Why aren't the Nats as aggressive as they were one year ago?

Why aren't the Nats as aggressive as they were one year ago?
On Jan. 2, 2020, the Nationals signed Will Harris to a three-year deal. On Jan. 3, 2020, they signed Starlin Castro to a two-year deal. On Jan. 6, 2020, they re-signed Daniel Hudson to a two-year deal. Roughly two hours later, they signed Eric Thames to a one-year deal. That's four significant free agent moves in a four-day span, an avalanche of news that feels oh-so-quaint to revisit right now, does it not? Look, we knew this was going to be a slow-developing market, even slower than we saw...

Thames signs with Japanese club for 2021

Thames signs with Japanese club for 2021
Eric Thames went to Asia to resurrect his career once before. He'll attempt to do it again after signing with a Japanese club Wednesday following his disappointing season with the Nationals. Thames signed a one-year deal with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. He'll earn roughly $1.2 million, according to Sports Hochi. That's a bit of a fall from grace for Thames, who one year ago signed with the Nationals for a guaranteed $4 million in 2020, plus a $4 million mutual option...

Nats decline options on Eaton, Sánchez, Kendrick, Thames

Nats decline options on Eaton, Sánchez, Kendrick, Thames
The end of the World Series last night meant the start of the offseason today, and the Nationals wasted no time making the first of many consequential decisions they'll face during what should be a busy winter. The Nats declined to pick up the 2021 contract options they held on Adam Eaton and Aníbal Sánchez and declined to pick up their portions of the 2021 mutual options on Howie Kendrick and Eric Thames. All four veteran players immediately become free agents and are allowed to begin...

Thames' poor year again leaves Nats with first base questions

Thames' poor year again leaves Nats with first base questions
Our offseason player review series continues today with Eric Thames, who was among the most disappointing players on the roster this season. PLAYER REVIEW: ERIC THAMES Age on opening day 2021: 34 How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2020 MLB service time: 5 years, 63 days 2020 salary: $3 million (prorated $1,111,111) Contract status: Has $4 million mutual option (or $1 million buyout) for 2021 2020 stats: 41 G, 140 PA, 123 AB, 10 R, 25 H, 5 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 12 RBI, 1 SB, 0 CS, 14 BB, 42...

Martinez working on offseason plan to improve defense

Martinez working on offseason plan to improve defense
One factor manager Davey Martinez pointed toward that the Nationals must get better at in 2021 is their defense. The Nats scuffled to a 26-34 record and fourth place in the National League East in 2020. Martinez believes one reason for their struggles was a lack consistent quality defense the club demonstrated during their championship season. As an example, the outfield defensive analytical numbers were down from 2019. Last season, center fielder Victor Robles led the league in Outs Above...

Nationals survive trying, joyless road portion of season

Nationals survive trying, joyless road portion of season
Eric Thames, only minutes removed from dropping the throw that sent the Nationals to an agonizing, 2-1 loss to the Marlins in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader, was asked during his Zoom session with reporters how high the frustration level has become on the majors' most disappointing team of 2020. His answer, which grew more and more exasperated with each sentence, revealed a lot more than that. "It's very frustrating living life as it is now," Thames said. "It's not just on-the-field...

Defense does in Scherzer in latest agonizing loss (updated)

Defense does in Scherzer in latest agonizing loss (updated)
If this wasn't the epitome of the Nationals' 2020 season, it's tough to imagine a sequence that could define this agonizing campaign any better. Max Scherzer on the mound, his pitch count well into triple digits. The Marlins threatening to take a late lead. Manager Davey Martinez trusting his ace to get out of the jam over anyone out of his bullpen. And then a defensive miscue costing Scherzer and his team the game. Despite thinking for a split-second he had escaped a bases-loaded jam with a...

Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (updated, Eaton scratched)

Game 44 lineups: Nats vs. Braves (updated, Eaton scratched)
The Nationals lost another lead Friday night to the Braves, but this time persevered into extra innings and won the game 8-7 at Nats Park. Michael A. Taylor's bloop single to right field in the bottom of the 12th scored Adam Eaton with the walk-off run. Taylor's winning knock was his third career walk-off hit and first since a walk-off double on May 22, 2018, against the Padres. On Thursday night, the Nats led 5-0 after two innings before succumbing 7-6. The Nats are 4-4 against the Braves...

After disastrous ninth, Nats find a way to win in 12th (updated)

After disastrous ninth, Nats find a way to win in 12th (updated)
They already played this game Thursday night. Seriously, tonight's contest on South Capitol Street felt like a perfect carbon copy of the one that preceded it, the Nationals jumping out to an early five-run lead, their starter fading in the middle innings, their bullpen asked to hang on for dear life the rest of the way. It didn't work out in the series opener against the Braves. It did work this time. But only after a ghastly blown save in the top of the ninth forced a game-winning rally in...

Thames more relaxed further down the order

Thames more relaxed further down the order
First baseman Eric Thames went 2-for-5 with three RBIs in the Nationals' 8-5 comeback win over the division rival Braves on Tuesday night, all from the No. 8 spot in the order. Along with Trea Turner and Adam Eaton, Thames was credited with a team-high three hard-hit balls on the night, according to Statcast. Thames contributed an RBI single in the second inning that got the Nats on the board. In the fifth with the bases loaded and one out, his hotshot grounder dropped out of the glove of...

Martinez on Robles' acrobatic catch in center field: "Game saver"

Martinez on Robles' acrobatic catch in center field: "Game saver"
Fresh off a four-run scoring outburst that erased a 5-2 Braves lead, the Nationals were desperate to hold the slim advantage for reliever Wander Suero in the bottom of the fifth. Leading 6-5, Suero allowed an Adam Duvall single. With two outs, the go-ahead run was at the plate in Austin Riley. The Braves third baseman got a hold of a 92 mph Suero cutter and lined it deep to center field. Victor Robles tracked the ball, which had an exit velocity of 103 mph and would have traveled 409 feet, the...

What you need to know about today's games in Baltimore

What you need to know about today's games in Baltimore
The 2020 season has already included, and will continue to include, some weird days. Today might end up ranking near the top of the list, though, from the Nationals' perspective. The Nats are scheduled to open a three-game weekend series with the Orioles at Camden Yards. But before the two teams can do that, they first need to complete the suspended game they began at Nationals Park on Sunday. With the Nationals as the home team, even though they'll be playing in Baltimore. With a roster that...

Game 11 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles

Game 11 lineups: Nats vs. Orioles
Nothing went right for the Nationals Friday night during an 11-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Orioles. They can only hope for a better result tonight in the second game of the weekend series. Most of Davey Martinez's lineup remains the same, with two exceptions: Eric Thames is back at first base, because the Nats are facing a right-hander (Thomas Eshelman), and Asdrúbal Cabrera is back at third base instead of Carter Kieboom. That lineup had better have the right approach against...

Soto makes 2020 debut tonight, Strasburg to throw sim game

Soto makes 2020 debut tonight, Strasburg to throw sim game
Nationals manager Davey Martinez said Juan Soto will return to the lineup tonight for the final game of the two-game set against the Mets. The skipper was assured that Soto was ready to go. He will play left field and bat in the cleanup spot against Mets starter Rick Porcello. "I talked to him last night," Martinez said on the pregame Zoom video call. "He did everything yesterday and he felt good. He said he is ready. He took a bunch of swings yesterday. I know he ran, he did some outfield...

Strasburg pain-free but unlikely to return before next weekend

Strasburg pain-free but unlikely to return before next weekend
Though he's throwing off a mound without pain in his right hand, Stephen Strasburg won't be rejoining the Nationals rotation in time for this week's series against the Mets. Strasburg threw 31 pitches off the bullpen mound today before his teammates participated in a simulated game at Nationals Park. Manager Davey Martinez said the right-hander's next step will be to throw a "regular" bullpen session Wednesday. "Right now, he says he feels really good," Martinez said on a Zoom call with...

Castro and Kieboom lead Nats to 6-4 win in series finale (updated)

Castro and Kieboom lead Nats to 6-4 win in series finale (updated)
The Nationals had to leave a lot of firepower on the bench in Thursday's series afternoon finale. Howie Kendrick is recovering from tightness in his upper back, Eric Thames was not in lineup because the Nats were facing a left-hander and Juan Soto is still awaiting clearance from the D.C. Department of Health to return to the field for workouts. Plus, the Nats were up against left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu, the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the National League Division Series for the Dodgers in...

Blue Jays' blasts beat Nationals' bloops and blunders (updated)

Blue Jays' blasts beat Nationals' bloops and blunders (updated)
A flurry of singles and well-struck balls should have portended a good night at the plate for the Nationals. It didn't. Ten singles and a double by the home team only produced one run, and that wasn't nearly enough to make up for the four solo homers the Blue Jays launched off Aníbal Sánchez during a 4-1 victory at Nationals Park that only served to add to the defending champs' frustration during the opening stretch of this unusual season. The four blasts off Sánchez - two by...

Blue Jays go long to rough up Sánchez (Nats fall 4-1)

Blue Jays go long to rough up Sánchez (Nats fall 4-1)
The Blue Jays used the longball to build an early lead against Nationals veteran Aníbal Sánchez in his first start of the season Monday night. Teoscar Hernández led off the game with a solo homer to give Toronto a 1-0 advantage. It was Hernández's third career leadoff home run. In the fourth inning, the Blue Jays enjoyed the longball again thanks to solo shots from Rowdy Tellez and Danny Jansen. All three roundtrippers were the first homers of the season for those Blue Jays...

Game 4 lineups: Nats vs. Blue Jays

Game 4 lineups: Nats vs. Blue Jays
As we're quickly learning, much of the morning and afternoon right now is spent dealing with serious news stories involving people's health, and then the evening arrives and we remember there's a ballgame to be played. Strange times, and I'm not sure we'll ever get used to this daily ritual. The Nationals, after dropping two of three to the Yankees in frustrating fashion, now host the Blue Jays for four games at Nationals Park. Er, sort of. They're hosting the first two games of this...

Hitters need a crash course in timing at the plate

Hitters need a crash course in timing at the plate
It was kind of understood that pitchers would be ahead of hitters during baseball's first weekend of 2020. Even though pitchers had precious little time build their arms up during a three-week summer camp, hitters had even fewer opportunities to hone their timing against live pitching. The result hasn't been surprising. Thirty-three times already, a team has been held to two or fewer runs. "I've seen so many strikeouts over the whole league. You can tell guys aren't really ready,"...