2022 Washington Nationals: "Going somewhere, Meat?"

JimRiceHOFer

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Updated roster/moves for the 2022 Nationals:

Starting Lineup (Projected):
C - Keibert Ruiz
1B - Luke Voit
2B - Cesar Hernandez
SS - Luis Garcia
3B - Maikel Franco
LF - Lane Thomas
CF - Victor Robles
RF - Yadiel Hernandez
DH - Nelson Cruz

Bench: Tres Barrera, Ildemaro Vargas, Josh Palacios, Joey Meneses

Starters:
SP - Patrick Corbin
SP - Josiah Gray
SP - Anibel Sanchez
SP - Paolo Espino
SP - Cory Abbott

Closer - Kyle Finnegan

Bullpen - Steve Cishek, Carl Edwards Jr., Erasmo Ramirez, Andreas Machado, Victor Arano, Hunter Harvey, Jordan Weems

Coaching Staff:
Dave Martinez - Manager
Jim Hickey - Pitching Coach
Eric Young Jr. - 1st Base Coach
Gary DiSarcina - 3rd Base Coach
Tim Bogar- Bench Coach
Darnell Coles - Hitting Coach
Henry Blanco - Catching & Strategy Coach
Ricky Bones - Bullpen Coach
Pat Roessler - Assistant Hitting Coach

Minors Shuttle/Backups/DL:
P - Joe Ross (DL-60), Mason Thompson, Will Harris (DL-60), Sean Doolittle (DL-60), Seth Romero (DL-60), Cade Cavalli, Kyle McGowin, Gerardo Carrillo, Ben Braymer, Patrick Murphy, Francisco Perez, Josh Rogers, Aaron Sanchez, Joan Adon, Stephen Strasburg (DL-15), Evan Lee (DL-60), Erick Fedde (DL-15), Jackson Tetrault (DL-60), Tanner Rainey (DL-60), Sam Clay, Reed Garrett (DL-15), Tyler Clippard (DL-15), MacKenzie Gore, Jarlin Susana
OF - Carlos Tocci, Nick Banks, Donovan Casey, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, Dee Strange-Gordon
IF - Lucius Fox, Carter Keiboom (DL-60), Yasel Antuna, Jake Noll. Adrian Sanchez, Andrew Young, Richard Urena, C.J. Abrams, Trey Harris
C - Riley Adams, Wellington Castillo, Dondrei Hubbard, Israel Pineda, Taylor Gushue, Chris Herrmann, Drew Millas

Departures:
Ryne Harper - declined to offer contract
Wander Suero - declined to offer contract
Mike Ford - declined to offer contract
Alex Avila - retired
Ryan Zimmerman - retired
Jhon Romero - claimed off off waivers by Minnesota Twins
Gerardo Parra - retired
Austin Voth - claimed off Waivers by Baltimore
Dee Strange-Gordon - Waived
Ehire Adrianza - traded to Atlanta
Josh Bell - traded to Padres
Juan Soto - traded to Padres
Alcides Escobar - released

Arrivals:
Cesar Hernandez- signed as a free agent (Cle.)
Francisco Perez - clamed off waivers from Cleveland
Lucius Fox - claimed off waivers from Baltimore
Jefry Rodriguez - signed to a minor league contract
Andrew Young - selected from Arizona in the MiLB Rule 5 Draft
Dee Strange-Gordon - signed to a minor league contract
Maikel Franco - signed to a minor league contract
Rusney Castillo - signed to a minor league contract
Nelson Cruz - signed as a free agent
Sean Doolittle - signed as a free agent
Aaron Sanchez - signed to a minor league contract
Anibel Snachez - signed to a minor league contract
Erasmo Ramirez - signed to a minor league contract
Jordan Weems - signed to a minor league contract
Ehire Adrianza - signed as a free agent
Steve Cishek - signed as a free agent
Tyler Clippard - signed to a minor league contract
Hunter Harvey - claimed off waivers from San Francisco Giants.
Trey Harris - traded from Atlanta
Luke Voit - traded from San Diego
C.J. Abrams - traded from San Diego
MacKenzie Gore - traded from San Diego
Robert Hasell III - traded from San Diego
Jarlin Susana - traded from San Diego
James Wood - traded from San Diego
 
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RSN Diaspora

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Jul 29, 2005
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So hard to know what to make of the Nats post-2021 fire sale. It'll be the cult of Soto, but I have a lot of things that pique my interest about this team:

-Alcides Escobar. Surprisingly decent run at the end of the season, and really good when you consider he went from the Royals to a couple of failed attempts to make the O's and White Sox squads before decamping for the Nippon League. Does he build on last season or find himself a flight back to Tokyo?

-Andrew Stevenson. Do they think he can improve from an uninspiring 2021 after signs of promise the previous two seasons, or is this more reflective of a team that doesn't have good options?

-Carter Keiboom. A corner infielder needs a lot more in his swing. Cool name, though.

I live near Nats Park, so I anticipate going to some games this season, but it may not be much more than a few based on the current roster.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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1. Waiting to see if the Nats will bring back Zimmerman (if he wants to play again) to be backup 1B/DH (if approved).
2. Will they sign/trade for a big free agent to fill in at 3B/OF - Kris Bryant, Mike Moustakas
3. Will they add SP Pitching Depth
 
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Wingack

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In The Quivering Forest
Obviously, trading away Scherzer and Turner was tough thing to do, but it feels like Ruiz and Gray may be very good pieces for this ballclub for many years.
 

B H Kim

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Soto is under team control for three more years but it looks like they're all set to waste the first of those three years. On paper, this looks like the worst team in the NL East.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Nats take four in Triple-A Rule 5 draft, led by Young

https://www.masnsports.com/nationals-pastime/2021/12/nats-take-four-in-minor-league-rule-5-draft-led-by-young.html?fbclid=IwAR0UGuzSzbNOHeQ5BYjg7ZDQs1p0GOnrR-_ye44VN7CShhbUNVExsGpUUdw

The Nationals emerged with a second baseman with some big league experience (Andrew Young of the Diamondbacks), plus three right-handed relievers who will help fill out their minor league bullpens (Curtis Taylor of the Blue Jays, Matt Brill of the Diamondbacks and Dakody Clemmer of the Guardians).
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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$58M to Corbin / Strasburg next year. Yikes. Nats are a cautionary tale of what can happen when you make a few terrible big money free agent signings. Had Scherzer, Soto, and Turner and were still terrible and had to bust up the team.

On paper, this looks like a pretty awful team.
 
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JimRiceHOFer

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JimRiceHOFer

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JimRiceHOFer

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CarolinaBeerGuy

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Nationals Sign Rusney Castillo To Minor League Deal

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/01/nationals-sign-rusney-castillo-to-minor-league-deal.html

The Nationals signed former Red Sox outfielder and one-time top prospect Rusney Castillo to a minor league deal earlier this month. The 34-year-old Cuban defector, who spent 2021 playing for NPB’s Tohoku Rakuten Goldean Eagles, will most likely begin the season with Triple-A Rochester but could be given a chance to compete for a bench role.
Good for him. He made his money and I’m sure he’s happy about that. Still, I’ve always felt sorry for him because there was no path for him to get a legitimate long-term call up.
 

Winger 03

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I can’t understand turning that down. That’s multigenerational money. Even if he thinks he could get 500mm over the same timeframe, is it worth the risk?
There’s got to be something else in that contract
Reports here were NO deferred money - something the penny-pinching Lerner's always do. That is what drove Harper out. That is really "betting on himself".; let's see if it works out.
 

jon abbey

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He is still under contract for three years, I’m guessing if he had any other agent than Boras, he would have taken the 13/350 (around 10/280 after arb years).
 

loshjott

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Reports here were NO deferred money - something the penny-pinching Lerner's always do. That is what drove Harper out. That is really "betting on himself".; let's see if it works out.
If his age 23-25 years are the same or better than 20-22, it's a great bet on his part. Of course he can opt to sign anytime between now and free agency so it's not either-or.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Nats add Nelson Cruz to DH

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33497939/nelson-cruz-reaches-1-year-deal-washington-nationals-source-says

Free-agent slugger Nelson Cruz and the Washington Nationals have reached agreement on a one-year, $15 million deal, a source told ESPN's Enrique Rojas, confirming multiple reports.

The contract includes a mutual option for 2023; Cruz will earn $12 million in 2022 and will receive an additional $3 million if the club does not exercise the option.

The 41-year-old Cruz has 449 career home runs and becomes the first full-time DH to join a National League team since MLB's new labor deal included a universal designated hitter.

Cruz is returning for an 18th major league season. He hit .265 with 32 home runs and 86 RBIs with the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, becoming the oldest player in major league history (41) to hit 30 home runs in a season. He passed David Ortiz (38 in 2016) and Darrell Evans (34 in 1987), who were both 40 when they hit the mark.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Nationals Sign Sean Doolittle

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/03/nationals-to-sign-sean-doolittle.html

Doolittle, 35, will return for a fifth season with the Nats after splitting the 2021 season between the Reds and the Mariners. The two-time All-Star saved 75 games and pitched to a 3.03 ERA with a 28.2% strikeout rate and a 5.7% walk rate with Washington through 142 2/3 innings after coming over from the A’s at the 2017 trade deadline.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Washington Nationals reach one-year deal with Steve Cishek

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33484886/washington-nationals-reach-one-year-deal-steve-cishek-source-confirms

Cishek, a side-arm-throwing, sinkerballing reliever, spent the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Angels, making 74 appearances with a 3.42 ERA and a record of 0-2.

Cishek, 35, is 32-39 with 132 saves and a 2.85 ERA in 12 major league seasons. He has also played for the Marlins (2010-15), Cardinals (2015), Mariners (2016-17), Rays (2017), Cubs (2018-19) and White Sox (2020).
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Nationals sign Tyler Clippard To Minor League Deal

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/tyler-clippard-returns-to-nationals-on-minor-league-deal

Eight years since last wearing a curly ‘W,’ right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard is donning the uniform for the team that has stayed on his mind.

Clippard left his mark on the Nats with a durability that propelled him to 414 appearances over 464 frames from 2008-14, during which he went 34-24 with 34 saves. He holds the team records (2005-present) in games played by a pitcher and ERA with a minimum of 250 innings pitched (2.68). Clippard impressed with his go-to pitches then, and he has an expanded repertoire to show the Nationals, including a sweeping curveball and a two-seamer.
 

Petey Bienel

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Aaron Sanchez getting a spot start today. designate Patrick Murphy for assignment.

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/roster/transactions

short start by Corbin forced the Nats to burn 2 long relievers (Ramirez for 3/1 and Espino for 2). Per Jesse Daugherty, Martnez is still committed to Corbin in the rotation rather than trying to salvage something like Ian Kennedy or a long guy.
“He’s going to pitch every five days,” Martinez said, adding that Corbin left too many pitches up in the zone and may have been overthrowing his fastball. “His stuff is good. We just got to get him to understand what he needs to do with it.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/04/22/nationals-giants-corbin/
 
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JimRiceHOFer

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Gerardo Parra Retires, Joins Nats Front Office

https://www.mlb.com/news/gerardo-parra-nationals-fan-favorite-announces-retirement

Parra, who is perhaps best known for his role in Washington’s 2019 World Series championship and for bringing “Baby Shark” to Nationals Park, announced his retirement from baseball on Monday in an Instagram post. He spent 12 years in the Major Leagues and one season (2020) in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league.

Parra also officially announced that he will remain in Washington’s organization as special assistant to the GM, a role that manager Dave Martinez explained will enable Parra to bring his veteran wisdom to the club’s Minor Leaguers -- much as he did for Victor Robles and Juan Soto during that 2019 championship season -- as the Nationals continue their rebuild.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Nats GM: 'We are not trading Juan Soto'

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-don-t-plan-to-trade-juan-soto

Two months before the Trade Deadline on Aug. 2, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo put one hot topic of buzz to rest.
“We are not trading Juan Soto,” Rizzo said Wednesday on 106.7 The Fan’s The Sports Junkies program. “We made it clear to his agent and to the player.”
Soto does not become a free agent until after the 2024 season, but the 23-year-old’s future has been a heavily discussed question mark since he quickly skyrocketed into one of the most dominant players in baseball.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Strasburg is BACK, Adrianza off the IL, Fox sent down...

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-injuries-and-roster-moves

RHP Stephen Strasburg cleared for season debut
Strasburg (thoracic outlet recovery) is scheduled to make his 2022 season debut on Thursday in Miami against the Marlins. His last big league appearance came more than a year ago on June 1, 2021. Strasburg, who has been limited by injuries to 26 2/3 innings since being named World Series MVP in 2019, threw a trio of Minor League starts before being given the green light to return.

UTIL Ehire Adrianza returns from 60-day IL; IF Lucius Fox optioned
Veteran super-utility player Adrianza (left quad strain) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday following a Minor League rehab assignment. He rejoined the team at loanDepot Park for the first time since Spring Training, when he exited a March 31 game.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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JimRiceHOFer

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Ehire Adrianza traded to Braves, Nats add Ildemaro Vargas to MLB Roster

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/08/nationals-select-ildemaro-vargas.html

Vargas, 31, began the season with the Cubs on a minor league deal. He hit .279/.321/.413 over 25 Triple-A games and was selected to the big league club in May. Playing second base and shortstop, he got into 10 games with the Cubbies but hit just .130/.231/.348 in that time before getting designated for assignment.
After clearing waivers and electing free agency, he landed with the Nats on a minor league deal. In 48 Triple-A games in the Nats’ org, he hit .224/.301/.322.
Vargas is capable of playing all over the diamond and should provide the Nats with some versatility. In his career in the majors and minors, he’s played all of the positions on the diamond except for pitcher and catcher.
 

jose melendez

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Three years later, here's what remains of the 2019 Nats World Series roster
Strassburg
Corbin
Robles
Erik Fedde
Joe Ross
Sean Doolittle (back again)
Tanner Rainey

Fedde, Robles, and Rainey are the only people who have been even close to contributors.

In this light, the Soto sale almost makes sense. They were really poised to be bad for a long time.
 

JimRiceHOFer

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Nats trade Soto and Bell to the Padres for 6 players

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/08/report-padres-on-the-verge-of-acquiring-juan-soto.html

The Padres and Nationals are in agreement on a deal that sends Soto and first baseman Josh Bell to San Diego.

San Diego will send back rookie shortstop C.J. Abrams, top outfield prospect Robert Hassell III, right-hander Jarlin Susana, top outfield prospect James Wood, left-hander MacKenzie Gore, and 1B Luke Voit.