When Koda Glover reported to spring training and immediately had a recurrence of the shoulder pain that ended his 2017 season, the Nationals wasted no time acquiring a replacement right-hander for their bullpen. On Feb. 19, they signed Joaquin Benoit to a one-year major league contract that guaranteed the veteran reliever $1 million. The insinuation was clear: They weren't confident in Glover's health, and they were confident Benoit would instantly take over a significant role in their...

PHOENIX - The sore back that prevented Ryan Zimmerman from playing in five of the Nationals' last seven games has now landed him on the disabled list. The Nationals placed Zimmerman on the 10-day DL today with what the club called a right oblique strain and purchased the contract of veteran slugger Mark Reynolds from Triple-A Syracuse to take his place and provide another right-handed bat off the bench (and quite possibly in the lineup). Needing to clear a spot on their 40-man roster for...

Sammy Solís and the Law Firm have been able to sit back with their shades on while the rest of the Nationals bullpen has been in and out of a revolving door. The bullpen has been less than consistent this year, not just in its performance, but in its personnel. Due to injuries, call-ups, and players being designated for assignment, the supporting cast has been changing all year. The question is, after everyone is properly healthy, who should stay? Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson and Brandon...

ATLANTA - Daniel Murphy moved from the treadmill to running on the field today, another positive update as the veteran recovers from offseason microfracture right knee surgery that has placed him on the disabled list to begin the season. "I thought it went well," Murphy said of running on the field. "Well, the grass doesn't really move. But obviously it's more realistic. As far as being limited in my pace I would say no. Yeah, same pace." Murphy said his rehab focus continues to be about...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals are going to need to tap into their right-handed bullpen depth to open the season. Already down one arm all spring when Koda Glover reported to camp with a sore shoulder, the Nats now acknowledge they won't have veteran Joaquin Benoit for opening day after the 40-year-old was diagnosed with a strained forearm. Benoit, who was signed to a $1 million major league contract one week after camp opened, made three Grapefruit League appearances, most recently...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla - The closer we get to opening day and the more he keeps piling up hits, the more Matt Wieters looks like he may legitimately have figured something out at the plate. Already having shown marked improvement through the first half of spring training, Wieters hasn't let up tonight. The veteran catcher had hits in each of his first two at-bats against Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler, raising his Grapefruit League batting average to a cool .438. Wieters' hits tonight, like...

JUPITER, Fla. - Manager Davey Martinez didn't think twice about scratching Michael A. Taylor from Monday's lineup when the center fielder reported some tightness in his right side before the Nationals boarded the bus in West Palm Beach for the 15-minute drive to Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. "He had a little bit of tightness in his right side," Martinez said after the Nats' 2-1 loss to the Cardinals. "I know he had an issue with it last year, so we're not going to take any chances right...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Joaquín Benoit has played for good teams and bad teams. He has appeared in 20 postseason games (three of those in the World Series) and he's played out the string in September for clubs that were going nowhere. Now 40, with far fewer days ahead of him than behind him, Benoit's priorities have changed. When looking for a job this winter and spring, he sought only two things: a major league contract and a chance to win. That made the Nationals, who officially...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - So much for those quick, streamlined pitchers and catchers workouts. With position players joining them on the fields today, the Nationals experienced their longest session of the spring, by far. Though technically a voluntary workout - the first official full-squad day is Wednesday - every healthy member of the roster participated this morning (and afternoon). Everyone gathered on the agility field for the daily "Circle of Trust" meeting at 10:45 a.m. Position players...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - In need of more right-handed bullpen depth to account for Koda Glover's latest shoulder injury, the Nationals have agreed to terms with veteran Joaquín Benoit on a one-year, $1 million contract, according to a source familiar with the deal. The signing hasn't been announced yet, but Benoit was at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches today and already had a locker with his nameplate above it inside the Nationals clubhouse, according to another source. Benoit, 40, has a...