Sandy Leon dealt to Red Sox

Sandy Leon dealt to Red Sox
VIERA, Fla. - The Nationals have traded catcher Sandy Leon to the Red Sox. What the Nationals may receive in exchange for the 26-year-old catcher is unknown, but Leon was out of options and wasn't going to crack the 25-man opening day roster. The Nats have Wilson Ramos and Jose Lobaton behind the plate and a host of young catching prospects in the pipeline. On his Twitter account, Leon this morning began retweeting messages of thanks and encouragement from Nats fans after news of the trade...

Nats get to Verlander early, Taylor homers (Nats tie 7-7)

Nats get to Verlander early, Taylor homers (Nats tie 7-7)
NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 7, Tigers Recap: Center fielder Michael A. Taylor banged two solo homers off Tigers ace Justin Verlander to lead the Nats over the Tigers 7-6. Taylor also added a single on the 2-for-3 day to raise his spring batting average to .324. The 23-year-old now has three home runs to go along with two triples and two doubles in the exhibition season. Right-hander A.J. Cole pitched well, giving up just one hit, a two-run homer to Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez....

Nats positional preview: Catcher

Nats positional preview: Catcher
With just about two weeks remaining until pitchers and catchers report, we begin our daily position-by-position breakdown of the Nationals. We lead off with catcher. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo has assembled one of best starting pitching rotations in the past few decades. The staff possesses a unique array of pitches and personalities. Manager Matt Williams and pitching coach Steve McCatty will mostly rely on Wilson Ramos to handle each of them behind the plate throughout the...

Another move to add catching depth

Another move to add catching depth
The Nationals lost one of the catchers at the high levels of their minor league system earlier this offseason when they released Jhonatan Solano, who was out of options entering the 2015 season. Over the last 24 hours, they've added two catchers who could help improve their organizational depth behind the plate. Yesterday morning, the Nats signed 30-year-old backstop Steven Lerud, a former third-round pick who has only 15 career plate appearances at the big league level but has 807 games of...

Leon on Orioles' radar again as they seek backup catcher

Leon on Orioles' radar again as they seek backup catcher
SAN DIEGO - On the Orioles' list of priorities at the Winter Meetings, finding another catcher ranks somewhere below outfielders and bullpen arms. Not a huge priority or a splashy move, but a perceived necessity with Matt Wieters' uncertain status for opening day. One name to keep in mind is Sandy Leon, a switch-hitter who's appeared in 34 games with the Nationals over parts of three major league seasons. The Orioles have liked Leon for a while and they've engaged in trade talks with the...

Williams on call-ups: "You have more bullets"

Williams on call-ups: "You have more bullets"
While the Nationals get set to take on the Dodgers for a three-game series in Los Angeles, Matt Williams will get used to a more crowded clubhouse. September is here, allowing for expanded rosters. To kick off the month, the Nats added six players: right-hander Aaron Barrett, left-hander Xavier Cedeno, catcher Sandy Leon, first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore, outfielder Steven Souza Jr., and right-hander Blake Treinen. "That's the beauty of having all these guys in September," Williams...

Nats add six players to active roster

Nats add six players to active roster
LOS ANGELES - The Nationals added six additional players to their roster prior to tonight's game against the Dodgers. The club is taking advantage of Major League Baseball's Sept. 1 40-man roster expansion. The Nats will add right-handers Aaron Barrett and Blake Treinen as well as left-hander Xavier Cedeno to the bullpen. Additionally, catcher Sandy Leon, first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore and outfielder Steven Souza Jr. were added to the roster. Souza was activated from a rehab...

Nats place Ramos on Paternity List, recall Leon

Nats place Ramos on Paternity List, recall Leon
The Nationals will be without catcher Wilson Ramos for the next couple of days. Ramos was placed on the Paternity List as he and his wife Yely are expecting their first child. Sandy Leon has been recalled from Triple-A Syracuse to take Ramos' spot on the roster. This is the third time Leon has been with the Nats this season. He is hitting .212 with eight doubles, two home runs and 11 RBIs in 34 games with Syracuse this season.

Ramos comes off DL, Leon optioned (with lineups)

Ramos comes off DL, Leon optioned (with lineups)
CHICAGO - As expected, catcher Wilson Ramos has been activated off the disabled list today, with catcher Sandy Leon being optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Ramos on the 25-man roster. Ramos, who missed the last 14 games with a strained right hamstring, played four games on a rehab assignment, split between Double-A Harrisburg and high Single-A Potomac. In those games, Ramos went 7-for-16 (.438) with a double, two homers and nine RBIs. In 24 games with the Nationals this season,...

Roark, Zimmerman, Stammen, Espinosa know importance of split against Braves

Roark, Zimmerman, Stammen, Espinosa know importance of split against Braves
The Nationals earned a much-needed 4-1 win over the Braves Sunday to split the series between the top two teams in the National League East. Craig Stammen got five outs in relief to help the cause and said the Nationals are too good to not be able to stay competitive with the Braves, despite their recent struggles in the series. "I think the odds were in our favor to finally win a game against them," Stammen said. "Two in a row is definitely good, we were able to split with them in a...

Roark on mound for series finale vs. Braves (plus lineups)

Roark on mound for series finale vs. Braves (plus lineups)
The Nationals are fielding the majority of their regular lineup with a chance to split their four-game series with the Braves this afternoon. The only change from yesterday is Sandy Leon starting behind the plate a day game after a night game. Right-hander Tanner Roark is on the mound looking to continue an extended run of strong pitching. The 27-year-old hasn't surrendered more than three runs since May 3 for a streak of eight straight starts with three earned runs or fewer. During that...

Williams on Gonzalez's return and Harper's progress

Williams on Gonzalez's return and Harper's progress
Before Wednesday's game, Nationals manager Matt Williams provided the reasoning behind having Sandy Leon catch left-hander Gio Gonzalez's return from the disabled list against the Houston Astros. "Just getting (Leon) in there. He's got some experience with Gio, has caught Gio. Nothing in particular," Williams said. "Just get him in against the righty." Gonzalez got to 79 pitches in his last minor league rehab start. But he has not pitched in a major league game since May 17 against the...

Gonzalez returns, Lobaton sits in Astros finale

Gonzalez returns, Lobaton sits in Astros finale
The Nationals end a two-game series against the Astros tonight, sending left-hander Gio Gonzalez to the mound in hopes of finishing off a sweep. Gonzalez was activated off the 15-day disabled list today after spending time on the shelf with left shoulder inflammation. He'll have most of the Nats' regular lineup behind him, the lone exception being his batterymate. Sandy Leon will catch Gonzalez. For the Astros CF Dexter Fowler 2B Jose Altuve RF George Springer 1B Jonathan Singleton 3B Matt...

Williams weighs in on Ramos' injury and his workout regimen

Williams weighs in on Ramos' injury and his workout regimen
Wilson Ramos will need seven to 10 days to recover from a right hamstring strain, so the Nationals have placed their oft-injured catcher on the 15-day disabled list and will suggest that he modifies his workout routine to incorporate more running in hopes of preventing future hamstring injuries. "He got an MRI this morning and officially it's a Grade 1 strain of his hamstring," manager Matt Williams told reporters this afternoon in San Francisco. "It's the opposite side of his previous...

Nats add Greg Dobbs to active roster, option Leon

Nats add Greg Dobbs to active roster, option Leon
The Nationals made a roster move to tweak their bench today, selecting the contract of infielder/outfielder Greg Dobbs from Triple-A Syracuse and optioning catcher Sandy Leon to the Chiefs. Minor league outfielder Eury Perez was recalled from Syracuse and placed on the 60-day disabled list with a left toe fracture. Dobbs will take his spot on the 40-man roster. Dobbs was signed to a minor league deal four days ago. The 35-year-old is a career .262 hitter spanning 11 seasons with the Marlins,...

Williams, Leon react to Roark's stellar outing in 4-0 win (with Harper note)

Williams, Leon react to Roark's stellar outing in 4-0 win (with Harper note)
Ian Desmond had three hits and an RBI, Jayson Werth had a two-hit ballgame, Adam LaRoche stayed hot, reaching base twice and driving in a run, and Anthony Rendon had a hit and made a couple of tremendous defensive plays. But with all due respect to those guys, Tanner Roark was the story today. Roark delivered a three-hit shutout in the Nationals' 4-0 win over the Padres, his first career big league complete game. After the win, manager Matt Williams and catcher Sandy Leon discussed Roark's...

Harper out of Nats' Saturday lineup

Harper out of Nats' Saturday lineup
Not surprisingly, outfielder Bryce Harper isn't in today's Nationals lineup against the Padres and hard-throwing right-hander Andrew Cashner. (That's Cashner, the pitcher, who is not to be confused with Cashner, the outfielder, who played left field for a batter in Thursday night's opener of the four-game series between the teams.) Harper jammed his left thumb sliding into third base on a triple in last night's 11-1 win over San Diego. X-rays taken at Nationals Park were negative, manager...

Harper on his health, Zimmermann on his outing, Leon on his first big league homer

Harper on his health, Zimmermann on his outing, Leon on his first big league homer
MIAMI - Despite being removed from the game in the seventh inning of tonight's 9-2 Nationals win, Bryce Harper says he's fine, and some minor quad tightness that he's been feeling lately won't keep him out of tomorrow's lineup. "I just fell," Harper said of the play when he dropped to the infield dirt when trying to move from second to third in the seventh inning. "Tripped on my foot. Nothing with my hamstring or my quad or anything like that. Tripped over my ankle and just ran...

Williams discusses Nats' 9-2 romp over Marlins

Williams discusses Nats' 9-2 romp over Marlins
MIAMI - The frustration that might have built up over the weekend when the Nationals got swept by the Braves melted away tonight, as the Nats pounded out 11 extra-base hits, got seven strong innings from Jordan Zimmermann and routed the Marlins 9-2. Bryce Harper went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple before being pulled from the game due to what manager Matt Williams said was some minor quad tightness, Tyler Moore had three hits, including a homer, while Danny Espinosa and Anthony Rendon...

Span, Lobaton out of Nats lineup for finale with Fish

Span, Lobaton out of Nats lineup for finale with Fish
The Nationals lineup for today's 4:05 p.m. finale of a three-game series against the Marlins has a slightly different look to it. Denard Span, who is hitting .241 through the first eight games and in a 2-for-17 slump, is taking a seat. He'll be replaced by Nate McLouth, who will lead off and play center field. Because it's a day game after a night game - and a getaway game before the Nats head to Atlanta for a weekend series - catcher Jose Lobaton isn't starting. Instead, backup Sandy Leon...