Nationals announce 2017 opening day roster

By Pete Kerzel

Nationals

April 02, 2017, 7:32am

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The Washington Nationals announced their 2017 Opening Day roster on Sunday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

The Nationals' 25-man roster is comprised of 11 pitchers (four starting pitchers, seven relievers), two catchers, seven infielders, and five outfielders. With an even mix of veterans and youth, the Nationals' will open the 2017 season with 11 players under the age of 30, and 11 players with at least seven years of service time in the Major Leagues. The average age of Washington's Opening Day 25 is 30.

The Nationals will open the season with four starting pitchers, optioning right-hander Joe Ross to Triple-A Syracuse and reassigning right-hander Jeremy Guthrie to Minor League camp. Washington will instead utilize that spot, initially, on an extra position player. The Nationals' bullpen will hold four right-handed pitchers and three southpaws.

Carrying over 20 of the players who earned the 2016 National League East Division title, just five of the players on the Nationals' Opening Day roster have joined the club since the end of the 2016 season.

Pitchers: Joe Blanton, Shawn Kelley, Koda Glover, Tanner Roark, Max Scherzer, Blake Treinen, Stephen Strasburg, Gio GonzÃ¡lez, Oliver PÃ©rez, Enny Romero, Sammy SolÃs

Catchers: JosÃ© Lobaton, Matt Wieters

Infielders: Wilmer Difo, Stephen Drew, Adam Lind, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Ryan Zimmerman

Outfielders: Adam Eaton, Bryce Harper, Chris Heisey, Michael A. Taylor, Jayson Werth