Erick Fedde Fans Nine Saturday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Erick Fedde had one of the best starts of his career Saturday, pitching five innings of one-run ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks with nine strikeouts. He allowed one run, a homer, on five hits with just one walk on 95 pitches. Arizona swung and missed 10 times. Fedde is capable of... Read More

Ryan Zimmerman Smacks First 2021 Homer

Washington Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run on Wednesday. Batting third for the first time since 2018, Zimmerman brought his early season line to .346/.370/.500. Zimmerman has played more often than expected so far this season due to Josh Bell missing time during the team's coronavirus... Read More

Joe Ross Tosses Six Shutout Innings

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Joe Ross is off to a hot start in 2021, throwing six shutout innings in his second start of the year Wednesday. He allowed just four hits and a walk with five strikeouts on 89 pitches, nine of which produced swinging strikes as Ross hit 94 mph with the sinker. Ross... Read More

Victor Robles Batting Ninth Wednesday

Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles has been moved from first to ninth in the team's batting order for Wednesday's game. Trea Turner and Juan Soto move up one spot to first and second, respectively. One spot makes no real difference in Turner and Soto's immense fantasy value, but falling eight spots is not good for... Read More

Victor Robles Adds Two More Strikeouts

Washington Nationals center fielder and current leadoff hitter Victor Robles has now struck out five times in his last two games after Tuesday's 0-for-3, bringing his season total to eight in eight games. He is 6-for-28 on the year with just one extra base hit, a triple, although he has walked four times. As long... Read More

Stephen Strasburg Blasted Tuesday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg had a bad night Tuesday, to put it mildly: four innings, eight runs (seven earned), and five walks with three homers allowed. He allowed as many home runs as he got swinging strikes in 88 pitches. Strasburg was great in his season debut and is still someone to start... Read More

Andrew Stevenson Swats Pinch-Hit Homer

Washington Nationals outfielder Andrew Stevenson, the team's fourth outfielder, hit a pinch-hit home run Monday. It was his first home run of the season and fourth of his career. Backup outfielder is the right role for Stevenson, a career .259/.335/.373 hitter in 254 plate appearances over parts of four seasons. He started some games this... Read More

Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber Enjoy Successful Debuts

Washington Nationals offseason acquisitions Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber, who made delayed debuts with the team Monday thanks to the team's coronavirus situation, both did well at the plate. Bell was 1-for-3 with two walks and Schwarber was 2-for-5 with a double as Washington won by a score of 5-2. The Nationals offense has struggled this season,... Read More

Struggles Continue For Tanner Rainey

Washington Nationals relief pitcher Tanner Rainey allowed a two-run home run to Zach McKinstry in Washington's 3-0 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday. Rainey has now allowed four runs with just one strikeout in two innings in 2021, and this coming off the heels of a poor spring. Rainey is someone who, if closer Brad... Read More

Patrick Corbin Could Start Saturday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin, who hasn't been active due to the team's coronavirus situation, was not activated Friday but has been cleared to play and is in Los Angeles for the team's weekend series at the Dodgers. He could potentially start Saturday but the team hasn't committed to it yet. In season-long leagues,... Read More

Brad Hand, Three Other Nationals Return From Injured List

Washington Nationals closer Brad Hand, catchers Yan Gomes and Alex Avila, and infielder Jordy Mercer were all reinstated from the injured list Friday. Infielder Carter Kieboom was the biggest name optioned to make room. Hand should slide right back into his closer role and be returned to lineups, although he may not pitch until Saturday.... Read More

Erick Fedde Struggles In 2021 Debut

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Erick Fedde did not make it out of the second inning in his first start of 2021 on Wednesday, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out one. The only positive was that he did not allow a home run. Fedde... Read More

Max Scherzer Gives Up Four Solo Bombs Tuesday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer allowed four home runs in his season debut against the Atlanta Braves Tuesday. Fortunately for him, they were all solo shots and the only damage he allowed. Overall, he gave up four runs on five hits in six innings for a no-decision. On the plus side, he struck out... Read More

Victor Robles Leads Off, Walks Twice Tuesday

Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles served as the team's leadoff hitter for their season opener, a 6-5 walk-off win against the Braves. He singled, walked twice, and scored twice in five plate appearances. If he puts together that kind of performance regularly, he could be the team's leadoff hitter even after presumed regulars Josh Bell... Read More

Josh Bell, Brad Hand Among Nationals Not On Roster

Washington Nationals first baseman Josh Bell and closer Brad Hand are the biggest names that do not appear on the team's roster as they are set to play their first game of the year Tuesday following a coronavirus outbreak. Nor are Kyle Schwarber or Josh Harrison, or either catcher Yan Gomes or Alex Avila. Starting... Read More

Jonathan Lucroy Signs With Nationals

The Washington Nationals signed catcher Jonathan Lucroy on Saturday night. Lucroy spent spring training with the White Sox but did not make their roster. Washington has yet to play this season thanks to a coronavirus outbreak. Perhaps this signing is a hint that either Yan Gomes or Alex Avila is one of the sidelined players,... Read More

Daniel Hudson, Tanner Rainey Struggle Through Spring

Washington Nationals relief pitchers Daniel Hudson and Tanner Rainey, both of whom are near the top of the team's bullpen depth chart, both had difficult spring trainings. Hudson allowed three home runs in 5 2/3 innings while Rainey walked four batters in 2 1/3. Tiny samples, of course, and Rainey was strong in 2020 with... Read More

Brad Hand Ready For Season

Washington Nationals closer Brad Hand told NBC Sports Washington that he is looking forward to pitching in a strong NL East this season. Hand saved 16 games for Cleveland last season while pitching to a 1.73 FIP. However, he allowed an obviously unsustainable zero home runs in 22 innings, leading to a 3.83 xFIP, his... Read More

Kyle Schwarber Wraps Up Strong Spring

Washington Nationals outfielder Kyle Schwarber ended his spring hitting .250/.390/.583, his best spring by OPS since 2018. Although it's just a spring stat line, it does represent the kind of hitter Schwarber is: He will take his walks and whack homers, but the batting average isn't great. The newly-acquired Schwarber will be Washington's everyday left... Read More

Joe Ross To Pitch Sim Game Wednesday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Joe Ross is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Wednesday, putting him on track to start the fourth game of the season, according to Jesse Dougherty. It certainly looks like Ross has won the last spot in Washington's starting rotation. After a strong first 181 2/3 career innings in 2015-16,... Read More

Carter Kieboom Optioned

Washington Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom will not be on the Opening Day roster as he was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday. Kieboom only hit .150/.227/.250 in 44 plate appearances this spring on the heels of a .181/.309/.232 line in 165 regular season PA to date. Kieboom was teetering on the ledge all spring... Read More

Paolo Espino, Luis Avilan Could Open Games

Washington Nationals pitchers Paolo Espino and Luis Avilan could be used as openers this season. Manager Davey Martinez is worried about putting too many innings on pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who only threw five innings in 2020, and potential fifth starter Joe Ross, who threw zero. It doesn't sound like Strasburg or Ross would be used... Read More

Victor Robles Bats Ninth Thursday

Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles, who has been leading off for most of the spring, hit ninth on Thursday. It was not on account of his spring performance, currently .273/.353/.591, but manager Davey Martinez seems to like the idea of using Robles as the proverbial "second leadoff hitter." This is of course bad news for... Read More

Carter Kieboom May Not Start At 3B

Washington Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom has not locked up the team's third base job this season as infielder Starlin Castro has started to take spring training reps at the position. Kieboom's struggles in his MLB career to date--a .267 wOBA and .284 xwOBA, for example--have made him a fringe player for fantasy purposes, and... Read More

Carter Kieboom Still The Likely Starting Third Baseman

Washington Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom, despite a rough spring, still looks like the team's starting third baseman. Neither Starlin Castro nor Luis Garcia have received repetitions at third base, and neither general manager Mike Rizzo nor manager Dave Martinez have indicated Kieboom's job is in jeopardy. Kieboom has hit just .160/.222/.240 this spring, but... Read More

Starlin Castro Strong In Spring Return

Washington Nationals second baseman Starlin Castro, whose 2020 season ended in August with a broken wrist, is hitting .348/.400/.609 in spring training. Castro is already penciled in as the team's starter at the keystone and performed decently well in just 63 PA last season, hitting .267/.302/.450. His .299 xwOBA was not great but that figure... Read More

Jon Lester Set To Debut Thursday

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jon Lester is lined up to make his spring debut with the team on Thursday. Lester had parathyroid surgery this offseason but Washington's plans to have him as their fourth starter this season are on track. Lester struggled mightily in 2020, with a 5.16 ERA that was right in line with... Read More

Stephen Strasburg Leaves With Minor Calf Injury

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg left his Sunday spring start with a calf injury, but said he would have continued had it been a regular season game. If the doctors aren't worried, then you shouldn't be either. This does point up Strasburg's floor, however, as someone who has only made 30 or more starts... Read More

Nationals Encouraged With Carter Kieboom

Although Washington Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom is not having a statistically impressive spring, manager Davey Martinez sees encouraging signs, writes Mark Zuckerman. "His swing looks really good," according to Martinez, "...I like some of his at-bats so far." But Zuckerman points out Kieboom's lack of walks or home runs this spring and his pedestrian... Read More

Victor Robles Walking, Stealing Bases In Early Spring

Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles is having a nice spring so far with four walks, four steals in four tries and a .250/.429/.438 triple-slash line in 21 plate appearances. Those walks and on-base percentage are key, with the Nationals hoping Robles can be their leadoff hitter in 2021. Robles' career to date (.250/.320/.407) doesn't justify... Read More