Nationals finished with seventh-highest payroll in 2020

Nationals finished with seventh-highest payroll in 2020
The Nationals finished the 2020 season with the seventh-largest payroll in Major League Baseball, down three slots from their position during their World Series run the previous year but still leaving them among the sport's biggest spenders. The Nats paid out a grand total of $76.2 million to all players on their 40-man roster this season, according to figures obtained and published by the Associated Press on Saturday evening. That ranked seventh in the majors, behind the World Series champion...

More from Sam Clay on the numbers of baseball

More from Sam Clay on the numbers of baseball
Here is more insight from pitcher Sam Clay from last week's Zoom call on the psychology of baseball. The free agent left-hander was signed by the Nats on Nov. 18 to a major league contract after spending his entire minor league career in the Twins organization. He had been a free agent for only 16 days before the Nationals snatched him up. Clay boasts an amazing number: only six homers allowed in over 405 innings. Clay was asked about the numbers of baseball, whether it is the straight...

Clay can take on any role necessary in Nats bullpen

Clay can take on any role necessary in Nats bullpen
The Nationals added depth to their bullpen Wednesday with the signing of free agent Sam Clay. The left-hander has spent his entire career with the Twins organization, even reached the 60-man player pool this past season, but has yet to appear in a major league game. Clay was drafted out of Georgia Tech in the fourth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. The 27-year-old made it to Triple-A Rochester for 14 games in 2019. After all the time and work in the minors, Clay was excited and...

Nats sign former Twins minor league lefty Clay to MLB deal

Nats sign former Twins minor league lefty Clay to MLB deal
One year after hitting the jackpot with the signing of a reliever with extensive minor league experience to a major league contract, the Nationals are hoping they found another diamond in the rough with today's signing of left-hander Sam Clay. Clay, who spent the last seven seasons in the Twins system but never reached the majors, was given a big league deal by the Nats, just as right-hander Kyle Finnegan was last winter. Finnegan enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2020 and looks like a long-term...