Game #101 is an aces showdown! Lots of roster moves!

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Lynn G. for TalkNats

As of now, Max Scherzer is your starter for the first scheduled game of this doubleheader. There are so many dynamics to what is going on with trade rumors, injuries, and roster moves. Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

What to expect for a potential Max Scherzer Trade

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Marc Goldstein

You must be a TalkNats Subscriber to access this content. Subscribers have access to exclusive content on the TalkNats website and can engage in discussions with other Nats fans.

Click here to become a subscriber.

First two weeks are free and then you will be billed $3.99/month. Cancel anytime. Secure payments using Stripe.

If you are already a subscriber, simply log in using the form below.

Posted in Analysis, NewsAndNotes, NLEast, PostSeason, Prospects, Roster | Tagged | Leave a comment

Game #101 is cancelled due to COVID

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

July 26, 2021; PHILADELPHIA, PA, Citizens Bank Ballpark | Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

Dugouts are small spaces. Trea Turner was put on the COVID list yesterday officially by the Washington Nationals. Good luck with contact tracing. Tonight’s game has been postponed against the Phillies. Worse than that is the contact tracing to see how far this contagious virus spread. According to reports, many others have contracted COVID.

All of this is happening on top of the numerous injuries that has claimed several starters like Stephen Strasburg who is out of the season, and short-term injuries to Kyle Schwarber, Yan Gomes, and last night Victor Robles injured his oblique.

The team was already set to take the field with just two projected starters from the start of the season with only Juan Soto and Josh Bell available.

Manager Dave Martinez told reporters last night in his postgame that there were no other players identified to be in close contact with Turner. Today three more players (unidentified) have test positive for COVID as well as 8 staff members. Martinez believes that only one of the 12 infected individuals is unvaccinated.  The Nationals will now conduct additional testing and contact tracing.

“I am very concerned,” Martinez said this afternoon. “We all took rapid tests today. We’ll follow-up, we’ll get additional results [Thursday]. Hopefully, no one else will test positive.”

“But yes, there is some concern here right now. As soon as the game got canceled, I got everybody out of here and on a bus and back to the hotel. I want to do the same thing myself.”

Of course everyone remembers that the Nationals season opened under COVID protocols as 9 players were put on the COVID IL and the entire Opening Day and series was postponed.

Friday marks the end of the trade deadline and several Nats players could be on the move.

Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

How this trade deadline and the prospects the #Nats receive in trade will shape rosters for years to come!

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

You must be a TalkNats Subscriber to access this content. Subscribers have access to exclusive content on the TalkNats website and can engage in discussions with other Nats fans.

Click here to become a subscriber.

First two weeks are free and then you will be billed $3.99/month. Cancel anytime. Secure payments using Stripe.

If you are already a subscriber, simply log in using the form below.

Posted in Analysis, Feature, MikeRizzo, Prospects | Leave a comment

The all-time not-so-good list in Washington Nationals history

Posted on July 28, 2021 by L.A. Rice

Photo by SoMDNatsFan for TalkNats

There are a few constants in my life for the not-so-good list. I have watched and followed every single Washington Nationals game since 2012. It might sound like I’m a front-runner, but I was born in 2000, so for the first five years in my life there was no team, and from 2005-2010 there was not a compelling reason for me to start rooting for my local team. Then things started to shift in the right direction, and 2012 was a beautiful year that I will remember for the rest of my life.

It all started with the signing of Jayson Werth in 2011, and ever since that record-breaking contract, the culture in Washington has been a winning one. Since 2012, we have been blessed to see the product that general manager Mike Rizzo has created, and it all came to a tee with the magical 2019 World Series run.

The 2020 “season” and the 2021 season have been rough, but I will always appreciate the winning culture that we have established in DC. We have gotten to witness the legend of Howie Kendrick, one of the best young hitters of all time in Juan Soto, Stephen Strasburg silencing the haters with a World Series MVP, and being able to witness future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer every fifth day. With that being said, in the Nationals 17 seasons in the nation’s capital, there has been a fair share of some players that were, let’s say — not too good at baseball at the MLB level, so I decided to construct a roster of the Nationals who would rank at the bottom of all time, with a player at every position with honorable mentions. Continue reading →

Posted in Feature | Leave a comment

Josh Bell and Juan Soto power the #Nats to victory with a great shutout by the bullpen; Save by Hand!

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

It was a nailbiter from start to finish for the Washington Nationals. A team that had lost 5 straight games with most of those games blown in the bullpen. After two straight games of Brad Hand getting blown-save losses, he had a hi-lev save tonight after the first batter reached on an error by Carter Kieboom which forced Hand to retire J.T. Realmuto, Bryce Harper, and Andrew McCutchen for the save in this 6-4 game. It was McCutchen last night who walked-off on Hand with a 3-run home run in a similar situation. Continue reading →

Posted in Recap | Leave a comment

Game #100 Nats were hoping to be playing the role of spoilers!

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

After another gut-punch loss last night, the Washington Nationals are now 8.5 games out of first place and in the shadows of a team being in full fire-sale mode. Do I agree that there should be a fire-sale? No, I believe you make smart choices on who you trade. This team could bounceback next year if they make some smart moves this week.

The team will start re-tooling with an eye on the future.  For the rest of the games against contenders, they will play the role of “spoiler” as they have the ability to do in this 4-game series against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies who are in second place and hoping to make the playoffs. Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Nats in Philly with Trade Deadline Looming

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Marc Goldstein

You must be a TalkNats Subscriber to access this content. Subscribers have access to exclusive content on the TalkNats website and can engage in discussions with other Nats fans.

Click here to become a subscriber.

First two weeks are free and then you will be billed $3.99/month. Cancel anytime. Secure payments using Stripe.

If you are already a subscriber, simply log in using the form below.

Posted in Analysis, DaveMartinez, DL, MikeRizzo, NewsAndNotes, NLEast, PostSeason, Prospects, Roster, Schedule, SeriesPreview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Game #99 Nats can now play the role of spoiler

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

With almost all hope of the postseason gone, the Washington Nationals are 8.0 games out of first place. The team will start re-tooling with an eye on the future. That came early this year. A bust. For the rest of the games, they will play the role of “spoiler” as they have this series against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies who are in second place and hoping to make the playoffs. Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment

Game #98 Nats wrap-up Baltimore series!

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Stephen G. "Ghost" Mears

Photo by Sol Tucker for TalkNats

The Washington Nationals had a must-win series set to dominate the last place Orioles this weekend, and the reverse happened. The Nats are done with Baltimore this season after this game goes final. The Nats swept the O’s in D.C. and this series in Baltimore has the Nats in an 0-2 hole with the salvage game today. Continue reading →

Posted in InGame | Leave a comment