Source: Hale, Long won't return to fast-changing coaching staff

Source: Hale, Long won't return to fast-changing coaching staff
The Nationals' first offseason task appears to be a significant makeover of manager Davey Martinez's coaching staff. One week after cutting ties with pitching coach Paul Menhart, the club has now also informed third base coach Chip Hale and hitting coach Kevin Long they will not be returning in 2021, a source familiar with the decisions confirmed. There could be more moves coming, as well. Assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler, brought in last winter, has been Long's right-hand man with three...

Freeman had elbow surgery, Elías pitching in Fredericksburg

Freeman had elbow surgery, Elías pitching in Fredericksburg
Sam Freeman, one of the early bright spots in the Nationals bullpen during this unusual season, had Tommy John surgery one month ago, manager Davey Martinez confirmed today. Freeman last pitched Aug. 12 in New York, when he motioned for a trainer after feeling a "pop" in his left elbow. He was immediately removed from the game, and though the club's initial diagnosis was a flexor strain in his forearm, Martinez admitted at the time he was worried the injury was more serious. It was. An MRI...

Cronin refining curveball as he works toward big league goal

Cronin refining curveball as he works toward big league goal
Lots of chatter from the Nationals recently about how well Matt Cronin is doing at the alternate training site. The left-hander has been dominant and has had the opportunity to showcase his stuff against experienced Nats hitters. "It was a little bit of an adjustment at first just facing more seasoned hitters," Cronin said. "Guys who knew the zone a little better and are used to seeing higher-quality stuff. I was struggling just attacking hitters when I first got here, but after the...

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...

Romero looks "fearless," could be added to roster if Nats need lefty

Romero looks "fearless," could be added to roster if Nats need lefty
Nationals manager Davey Martinez announced Monday that the club's five-man taxi squad included left-hander Seth Romero, who has never pitched in the major leagues. The 2017 first-round selection out of the University of Houston missed all of the 2019 season as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery. It was an interesting choice, showing the Nats have confidence in Romero and his stuff and believe that he is very close to making that next step. Plus, looking at the structure of the Nats bullpen...

Elias placed on 60-day injured list with left elbow injury

Elias placed on 60-day injured list with left elbow injury
The Nationals announced that reliever Roenis Elías is being placed on the 60-day injured list due to a left elbow flexor strain. Because the move is retroactive to July 13, Elías could be activated in 45 days. But a flexor strain is an injury that can sometimes be a precursor to Tommy John surgery, which would keep a pitcher out of action for over 12 months. So Elías and the Nats are being extremely cautious in monitoring this injury. They will rehab the elbow in hopes that Elías...

No update on Soto, Martinez cautious with Strasburg recovery

No update on Soto, Martinez cautious with Strasburg recovery
Nationals manager Davey Martinez said there is no update available yet on outfielder Juan Soto and his testing for COVID-19. "Nothing," Martinez said during his pregame video conference call Sunday. "Like I said, we'll get him as soon as he's able to come back. We'll get him going again. That's all I have." Soto received a positive test on Thursday morning and has been staying home in D.C. since. He needs two negative test results separated by 24 hours to be eligible to be...

Nats announce 2020 opening day 30-man roster

Nats announce 2020 opening day 30-man roster
The Nationals have announced their 30-man opening day roster for the 2020 regular season, which was overshadowed by the news that outfielder Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19 and is on the injured list to begin the season. Soto is not currently showing any symptoms. General manager Mike Rizzo confirmed that Soto is "asymptomatic." Austin Voth has been named the fifth starter to begin the season, while Erick Fedde will pitch out of the bullpen. "Austin Voth will definitely be our...

Suero, Elías throwing but won't make opening night bullpen

Suero, Elías throwing but won't make opening night bullpen
Though Wander Suero and Roenis Elías have rejoined the Nationals and have been cleared to work out with the club, neither reliever will be ready to open the season on the active roster. Suero and Elías were among the group of 11 players who were not initially cleared to participate in summer training at Nationals Park, either because they tested positive for COVID-19 or were exposed to someone else who did. Both were placed on the 10-day injured list July 13. Elías, though, was cleared...

Robles expects to be ready for opener, Suero rejoins camp

Robles expects to be ready for opener, Suero rejoins camp
Victor Robles is convinced he'll be ready for opening night. The Nationals have four days to decide if they concur. Robles, who was cleared to participate in workouts Saturday for the first time this summer, said today that despite his lack of baseball activities while in quarantine, he expects to be good to go for the Nats' season opener against the Yankees. "Absolutely. I think I have the ability and the youth that helps me get ready quickly," the young center fielder said, via...

Kendrick will be ready for opener (MASN to air two exhibitions)

Kendrick will be ready for opener (MASN to air two exhibitions)
He's had only two days in camp after spending 14 days in mandatory quarantine. He'll get to play in only three exhibition games. But Howie Kendrick insists he'll be at Nationals Park on Thursday night, in the lineup as his team opens its title defense against the Yankees. "I'll be ready," the veteran hitter said today in his first Zoom session with reporters of the summer. "Whether I am or not, I'll be ready." Kendrick was ready to go when camp opened two weeks ago, but District of...

Suero, Elías placed on IL for undisclosed reasons (updated)

Suero, Elías placed on IL for undisclosed reasons (updated)
The Nationals placed relievers Wander Suero and Roenis Elías on the injured list this evening, the first such transactions the club has made involving any of the eight players who had yet to be cleared to participate in summer training. No reason for Suero and Elías' placement on the IL was provided, but neither pitcher has been present through the first 11 days of at workouts at Nationals Park, both required to remain in quarantine. "I can't say anything about that," manager Davey...

Nationals again look to build depth through draft

Nationals again look to build depth through draft
Sean Doolittle, Adam Eaton and Yan Gomes. All three players are prime examples of where the Nationals needed top-flight major league talent to compete for a title, but did not necessarily have that guy in their system at the time. All three made significant contributions on their road to winning the 2019 World Series. In the middle of 2019, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo brought in relievers Roenis Elías and Hunter Strickland through trade. Rizzo sent minor league left-handers Taylor...

State of the Nats roster: Bullpen

State of the Nats roster: Bullpen
We continue today a periodic look at the state of the Nationals roster at the point spring training was suspended and project how things may look whenever baseball is played again. Up next is the bullpen... Team officials are always going to speak optimistically about their roster during spring training. If you can't be positive in February and March, what hope do you have? But the optimism the Nationals displayed in West Palm Beach over their bolstered bullpen was genuine. They legitimately...

Fedde impresses, bullpen labors, Kieboom errs again

Fedde impresses, bullpen labors, Kieboom errs again
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Circumstances may have left Erick Fedde in a tough spot to force his way onto the Nationals' opening day pitching staff, but the right-hander is nonetheless going to do whatever he can to make a positive impression as long as he remains in the running this spring. Outings like the one he authored today can only help. Fedde was sharp through three innings against a Tigers lineup featuring plenty of regulars before fading as his pitch count got too high in the fourth,...

Martinez on Cabrera, Zimmerman, Elías and Soto (Nats lose 8-1)

Martinez on Cabrera, Zimmerman, Elías and Soto (Nats lose 8-1)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Ryan Zimmerman came through his first Grapefruit League game Thursday night unscathed and Nationals manager Davey Martinez expects to have the veteran first baseman back in the lineup tomorrow when the club travels to Jupiter to play the Cardinals. "Typical soreness," Martinez said, "but he said he made it through." Zimmerman has come a long way as a first basemen, learning the position from former teammate Adam LaRoche during spring training 2014 in Viera and taking...

After fiasco of 2019, Elías determined to reveal his true self

After fiasco of 2019, Elías determined to reveal his true self
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It's not entirely accurate to say the Nationals never saw the real Roenis Elías last season. "We saw it," manager Davey Martinez said. "The first day. Then after that ..." This is true. Acquired from the Mariners on July 31 to help fix the Nats' major bullpen woes, Elías made his debut two nights later in Arizona, summoned by Martinez with one out in the bottom of the sixth. The lefty got David Peralta to fly out, then struck out Adam Jones. All good,...

Nats hope improved depth leads to improved bullpen

Nats hope improved depth leads to improved bullpen
As spring training fast approaches, it's time to break down the state of the Nationals roster, position by position. The series continues today with the bullpen ... We know the Nationals bullpen was terrible last season. That's not news to anyone. How bad was it, though? And, more importantly, why was it so bad? The stat most often cited throughout the ordeal that was the 2019 regular season was the Nats' bullpen ERA: 5.66. That was worst in the majors, and worst by any major league bullpen...

Better, worse or the same in 2020: Pitchers

Better, worse or the same in 2020: Pitchers
Yesterday we looked at Nationals position players and tried to project whether the club will be better, worse or the same at each position. Today we'll attempt the same exercise for their pitching staff. Keep in mind, this is broken down into roles on the pitching staff (i.e. No. 1 starter, setup men). In some cases where there hasn't been a change, it's essentially a projection of how one pitcher is going to compare to last season. But in other cases where there have been changes, it's a...

Turner, Elías, Ross sign deals to avoid arbitration (updated)

Turner, Elías, Ross sign deals to avoid arbitration (updated)
The Nationals worked out 2020 contracts with Trea Turner, Roenis Elías and Joe Ross before today's deadline, avoiding arbitration with all of their eligible players. Those three were the Nats' only remaining unsigned arbitration-eligible players entering today, the deadline for all such players across the sport to either agree to contract terms or submit competing offers for arbitration. Turner earned by far the biggest raise of the group, agreeing to a one-year deal worth $7.45 million,...