late September. Voit joins Bell (listed only as a Padre), Albert Pujols, Justin Turner, Charlie Blackmon and Bryce Harper as finalists. There is no second round of voting still to come. The "finalists" were merely those players who received votes.

No other Nationals players received Silver Slugger votes this season, though Soto was named a finalist among NL outfielders. Like Bell, he was listed only as a member of the Padres, even though he spent more of the season playing for Washington.

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September injury means Cavalli is an unknown entering 2023

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PLAYER REVIEW: CADE CAVALLI

Age on opening day 2023: 24

How acquired: First-round pick, 2020 draft

MLB service time: 41 days

2022 salary: $700,000

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Is Fedde on thin ice after another disappointing season?

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PLAYER REVIEW: ERICK FEDDE

Age on opening day 2023: 30

How acquired: First-round pick, 2014 draft

MLB service time: 4 years, 99 days

2022 salary: $2.15 million

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How does Corbin become an effective pitcher again?

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PLAYER REVIEW: PATRICK CORBIN

Age on opening day 2023: 33

How acquired: Signed as free agent, December 2018

MLB service time: 10 years, 105 days

2022 salary: $23 million

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Nats need Gray to take big step forward in 2023

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PLAYER REVIEW: JOSIAH GRAY

Age on opening day 2023: 25

How acquired: Traded with Keibert Ruiz, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021

MLB service time: 1 year, 75 days

2022 salary: $703,500

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Where does Barrera stand on Nats' catching depth chart?

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PLAYER REVIEW: TRES BARRERA

Age on opening day 2023: 28

How acquired: Sixth-round pick, 2016 draft

MLB service time: 172 days

2022 salary: $700,000

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Call was a nice surprise, but enough to bring back in 2023?

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PLAYER REVIEW: ALEX CALL

Age on opening day 2023: 28

How acquired: Claimed off waivers from Guardians, August 2022

MLB service time: 74 days

2022 salary: $700,000

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Is Adams assured of No. 2 catcher's job after rough year?

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PLAYER REVIEW: RILEY ADAMS

Age on opening day 2023: 26

How acquired: Traded from Blue Jays for Brad Hand, July 2021

MLB service time: 1 year, 49 days

2022 salary: $706,700

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Robles, Soto are Gold Glove Award finalists

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One current Nationals outfielder and one former Nationals outfielder were named Gold Glove Award finalists this afternoon, with Victor Robles and Juan Soto sharing that distinction despite no longer being teammates.

Robles is a finalist among National League center fielders, joining the Padres’ Trent Grisham and Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas. Soto is a finalist among NL right fielders, joining the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts and the Diamondbacks’ Daulton Varsho.

Gold Glove Awards are selected via a combination of analytics and a vote among managers and coaches, all of which are submitted prior to the end of the regular season. The top three finishers at each position in each league are considered finalists, with the winners set to be announced Nov. 1, prior to Game 4 of the World Series.

This is the second time Robles has been named a finalist, coming three years after his breakthrough rookie season in 2019. He stands a good chance of winning this time, given the fact his 12 Defensive Runs Saved led all NL center fielders and ranked behind only the Royals’ Michael A. Taylor (another former teammate) and the Guardians’ Myles Straw among all major leaguers at his position.

Robles also recorded an NL-high seven outfield assists, though he was charged with six errors (also an NL-high).

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Do Nats still have room for Hernandez in outfield or on bench?

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PLAYER REVIEW: YADIEL HERNANDEZ

Age on opening day 2023: 35

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, October 2016

MLB service time: 2 years, 28 days

2022 salary: $714,000

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Is there any reason to believe Cruz could rebound in 2023?

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PLAYER REVIEW: NELSON CRUZ

Age on opening day 2023: 42

How acquired: Signed as free agent, March 2022

MLB service time: 15 years, 82 days

2022 salary: $12 million

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Nats still trying to get Robles back to 2019 form

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PLAYER REVIEW: VICTOR ROBLES

Age on opening day 2023: 25

How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2013

MLB service time: 4 years, 33 days

2022 salary: $1.65 million

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Thomas got better as season wore on, now needs consistency

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PLAYER REVIEW: LANE THOMAS

Age on opening day 2023: 27

How acquired: Traded from Cardinals for Jon Lester, July 2021

MLB service time: 3 years, 14 days

2022 salary: $723,600

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Hernández didn't deliver for Nats despite ample opportunity

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PLAYER REVIEW: CÉSAR HERNÁNDEZ

Age on opening day 2023: 32

How acquired: Signed as free agent, November 2021

MLB service time: 8 years, 154 days

2022 salary: $4 million

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Did surprising Vargas play himself into a role for 2023?

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PLAYER REVIEW: ILDEMARO VARGAS

Age on opening day 2023: 31

How acquired: Signed as minor league free agent, May 2022

MLB service time: 3 years, 7 days

2022 salary: $700,000

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Ruiz impressed in first full season, with room to grow

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PLAYER REVIEW: KEIBERT RUIZ

Age on opening day 2023: 24

How acquired: Traded from Dodgers with Josiah Gray, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021

MLB service time: 1 year, 64 days

2022 salary: $701,300

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