Young guys fit right in with a Nats team looking for repeat

Young guys fit right in with a Nats team looking for repeat
One trend that has been noticeable early this season is how the young guys, most of them making their major league debuts, have fit in from the beginning with the Nationals, and have looked like they belong in the big leagues. Luis García, 20, has hit the ground running. Carter Kieboom, 22, had only 11 games of experience coming into 2020, but he also fits in nicely this season. Young pitchers, or pitchers making their major league debuts, have held their own. "They are all doing well, and...

Seven relievers post five zeros in Nationals' win (updated)

Seven relievers post five zeros in Nationals' win (updated)
Davey Martinez can wish for more innings from his rotation. Until it actually happens, he has no choice but to ask for a lot from his bullpen. That unit couldn't finish the job Monday night during a gut-punch loss in Atlanta. Tonight, seven different relievers joined forces to pitch five scoreless innings and complete the job. And when Daniel Hudson, pitching for the third straight day and only 24 hours removed from an ugly blown save, closed it out in the bottom of the ninth, the Nationals...

García shows off power, dance moves, Soto-like approach

García shows off power, dance moves, Soto-like approach
Luis García isn't a power hitter. At least, he hasn't been throughout his professional career. The 20-year-old infielder hit a total of 12 home runs in 1,308 minor league plate appearances. So when García stepped to the plate Monday night in Atlanta and launched a 410-foot blast to right-center for his first home run in his ninth career major league plate appearance, his manager had some particular words of advice once he returned to the dugout. "Don't let it go to your head," Davey...

Pair of ninth-inning homers off Hudson shock Nats (updated)

Pair of ninth-inning homers off Hudson shock Nats (updated)
Yes, they already played 19 games over the last 3 1/2 weeks, an erratic stretch of games their manager referred to as "seesaw baseball." In practical terms, 2020 really began for the Nationals tonight in Atlanta with their first game against their top division rival in a season that will be defined by intradivisional play. The first of 10 games between the Nats and Braves was exactly what you'd expect it to be: a tense, tight, perhaps contentious battle between a couple of heavyweights that...

Kieboom's glove better than expected on both sides of infield

Kieboom's glove better than expected on both sides of infield
As much as the Nationals have gone out of their way to keep Carter Kieboom focused on learning how to play third base, the rookie infielder is actually spending a lot of time on the other side of the diamond so far this season. When they utilize the shift against a left-handed batter, the Nats are leaving Trea Turner at shortstop and having Kieboom move all the way over to what would typically be the second baseman's spot on the infield (with the second baseman moving into shallow right...

Turner on youngsters García and Kieboom: "It's fun playing with them"

Turner on youngsters García and Kieboom: "It's fun playing with them"
Nationals shortstop Trea Turner made his major league debut about this time in 2015. Turner was 22 and went 0-for-2 against the Brewers. His double play counterpart five seasons later, 20-year-old second baseman Luis García, made his major league debut four days ago. Third baseman Carter Kieboom made his debut last April at 21. Juan Soto, who plays behind Turner in left field, made his debut in May 2018 at 19. In center field, Victor Robles made his debut in September 2017 at 20. All around...

Game 18 lineups: Nats at Orioles (updated)

Game 18 lineups: Nats at Orioles (updated)
BALTIMORE - The Nationals get back to work tonight seeking a series win for the first time since the July 30 "road" series at Nats Park against the Blue Jays. The Orioles won 6-2 to complete a three-game sweep of the Nats when the two teams finished in Baltimore the series finale that was suspended Sunday at Nationals Park when a tangled tarp kept the grounds crew from keeping the field playable. But the Nats roared back to take the regularly scheduled game at Camden Yards 15-3. After losing...

García on first start in the bigs: "A moment that I always dreamt of"

García on first start in the bigs: "A moment that I always dreamt of"
The Nationals lost their starting second baseman and most consistent hitter just two innings into the completion of their suspended game with the Orioles Friday night. Starlin Castro went down with a fractured right wrist. He was hitting .283 for the Nats so far this season. The injury was a major blow for the club that has seen pitchers go down to begin this shortened season, but this was their first position player to be lost for an extended time. Castro's veteran leadership was extremely...

Fedde, bats save the day after Strasburg leaves early (updated)

Fedde, bats save the day after Strasburg leaves early (updated)
BALTIMORE - Given the negative developments that already taken place over the preceding hours since they arrived at Camden Yards for 1 4/9 games of baseball, the Nationals would have been excused if they all threw up their hands in disgust at the sight of Stephen Strasburg walking off the mound with a trainer in the bottom of the first and decided to pack it in for the rest of the night. An early season of injuries, postponements and erratic play had now taken down one of their aces, who...

Infield prospect García called up after Castro breaks wrist

Infield prospect García called up after Castro breaks wrist
BALTIMORE - The Nationals' second base plans just took a dramatic turn in a direction they probably weren't expecting to go in August 2020. After Starlin Castro broke his right wrist making a diving play during today's resumption of Sunday's suspended game, the club promoted top prospect Luis García off their traveling taxi squad and put the 20-year-old in their starting lineup for tonight's regularly scheduled game against the Orioles. Castro's injury came as he dove for Bryan...

Game 17 lineups: Nats at Orioles

Game 17 lineups: Nats at Orioles
Right-hander Stephen Strasburg starts tonight's regularly scheduled game at Camden Yards against the Orioles left-hander Tommy Milone. Manager Davey Martinez is still concerned about the nerve issue in Strasburg's hand, so the will monitor him closely throughout tonight's game. "He says he is ready to go," Martinez said during a pregame Zoom video call. "We are going to send him out there, we will keep an eye on him. I think it's more of the ups for him as opposed to the pitch count. As...

Scherzer ready, Eaton rests, first taxi squad deployed

Scherzer ready, Eaton rests, first taxi squad deployed
After throwing two days ago and testing out his hamstring, Max Scherzer went up to Davey Martinez and said he could pitch that night. The manager chucked today as he recalled the story and the three-time Cy Young Award winner who would make such a ridiculous offer. "Your day is coming up," Martinez told him. "So be ready." That day is Tuesday. Scherzer will start against the Mets at Citi Field, making his scheduled turn in the rotation as promised when he had to depart his last outing after...

Soto, Kendrick, García cleared to work out (updated)

Soto, Kendrick, García cleared to work out (updated)
Juan Soto, Howie Kendrick and Luis García were cleared to participate in workouts at Nationals Park today after two weeks of quarantine required for those who either tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to someone who did. Soto and Kendrick were among the biggest names among the group of 11 Nationals players who had not initially been cleared to join the rest of the roster at Nationals Park when summer training opened two weeks ago. Second baseman Starlin Castro was cleared July 9...

Nats prospect watch: García works to employ lower half in swing

Nats prospect watch: García works to employ lower half in swing
We switch gears now in our previews to the offense and check in with how Luis García's spring training was going before the shutdown. Um, yeah, it was going really well. The left-handed swinging García was hitting the baseball consistently to begin 2020. The 19-year-old shortstop slashed a stunning .417/.462/.542 in 15 big league games, with one homer and four RBIs. García is listed as the No. 97 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline.com's preseason rankings. As one might expect,...

Baseball America Nats No. 2 prospect: SS Luis Garcia

Baseball America Nats No. 2 prospect: SS Luis Garcia
No. 2 Luis Garcia Baseball America Nats correspondent Lacy Lusk says shortstop Luis Garcia didn't get off to the best start last season, but then was able to hit better as the year progressed. Garcia hit .241 with no homers and 12 RBIs in the first half of 2019. In the second half, he hit .272 with four homers and 18 RBIs. He was able to drop his strikeout total in the second half from 47 to 39. Lusk says Garcia is a top-notch prospect, but said she would not put him in the elite category just...

Hearing from Corbin, Martinez and García after a 6-3 loss

Hearing from Corbin, Martinez and García after a 6-3 loss
JUPITER, Fla. - When Nationals manager Davey Martinez outlined his desire to delay Patrick Corbin's first Grapefruit League start until the beginning of the second week of exhibition games, the left-hander took the one-week deferral in stride. "I actually didn't think too much about it," Corbin said. "I was told the 29th was my first game, but it was good. I think it was smart, a smart move, just with how much a lot of us did throw last year. Max (Scherzer) wanted to throw Game 1, so he...

García's growth hasn't gone unnoticed in Nats camp

García's growth hasn't gone unnoticed in Nats camp
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Growth can manifest itself in many forms, and sometimes it takes only a few inches to portend increased development of a young ballplayer. A few days ago, Nationals manager Davey Martinez was eyeballing a live batting practice session when he noticed something in the way one of the club's top prospects, infielder Luis García, was preparing to hit. Batting against a changeup pitcher, García took a fastball for a strike before subtly adjusting his stance. "Before...

Nats invite 22 non-roster players to big league camp

Nats invite 22 non-roster players to big league camp
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals have invited 22 non-roster players to participate in big league camp, a group that includes a host of veterans with major league experience and a handful of prospects who aren't yet on the organization's 40-man roster. Among the veterans who signed minor league contracts and were extended big league invitations are: * Javy Guerra, who made 40 relief appearances for the Nationals last season with a 4.86 ERA and 1.248 WHIP and then pitched in a pair of...

Top prospect lists still lacking Nationals pitchers

Top prospect lists still lacking Nationals pitchers
The Nationals won the World Series last year with the oldest roster in baseball, so it's not surprising they went out this winter and either signed or re-signed a bunch of veterans who will help keep the team's average age near the top of the sport again. Nothing wrong with that philosophy, especially when it worked so well in 2019. But it's worth noting that a Nats farm system that was so instrumental in the franchise's initial ascension from laughingstock to annual contender might be as...

AFL Nats roll to 4-1 record, winning three straight

AFL Nats roll to 4-1 record, winning three straight
The Surprise Saguaros had a very good first week in the Arizona Fall League, going 4-1. They have the best record in the West Division and the league overall, and enjoy a three-game win streak. Here is a rundown of last week: Surprise 4, at Glendale 2. Scottsdale 8, at Surprise 6. At Surprise 4, Salt River 1. At Surprise 12, Salt River 0. Surprise 4, at Peoria 1. Catcher Jakson Reetz is hitting .455 (5-for-11) in three games with a 1.084 OPS. He has one double, one stolen base and three RBIs....