Clay, Murphy added to bullpen; Klobosits, Rodriguez dropped

Clay, Murphy added to bullpen; Klobosits, Rodriguez dropped
Two days after adding two fresh arms to their bullpen, the Nationals added two more, continuing an ongoing attempt to find the right combination of youthful relievers to get them through the remainder of the season. Today's additions: Sam Clay and Patrick Murphy, each promoted from Triple-A Rochester. They replace Gabe Klobosits, who was optioned to Rochester, and Jefry Rodriguez, who was designated for assignment. Clay is no stranger to the Nationals bullpen, having spent the first four...

Voth, McGowin rejoin bullpen; Guerra, Stevenson off roster

Voth, McGowin rejoin bullpen; Guerra, Stevenson off roster
An ever-changing Nationals bullpen saw the return of two familiar right-handers today, with both Austin Voth and Kyle McGowin activated off the injured list. And an ever-changing Nats roster saw the departures of two familiar faces as a result, with Javy Guerra designated for assignment while Andrew Stevenson was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. The transactions, announced about 90 minutes before today's series finale in Milwaukee, give the Nationals a couple of moderately experienced arms, in...

Bullpen breaks late as Nats' winning streak is snapped (updated)

Bullpen breaks late as Nats' winning streak is snapped (updated)
It was only a matter of time. The Nationals bullpen flirted with danger too often this afternoon against the Brewers and it finally cost them in the eighth inning of a 9-6 loss. Looking for their first four-game winning streak since June 27-30, the Nationals couldn't get pitchers to make pitches when they needed them the most. After a strong showing by starter Paolo Espino, the bullpen arms gave the Brewers two leads in the second half of the game, struggling to protect their own lead or to...

Suero optioned to Rochester, Adams and Guerra join roster

Suero optioned to Rochester, Adams and Guerra join roster
The Nationals optioned Wander Suero to Triple-A Rochester this afternoon, demoting the struggling reliever in hopes of getting him straightened out after a series of late-inning meltdowns that culminated with a blown save Monday night. Suero was one of two players removed from the active roster prior to tonight's game, joining catcher René Rivera, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow contusion. To fill those spots, the Nationals called up just-acquired catcher Riley...

Kieboom, García headed to Triple-A after latest Nationals cuts

Kieboom, García headed to Triple-A after latest Nationals cuts
Infielders Carter Kieboom and Luis García were optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday afternoon, as the Nationals made a series of roster moves that pretty much solidify their 26-man roster for Thursday's nationally televised home and season opener against the Mets. Also optioned to Triple-A were left-hander Sam Clay, right-hander Kyle McGowin and outfielder Yadiel Hernández. Utility men Jordy Mercer and Hernán Pérez, both of whom were in camp on minor league deals, had their...

With nine days to go, another crack at a 26-man roster

With nine days to go, another crack at a 26-man roster
We have reached the stretch run of the spring. Yes, as of this morning, the Nationals have completed 31 days of camp. Only nine remain before everyone packs up shop in West Palm Beach, Fla., and heads north. There's still a lot that can and will change between now and then. And there are plenty of questions that still must be resolved. But the shape of the opening night roster seems to be taking more shape now. With the important caveat that several of these spots are far from locked up,...

Limited spring schedule forces Nats to get creative

Limited spring schedule forces Nats to get creative
As much as they've tried to make this feel like a normal spring training, there are certain unavoidable differences from previous Nationals camps because of COVID-19 protocols. Like the limited number of opponents. Because Major League Baseball decided to reduce travel across the state of Florida, the Nats are only playing the four other clubs that train within 45 minutes of West Palm Beach: the Astros, Cardinals, Marlins and Mets. That leads to a whole lot of repeat matchups against teams...

A still-early attempt at projecting the opening night roster

A still-early attempt at projecting the opening night roster
Would you believe spring training is already 40 percent complete? That's right, the Nationals have made it through the first 16 days of a 40-day camp. Time flies when you're having fun, huh? (Or when there's actually baseball being played.) That's not to suggest the Nats are anywhere close to being ready for opening night, though. They've still got a lot to figure out over the next 24 days. Truth be told, they've barely answered any of the most pressing questions they faced when they...

Notes on Scherzer, Jeffress, live BP and exhibition games

Notes on Scherzer, Jeffress, live BP and exhibition games
For the first time this spring, all 72 players in the Nationals' big league camp were on the field and participating today. On the second day of full-squad workouts, the only two pitchers who had yet to participate (Javy Guerra and Jeremy Jeffress) were cleared to join their teammates. Guerra, who had been in Arizona with his wife as she gave birth in recent days, arrived in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday and on Tuesday cleared his mandatory intake testing. Jeffress, meanwhile, passed his...

Scherzer throws off mound, full squad takes field for first time

Scherzer throws off mound, full squad takes field for first time
Max Scherzer was back on a mound this morning in West Palm Beach, Fla., throwing pitches (albeit not many and not at full velocity) for the first time since a sprained left ankle sidetracked him two weeks ago. Scherzer was cleared to resume throwing off the bullpen mound. He wound up throwing 10 pitches, "very light," according to manager Davey Martinez. "We just wanted to see him land on that foot," Martinez said during his daily Zoom session with reporters. "He said he felt good. We'll...

Ross easing back, Guerra still home, spring tickets go on sale

Ross easing back, Guerra still home, spring tickets go on sale
Davey Martinez has made no secret about his desire to use Joe Ross as his No. 5 starter. While acknowledging the open competition that also includes Erick Fedde, Austin Voth and perhaps even Rogelio Armenteros taking place this spring, the Nationals manager has openly stated he wants Ross to prove he's earned the job. But in their evaluation, Martinez and new pitching coach Jim Hickey need to consider not only Ross' performance but the state of his arm after he opted out of the 2020 season....

Nats invite 71 total players to big league camp

Nats invite 71 total players to big league camp
The Nationals have invited 32 players on minor league contracts to spring training, bringing their total big league camp roster to a whopping 71. The extensive list of non-roster invitees includes several well-known veterans with prior experience either with the Nationals (Gerardo Parra, Javy Guerra, Aaron Barrett, Adrián Sanchez) or other clubs (Luis Avilán, T.J. McFarland, Welington Castillo, Jordy Mercer, Hernán Pérez, Blake Swihart, Yasmany Tomás). It also includes several of...

Nats sign Guerra and Castillo to minor league deals

Nats sign Guerra and Castillo to minor league deals
The Nationals have confirmed the signing of catcher Welington Castillo and right-hander Javy Guerra to minor league contracts that include invitations to major league spring training. This is the second year in a row that Castillo has signed with the Nats in the offseason, but the backstop opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. Castillo, 33, will look to solidify the second catcher spot on the roster alongside Yan Gomes. Castillo played at least 100 games from 2013 to 2016 and...

Nats' 2019 roster could be a distant memory come 2021

Nats' 2019 roster could be a distant memory come 2021
Nothing lasts forever in baseball. Change is inevitable. No roster, good or bad, stays intact from year to year. So this isn't unusual. But it's still somewhat striking when you pause to think about it: More than half of the Nationals' 2019 World Series roster isn't going to be part of their 2021 roster. At the moment, only 11 of the 25 players who were in uniform for Game 7 in Houston a mere 13 1/2 months ago remain employed by the Nationals. Only four of those 11 are position players:...

Guerra, Freeman clear waivers, become free agents

Guerra, Freeman clear waivers, become free agents
Two more members of the Nationals' 2020 bullpen are now free agents after right-hander Javy Guerra and lefty Sam Freeman cleared outright waivers, the club announced today. Guerra and Freeman, who both ended the season on the injured list, are the latest Nats players to formally come off the 40-man roster, which now stands at 36. Right-handers Aaron Barrett, Paolo Espino and Austen Williams, plus lefty Roenis Elías and infielder Adrián Sanchez cleared outright waivers last week; Barrett,...

Barrett, Bourque placed on IL; Hernández, Espino join roster

Barrett, Bourque placed on IL; Hernández, Espino join roster
Aaron Barrett's latest return to the Nationals bullpen came to an abrupt halt due to another injury. And James Bourque's first opportunity to pitch regularly in the big leagues has also been cut short due to injury. Barrett, who made national headlines last season when he pitched in the majors three years after breaking his arm while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 10-day injured list today with a right triceps strain, one of a flurry of transactions announced by the...

Strasburg rehabbing at home, Guerra lands on IL

Strasburg rehabbing at home, Guerra lands on IL
Stephen Strasburg is rehabbing at his Virginia home one week following carpal tunnel surgery on his right wrist, but the Nationals right-hander won't be cleared to throw "for a while," according to manager Davey Martinez. Strasburg had surgery last Wednesday in Baltimore to repair the carpal tunnel neuritis that had developed in his throwing hand. Though club officials never officially declared him out for the season, he was transferred to the 60-day injured list once it was determined he...

Harris returns, Romero to active roster, Doolittle to IL

Harris returns, Romero to active roster, Doolittle to IL
Nationals manager Davey Martinez delivered news this morning from a rainy Citi Field, where the Nats hope to wrap up their four-game set with the Mets before they board the train for Baltimore tonight. The club announced that left-hander Sam Freeman has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left flexor mass strain. He had a 0.00 ERA in five innings so far this season. The team activated right-hander Will Harris from the injured list following his recovery from a right groin...

Bullpen rounding into form, even with Doolittle on the outs

Bullpen rounding into form, even with Doolittle on the outs
Every team enters every season thinking it has its bullpen plan in place. Who's going to close. Who's going to set up. Who's going to get lefties out. Who's going to pitch out of jams. And then the season begins, and every team realizes that plan going in isn't going to work and has to start adjusting on the fly. Truth be told, it takes months for a bullpen to truly take shape. A manager needs to see how different pitchers handle different situations. He needs to see who's healthy and...

Harris back with Nats, live BP session set for Tuesday

Harris back with Nats, live BP session set for Tuesday
Reliever Will Harris made the trip to New York as a member of the five-man Nationals taxi squad, a good sign that if everything goes well this week, he could be back in the bullpen at the end of this series or in Baltimore. Manager Davey Martinez said Harris will throw to live batters tomorrow and that will be the final test to see how his tender groin has recovered the past 10 days. "I talked to him today (and) he said he felt good," Martinez said on a pregame Zoom call from Citi Field. "We...