Nats focus on Robles' speed and agility heading into 2021

Nats focus on Robles' speed and agility heading into 2021
Manager Davey Martinez made a point heading into this offseason to get better in outfield defense as the Nationals look to return to the top of the National League East after a fourth-place finish in 2020. In 2019, center fielder Victor Robles led the major leagues with 23 Outs Above Average (OAA) over 155 games. In 2020, in just 52 games, Robles reached only 2 OAA. Adam Eaton had a minus-1 OAA and Juan Soto a minus-2 OAA. Outfielders Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Stevenson did not register an...

What should Nats prioritize in search for new corner outfielder?

What should Nats prioritize in search for new corner outfielder?
We've talked for weeks about the Nationals' need for a new corner outfielder, and that need officially became official Tuesday when Adam Eaton (surprisingly?) returned to the White Sox four years after they traded him to Washington in one of the most significant trades in club history. The Nats, of course, could've retained Eaton had they picked up his $10.5 million option for 2021. They chose not to, and that decision revealed the following about them: 1) They didn't believe the...

Eaton reportedly returning to White Sox on one-year deal

Eaton reportedly returning to White Sox on one-year deal
Adam Eaton's tenure with the Nationals officially ended today when the free agent outfielder decided to return to the organization that sent him to D.C. in a blockbuster four years ago. Eaton has signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the White Sox that also includes an $8.5 million club option for 2022, according to NBC Sports Chicago. The deal is pending a physical. It's a somewhat surprising return to the South Side for Eaton, who spent the 2014-16 seasons with the White Sox before...

No shortage of free agent outfielders for Nats to consider

No shortage of free agent outfielders for Nats to consider
Rank the Nationals' most significant needs this winter and there's no debate what tops the list: a big bat. Someone who can hit behind Trea Turner and Juan Soto. Someone who can lengthen the lineup. Someone who can fill the void created by Anthony Rendon's departure last winter. (And, yes, obviously this all could've been avoided if the Nats just re-signed Rendon, but there's no sense re-litigating that one now.) This big bat could come in a variety of forms and could play one of several...

Nats decline options on Eaton, Sánchez, Kendrick, Thames

Nats decline options on Eaton, Sánchez, Kendrick, Thames
The end of the World Series last night meant the start of the offseason today, and the Nationals wasted no time making the first of many consequential decisions they'll face during what should be a busy winter. The Nats declined to pick up the 2021 contract options they held on Adam Eaton and Aníbal Sánchez and declined to pick up their portions of the 2021 mutual options on Howie Kendrick and Eric Thames. All four veteran players immediately become free agents and are allowed to begin...

Will Nats give Eaton another shot or decide to part ways?

Will Nats give Eaton another shot or decide to part ways?
Our offseason player review series continues today with Adam Eaton, who struggled through a rough season before having it abruptly end with a fractured finger. PLAYER REVIEW: ADAM EATON Age on opening day 2021: 32 How acquired: Traded from White Sox for Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López and Dane Dunning, December 2016 MLB service time: 8 years, 30 days 2020 salary: $9.5 million (prorated $3,518,519) Contract status: Club holds $10.5 million option (or $1.5 million buyout) for 2021 2020 stats: 41...

Change is coming for Nationals, but how much?

Change is coming for Nationals, but how much?
The Nationals are going to undergo change this winter, of that there's no doubt. Nine prominent players (Ryan Zimmerman, Adam Eaton, Howie Kendrick, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Aníbal Sánchez, Sean Doolittle, Kurt Suzuki, Eric Thames and Josh Harrison) will either become free agents or could become free agents if their options aren't picked up. Several others (most notably Michael A. Taylor and Roenis Elías) could be in danger of being non-tendered. They aren't all coming back, that much...

Eaton on broken finger: "It's fitting for how my year has went"

Eaton on broken finger: "It's fitting for how my year has went"
The Nationals placed outfielder Adam Eaton on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a fractured left index finger, which effectively ended his 2020 regular season. Eaton hurt the finger on a bunt attempt in Wednesday's game against the Rays. After the injury, Eaton tried to shake it off, play defense and stay in the game. But the finger began to swell up and he could not grip the ball as well as he wanted to, hampering his ability to throw. "I've been playing pretty pissed off lately, so I...

Eaton was exactly who the Nationals needed him to be

Eaton was exactly who the Nationals needed him to be
We don't know at this point if Adam Eaton has played his last game for the Nationals, and we won't know for a while longer. The club will decide after the season whether to pick up the outfielder's $10.5 million option for 2021 or take a $1.5 million buyout instead, making him a free agent. But there's certainly a decent chance Eaton's time with the Nats is done after the club placed him on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left index finger Thursday evening. He won't have time to...

Eaton placed on IL with fractured finger

Eaton placed on IL with fractured finger
The Nationals lost another key member of their roster for the remainder of this shortened season today when they placed outfielder Adam Eaton on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left index finger. Eaton hurt himself trying to bunt with two outs and the bases loaded in the second inning of Wednesday's 4-2 win at Tampa Bay. He remained in the game for two more innings and nearly made a diving catch in right field at one point, but was pulled before his spot in the lineup came up...

García's homer in 10th lifts Nats to 4-2 win over Rays (updated)

García's homer in 10th lifts Nats to 4-2 win over Rays (updated)
Luis García went after the first pitch from Rays reliever Nick Anderson in the 10th inning and homered over the right-center field wall for his second big league homer as the Nationals survived Daniel Hudson's blown save for a 4-2 win over the Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Tropicana Field. García drilled Anderson's 94 mph fastball a few minutes after the Rays' Brandon Lowe had tied the game with a homer off Hudson in the bottom of the ninth. For Anderson, it was only the fifth hit he...

Late comeback attempt falls just short, Nats lose 2-1 to Braves (updated)

Late comeback attempt falls just short, Nats lose 2-1 to Braves (updated)
The Nationals offense could not get going until late, and a furious rally attempt fell just short as the Braves eked out a 2-1 nail-biter Saturday night at Nats Park. Left-hander Patrick Corbin was very good and gave the Nationals a chance to win. Unfortunately, his counterpart was better. Right-hander Ian Anderson fired seven shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out nine as the Braves held off the Nats. In the end, RBI singles by Marcell Ozuna and Ozzie Albies were all the...

Eaton and offense rolled early, but then slowed down

Eaton and offense rolled early, but then slowed down
The Nationals offense rolled out of the gates with five early runs against the first-place Braves on Thursday night at Nats Park, scoring three in the first inning and two in the second frame for a 5-0 lead. Trea Turner tripled, Juan Soto doubled and Asdrúbal Cabrera tripled in the first against Braves starter Robbie Erlin. In the second, Michael A. Taylor doubled and Adam Eaton launched a two-run shot. It seemed like the Nats were going to score more after Erlin left when reliever Huascar...

Nats again can't keep Braves in the yard in 7-6 loss (updated)

Nats again can't keep Braves in the yard in 7-6 loss (updated)
There appear to be two ways to beat the Braves, neither simple. You can try to outslug one of the most powerful lineups in baseball. Or you can try to keep Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman in the ballpark. Again, neither of these is a simple task, as the Nationals have painfully learned over the last week. And because they once again couldn't keep Acuña and Freeman in the yard, and couldn't turn a good night at the plate into a great night at the plate, they suffered another loss to...

Nats outplay Rays again for fourth win in five (updated)

Nats outplay Rays again for fourth win in five (updated)
These are not the 2019 Nationals. Not in name and not in style of play. Most likely, they won't finish the season like their 2019 version did, either. But for now, that's not worth stressing over. Instead, take a step back and just appreciate what this ever-changing 2020 Nationals club is now doing. They don't have the star power - or the offensive power - of their World Series champion predecessors. But over the last week, they're finally starting to play with some passion. They're...

Kieboom returns to play every day, Difo dropped from roster

Kieboom returns to play every day, Difo dropped from roster
Their lineup ravaged by a recent spate of injuries, the Nationals recalled Carter Kieboom from their alternate training camp today, plugged their struggling prospect into tonight's lineup against the Braves and declared him their starting third baseman for the rest of this abridged season. Kieboom, who had been optioned to the camp in Fredericksburg on Aug. 26, was already in Atlanta as part of the club's traveling taxi squad for this weekend's series at Truist Park. Team officials liked the...

Martinez moves Eaton to leadoff spot to try to energize lineup

Martinez moves Eaton to leadoff spot to try to energize lineup
In an effort to jump-start an offense that has not scored a run in two games, Nationals manager Davey Martinez has moved right fielder Adam Eaton into the leadoff spot for today's series finale in Philadelphia. Martinez hopes that this will create more opportunities for his two hottest hitters, Trea Turner and Juan Soto, to drive in runs. "I talked to him last night," Martinez said during today's pregame Zoom video call. "I wanted to see if we could get somebody up there, get something...

Can the Nats better maximize Turner and Soto's production?

Can the Nats better maximize Turner and Soto's production?
Trea Turner and Juan Soto are hitting as well as humanly possible right now. Of that, there's no debate. They enter tonight's game against the Phillies ranking first and second in the majors in batting average, first and fourth in OPS. They're also hitting first and second in the Nationals lineup, a decision manager Davey Martinez made recently to give Soto as many plate appearances as possible and help give both guys as many pitches to hit as possible. So how come the Nats aren't scoring...

Another bad start for Voth, another series loss for Nats (updated)

Another bad start for Voth, another series loss for Nats (updated)
The 2020 season is now more than halfway complete, and the defending World Series champs still have won only a single three-game series. Not even a weekend at Fenway Park against a Red Sox roster that is now a shell of its 2018 championship form could cure what ails the Nationals. The 2019 champs still can't get consistent starting pitching or consistent offensive production with runners on base. And because of that, the Nats lost again this afternoon, 9-5, for yet another series loss and yet...

Eaton moved down in order, pairing Turner and Soto at top

Eaton moved down in order, pairing Turner and Soto at top
Injuries, opt-outs and inconsistent performances have forced Davey Martinez to reconsider his batting order almost every day this season. Tonight, circumstances prompted the Nationals manager to make one of his biggest lineup changes to date. Adam Eaton, who has batted second in each of the 25 games he's played so far this year, was bumped down to the sixth spot for tonight's series opener against the Red Sox. That move, which allows Juan Soto to move up to the No. 2 position, was made in...