Going Deep with The Nats

Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats

The Washington Nationals are back home and further behind than before they headed on their road trip through Arizona and Chicago. The team is at 17-23 and their competitor they are facing this weekend stands at 17-26. Baseball has not been kind on the east coast south of New York City except for those two teams playing in the Tampa area.

Manager Dave Martinez announced last night that Stephen Strasburg will be activated today and will start today’s game. The team will have to make a corresponding move to add Strasburg to the active roster. With both Paolo Espino and Kyle McGowin temporarily on the roster due to the COVID-IL moves for Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey, the Nats could just send either Espino or McGowin back to Triple-A.  Continue reading →

Photo by Craig Nedrow for TalkNats

Three years ago, Juan Soto stepped onto the big stage for his MLB debut in his Washington Nationals uniform at 19 years of age . It was more than most of us expected, and now he is a bona fide superstar. The only thing standing in the way of Soto and sustained greatness is his health. Last night he smashed his first home run in a dozen days, but he has only hit two home runs in the past 40 days, mostly because of his health and getting his timing back.  Continue reading →

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

Starting lineups were released about thirty minutes before first pitch due to a positive COVID test in the pitching ranks. Both Erick Fedde and Tanner Rainey were placed on the COVID IL list. One of them tested positive, and one was identified as being in close contact. The player who tested positive feels fine according to Nats’ manager Dave Martinez who said the player was vaccinated; however the other player was not vaccinated. The team called up both Kyle McGowin and Paolo Espino from the taxi squad. Continue reading →

Photo by Andrew Lang for TalkNats

In the pre-game, Kyle Schwarber had his Twix bar, and Patrick Corbin was reinstated from the paternity list with Paolo Espino optioned back to Triple-A. You’re all caught up on the pre-game news unless you want to hear about Stephen Strasburg‘s bullpen side session. Continue reading →

Photo by the Washington Nationals

When you’re playing against Jon Lester, you probably don’t like him. His teammates love him. He has three World Series rings, and he wants more. The Cubs were willing to let him go once his contract ran its course after six years. It cost the Cubs $10 million to part ways with him as they bought out the remaining option on his deal. The Washington Nationals pounced on him in what could be one of the best signings of 2021.

His value to that Cubs’ franchise changed baseball history in 2016 and years of bad luck. His 1-0 gem to start the 2016 NLDS against the San Francisco Giants changed the course of history. The Giants had that “even year” thing going with three World Series wins in 2010, 2012, and 2014. If Lester did not dominate that game one of the 2016 NLDS, the Cubs might have lost in that series and that World Series could have had another name on the rings.  Continue reading →

Erick Fedde; Photo by Marlene Koenig for TalkNats

The Washington Nationals have a series to win today against a team they should be dominating. This getaway game has Erick Fedde starting for the Nats on the same day that Stephen Strasburg had a tune-up rehab start for the Rochester Red Wings Triple-A team, and he threw a 4 1/3 inning shutout with six strikeouts on 75 pitches. Fedde has to show that he deserves to stay in the starting rotation as general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez have a decision to make.  Continue reading →