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Phillies Rumors: Realmuto Offer, Pitching Depth, Herrera

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The Phillies’ most recent offer to J.T. Realmuto is “believed” to be about $110MM, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Jayson Stark of The Athletic reported last Friday that the Phils had recently put forth a new five-year offer worth “slightly” more than $100MM. It’s not clear whether that’ll get the job done, as Realmuto has reportedly been intent on setting a new record for average annual value among catchers — currently held by former Twins star Joe Mauer ($23MM).

Still, the Phillies’ chances have to be considered vastly improved from where they stood early in free agency. The Mets have inked James McCann on a surprising four-year deal, while other potential Realmuto suitors have spent heavily in other areas. Toronto agreed to a six-year deal with George Springer. The Nats have made several mid-tier additions (Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber, Jon Lester). The Angels, too, have gone that route with Jose Quintana, Raisel Iglesias, Jose Iglesias and a new catcher of their own, Kurt Suzuki. Others could certainly enter the bidding, or one of those suitors could yet find room for Realmuto, but the Phillies have to be encouraged by how the market has panned out thus far.

A few more notes out of Philly…

  • The Phillies were in attendance yesterday when right-handers Julio Teheran and Anibal Sanchez threw for teams, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. Either hurler would give the Phils some needed depth at the back of the rotation, and neither would be expensive after struggling through poor 2020 seasons. President of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski yesterday suggested he’s still on the hunt for rotation depth and could find some via minor league deals with non-roster invites to Spring Training. Sanchez has revitalized his career after one non-guaranteed deal already and could be forced to do so again. Teheran, though, won’t turn 30 until next week and was a perfectly serviceable starter as recently as 2018-19. It’s at least worth noting that Dombrowski, while serving as Tigers GM, acquired Sanchez from the Marlins and re-signed him to a five-year, $80MM contract that offseason.
  • Odubel Herrera is no longer on the Phillies’ 40-man roster but remains with the organization under the five-year, $30.5MM contract he signed back in December of 2016. Herrera hasn’t played in the Majors since receiving an 85-game suspension under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy, though, and Dombrowski did little when speaking to reporters this week to indicate that Herrera has a chance of returning (link via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). “We’re still in a position where we are discussing that internally,” said Dombrowski. While he noted that Herrera has gone to counseling, Dombrowski would only state that Herrera’s status is something the club will “continue to talk through from an internal perspective.” Herrera’s contract expires at season’s end.

Pitching Rumors: Hand, Jeffress, Anibal, Teheran

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The Dodgers have been linked to free-agent lefty Brad Hand over the past week or so, but they’re more on the “periphery” of his market, writes Fansided’s Robert Murray. The Mets are still in talks with Hand and his representatives, while both the Astros and Blue Jays are also involved to varying extents. Reports that Hand was closing in on a deal with the Mets last week proved a bit premature, although it seems they’re still squarely in the mix for the former All-Star closer. As for the Dodgers, even if they’re not major players in the Hand market at the moment, Murray suggests they’d still like to add another reliever to the bullpen.

A few more notes on the free agent pitching market as it starts to percolate…

  • MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets that Jeremy Jeffress is on the radar of several clubs, including the Red Sox, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies, Nationals and Blue Jays. It’s a wide field, though the level of interest of each team surely varies. The 33-year-old Jeffress was dominant back in 2018 but hasn’t replicated that form since. He did post an aesthetically pleasing 1.54 ERA and 54.4 percent grounder rate in 23 1/3 innings with the Cubs last year, but the rest of his numbers were something of a mess. Jeffress’ 13.6 percent walk rate was his worst since establishing himself as a consistent presence in MLB bullpens, while his 19.3 percent strikeout rate was 10 percent lower than his 29.8 percent clip from that brilliant 2018 campaign. Last year also saw Jeffress post career-worsts in average fastball velocity (93.3 mph), average exit velocity (89.9 mph) and hard-hit rate (45.6 percent). If Jeffress can rediscover his ’18 form, he’d be a premium late-inning option, but last year’s ERA was propped up by a .161 average on balls in play that is miles south of his career .308 mark.
  • Anibal Sanchez and Julio Teheran will be throwing in front of scouts during a showcase today, and several teams will have personnel on hand.  The list of confirmed attendees includes the Rays (as per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times), Twins (SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson), Marlins (MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola), and Mets (the New York Post’s Mike Puma).

Pitching Notes: Castillo, Reds, Anibal, Red Sox, Cora

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Much of the Reds’ offseason has been focused around moving players (i.e. trading Raisel Iglesias, non-tendering Archie Bradley) rather than adding, and eyebrows were raised last month when it was reported that Luis Castillo’s name was coming up in trade talks.  There wasn’t any indication that those talks were serious, however, and Reds VP/general manager Nick Krall issued a firm denial on the subject to reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon).  According to Krall, speculation about a Castillo trade is “completely false. We intend to have [Castillo] as a member of our rotation for 2021.”

Castillo and the Reds recently agreed to an arbitration-avoiding $4.2MM contract for 2021, and the right-hander is still under team control through 2023 thanks to two more years of arbitration eligibility.  Between this affordability, the three years of control, and Castillo’s front-of-the-rotation ability, there isn’t really any pressing reason for Cincinnati to move Castillo.  Since the Reds seems to be focusing on cutting payroll this winter, an argument could be made that Castillo could be attached to a deal that would get a bigger contract (i.e. Mike Moustakas, Nick Castellanos) off the books, but that would seem like an awfully extreme move.  One would imagine Castillo wouldn’t be traded unless the Reds were reversing course entirely and now looking to rebuild.

More pitching notes from around the league…

  • Julio Teheran’s showcase on Tuesday will include another Mato Sports Management client, as MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link) reports that Anibal Sanchez will also be throwing for scouts.  Like Teheran, Sanchez is looking to rebound from a rough 2020 season, as Sanchez posted a 6.62 ERA over 53 innings for the Nationals last year.  The Phillies were recently linked to Sanchez, but it has been an otherwise quiet winter for news about the 36-year-old.  Considering Sanchez was still delivering solid results as recently as 2019 (for the World Series champion Nats, no less), his market could start to pick up if scouts like what they see on Tuesday.  The Red Sox will have scouts on hand to see Sanchez and Teheran, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo tweets.
  • Speaking of the Red Sox, manager Alex Cora noted that his team is still exploring more rotation additions.  “I’m going to keep saying it all the way until April 1 [Opening Day], this puzzle is not completed.  We have to be patient,” Cora said in an interview on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link).  That being said, Cora is also pleased with the current group of hurlers in Boston’s organization, saying that the Sox have more pitching depth now than they had in either the 2019 or 2020 seasons.  “Little by little, the front office did a good job during the season last year and [in] the offseason to add some quality arms, some intriguing arms,” Cora said.

Phillies Interested In Aníbal Sánchez

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The Phillies are exploring the idea of adding Aníbal Sánchez to the pitching staff, per MLB Insider Jon Morosi (video link). As Morosi notes, Sanchez began his MLB career in 2006 with the Marlins playing for current Phillies manager Joe Girardi. Sanchez also has experience dealing with President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski: Sanchez inked a five-year, $80MM deal just before Christmas in 2012 when Dombrowski was the Tigers’ GM.

Sánchez won’t be signing quite such a lucrative deal this time around as he enters his age-37 season. The Nationals chose a $2MM opt-out after he struggled to a 6.62 ERA/5.46 FIP across 53 innings in 2020. Sánchez has been counted out before, of course. After three subpar seasons in Detroit, Sanchez revitalized his career with back-to-back 2.5 fWAR seasons with the Braves in 2018 and the Nationals in 2019.

In the latter, he started with a 5.27 ERA over his first eight starts, but after a 10-day stint on the injured list for a left hamstring strain, Sánchez returned to post a 3.42 ERA over 123 2/3 innings the rest of the way. He was crucial in the Nats’ World Series run, which included coming within four outs of throwing a no-hitter in game one of the NLCS. These days, Sánchez looks to throw strikes, control pace, and change speeds, the latter of which is helped by his famed butterfly change, La Mariposa, which clocks in a tick under 70 mph.

The Phillies could slot Sánchez into the rotation behind Aaron Nola, Zack Wheeler, and Zach Eflin. Bringing in a veteran of his ilk would allow the Phillies patience in the development of Spencer Howard, who will compete for a rotation spot in 2021.

Nationals Decline 2021 Options On Four Players

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The Nationals have declined their 2021 options on right fielder Adam Eaton, right-hander Anibal Sanchez, first baseman Eric Thames and infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick, per a club announcement. Eaton’s five-year, $23.5MM deal contained club options for the 2020 season ($9.5MM) and the 2021 season ($10.5MM with a $1.5MM buyout). The Nats picked up his 2020 option last winter but will buy him out on the heels of a woeful season at the plate.

Sanchez’s two-year, $19MM deal with the Nats contained a $12MM club option with a $2MM buyout. Thames signed a one-year, $4MM deal last winter — one that came with a $4MM mutual option and a $1MM buyout. Kendrick’s $6.25MM deal with the Nats came with a $4MM salary in 2020 but a hefty $2.25MM buyout on a $6.5MM mutual option for 2021. All four players will be paid those buyouts and head back to the open market.

Eaton, 32 in December, was acquired in the blockbuster trade that sent pitching prospects Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning to the White Sox — all three of whom started games for the South Siders in 2020. Giolito has emerged as one of the game’s best young pitchers since the trade, but the others have yet to solidify themselves as consistent arms. (Dunning will surely get that chance in 2021.)

While Eaton’s time with the Nats ended with a whimper — he batted just .226/.285/.384 in 2020 — he was a key member of 2019’s World Series roster. Eaton appeared in 151 games with the Nats in that championship season, batting .279/.365/.428 with 15 homers, 25 doubles, seven triples and 15 steals. He had a quiet postseason before breaking out to go 8-for-25 with a pair of homers and four walks during the 2019 World Series.

From 2014-19, Eaton batted .289/.367/.423 with 51 homers, 133 doubles, 37 triples and 74 steals, and any club that signs him this winter will hope for a return to that level of productivity. He’s never won a Gold Glove — he very arguably should have in 2016 — but Eaton has a solid defensive reputation in right field. He’s unlikely to return to those 2016 heights that saw him log 27 Defensive Runs Saved and an 18.5 Ultimate Zone Rating in right field, but Eaton has a solid track record of above-average power, speed and glovework that should appeal to clubs at something less than the one-year, $10.5MM price point on which the Nats passed.

Sanchez, 37 in February, improbably revitalized his career for a second act when he latched on with the 2017 Braves at the end of Spring Training. Sanchez parlayed a brilliant rebound campaign with the Braves into a two-year, $19MM deal in D.C. and, like Eaton, provided considerable value to the World Champs in 2019. That season saw Sanchez rack up 166 innings of 3.85 ERA ball, and he went on to give the Nats 18 innings with a 2.50 ERA in the postseason — including a dominant, 7 2/3-inning scoreless effort against the Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLCS.

Unfortunately for Sanchez and the Nats, his 2020 season swung in the other direction. He pitched 53 innings and was tattooed for a 6.62 ERA in that time, but there’s no denying the crucial role he played in helping the Nats to their first World Series title.

Speaking of that World Series, Kendrick will go down in Nationals lore as perhaps the biggest hero of the whole season. His epic grand slam put away the Dodgers in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS, and Kendrick again played savior when he banged what looked like a perfectly located pitch from Will Harris off the right foul pole to put the Nats on top over the Astros in Game 7 of the World Series.

Kendrick battled through injuries in his return to the Nats in 2020, however, taking just 100 plate appearances and posting a solid but unremarkable .275/.320/.385 slash in that time. Kendrick isn’t certain whether he’ll play again in 2020 or retire at this point, so he’ll take some time to ponder his future.

Thames inked a one-year deal with the Nats last winter but never really found his footing. He took 140 turns at the plate but managed only a .203/.300/.317 batting line in that small sample. The former KBO star slugged 72 homers in the three prior seasons with the Brewers, and he could fit on a club looking for a lefty bat that can platoon at first base or in the outfield corners. Given the scope of his 2020 struggles, he may need to earn his way onto a roster via a minor league deal, however.

Nationals Notes: Morton, Anibal, Suzuki, Trades

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After two huge road wins over the Astros in the first two games of the World Series, the Nationals are headed back to Washington in command of the Fall Classic.  Here’s the latest on the NL champs….

  • Charlie Morton in a Nationals jersey?  It could’ve happened last winter, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Washington pursued the veteran righty, and the Nats “believe they were the runners-up” to the Rays for Morton’s services.  The Nationals made a offer similar to the Rays’ two-year, $30MM deal with Morton, though the turning point may have been Tampa’s closer proximity to Morton’s offseason home in Bradenton, Florida.  On paper, it would seem like Morton’s decision paved the way for the Nats to ink Anibal Sanchez to a two-year, $19MM deal, though Sherman writes that the Nationals considered signing both Morton and Sanchez, not to mention their blockbuster signing of Patrick Corbin earlier in the offseason.
  • Speaking of Sanchez, the idea of him starting Game 3 of the World Series would’ve seemed far-fetched two years ago, when the veteran righty’s career seemed to be on thin ice after struggling during the last three seasons of his five-year, $80MM contract with the Tigers.  Since then, however, Sanchez has gotten back on track in a major way, as MLB.com’s Mike Petriello notes that no pitcher has a lower percentage of hard-hit balls over the last two seasons than Sanchez.  Reasons for the turn-around could include Sanchez’s increased prep work between starts, or a change in pitch usage, as the veteran hurler has greatly increased the use of his cutter and mostly abandoned his slider, formerly one of his primary offerings.
  • Sanchez also cited his relationship with catcher Kurt Suzuki as a big factor in his improved performance with both the Braves and Nationals, another example of how Suzuki has himself enjoyed something of a late-career renaissance.  As The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) writes, Suzuki considered retiring following the 2016 season, and was hesitant about leaving his family in California to sign a one-year contract and play across the country with the Braves.  His wife convinced him to take the deal, however, and achieve Suzuki’s goal of ten full seasons of MLB service.  That clock is now running at well over 12 seasons and counting, as Suzuki has enjoyed three of his best seasons at the plate in 2017-19, and is now perhaps closing in on his first World Series ring.
  • Finally winning a championship would be the ultimate payoff to years of aggressive moves from GM Mike Rizzo and the Nationals’ front office, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post writes.  Prospects such as Lucas Giolito, Jesus Luzardo, and Sheldon Neuse were dealt to the White Sox and Athletics in trades that brought the likes of Adam Eaton and Sean Doolittle to Washington, and the Nationals are comfortable seeing their former prospects go on to MLB stardom for other teams.  “It’s difficult to win consistently and have a good farm system because you use your prospect capital to acquire major league players. But that’s been our plan the whole time,” Rizzo said.  It helps that the Nats have been hung onto some prospects (i.e. Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, Stephen Strasburg) who have turned into major homegrown stars, while also scoring in other trades that brought other big names like Trea Turner into the organization as youngsters.

Nationals Notes: Hudson, Anibal

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The Nationals achieved a 2-0 series lead over the Cardinals in the NLCS on Saturday, with the last out of their 3-1 victory being recorded by pitcher Daniel Hudson. It also marked the culmination of a whirlwind week for the righty Hudson, who caught a fair amount of flack for missing the team’s Game 1 matchup–despite the fact that his absence was a result of the birth of his third daughter.  The modest firestorm surrounding Hudson’s prioritization of family values was, perhaps as much as anything, a reflection of how quickly social media can convert molehills into mountains in this day and age.

Hudson, at least, isn’t losing perspective on the situation, as he demonstrated to Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic (link). “I went from not having a job on March 21st to this huge national conversation on family values going into the playoffs,” Hudson explained to Ghiroli. “Life comes at you fast. Man, I don’t know how that happened and how I became the face for whatever conversation was going on.” Although it’s tempting for many to view ballplayers as mercenaries singularly focused on winning games, Hudson’s comments provide a reminder that the men of Major League Baseball are, first and foremost, men–with all of the same personal issues and considerations that the rest of us workaday humans also experience. We at MLBTR, for one, extend sincere congratulations to Hudson’s family on the birth of their new baby girl Millie. After settling for a $1.5MM guarantee from the Blue Jays last year, Hudson will hit the open market this offseason after pitching to a 2.47 ERA across 73 innings in 2019; it stands to reason that he should be able to secure a new guarantee that will leave plenty left over for diaper money.

More from the buzzing environment surrounding D.C.’s team…

  • In another Ghiroli piece, the unique career of Anibal Sanchez is appreciated in the afterglow of his dominant Game 1 NLCS showing (link). As Ghiroli points out, Sanchez has operated in familiar territory in 2019–as the often-overlooked “fourth starter” operating behind a trio of fearsome frontline aces. During his time in Detroit, Sanchez was something of an afterthought in the shadow of three guys named Verlander, Price, and Scherzer, and he’s taken a similar position in D.C. as the elder statesman of a staff featuring Stephen Strasburg, Patrick Corbin, and Max Scherzer (again). If Sanchez was feeling bashful about not receiving shine in the leadup to this postseason, he didn’t show it on Friday: in a rousing performance that saw him deploy pitches anywhere from 66 to 93 mph, Sanchez became the first pitcher in LCS history to throw at least 7 2/3 innings and not allow more than one walk and a hit. Interestingly, Ghiroli notes that the pitcher nearly retired in the winter of 2018, even going so far as to tell his agent that he would hang up his spikes if he didn’t receive a contract offer by his birthday on Feb 27–the Twins eventually came calling with just a few days to spare, and the Nationals of 2019 are thankful that the rest might end up being postseason history.

 

NLCS Injury Updates: Suzuki, Gomes, Hudson, Robles

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Kurt Suzuki has been questionable since a fastball from Walker Buehler glanced off his arm and into his forehead, prompting an early exit from game five of the NLDS. Still, Suzuki is ready to return for game two, and he’ll be behind the dish to catch Max Scherzer in St. Louis this afternoon, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. The Nationals are up 1-0 in the NLCS, but they’re not without questions heading into game two…

  • Yan Gomes started more games during the regular season than Suzuki, and he only caught Anibal Sanchez twice during the first 162, but he put together a stellar game in Suzuki’s stead last night. Not only did Gomes guide Sanchez and Sean Doolittle in their one-hit effort, but he also reached base three times and knocked in the game’s first run. The Nationals will have a decision to make on Gomes in the offseason regarding a $9MM club option. Gomes was one of the NL’s worst offensive performers for an uncomfortably large chunk of the season, but he hit his stride late in September when an injury to Suzuki forced Gomes to be an every-down bellcow. Suzuki will return at age-37 to play a part in the Nats’ 2020 catching picture, but after 70 starts this season, it’s likely the Nats will again need someone to carry the brunt of the catching burden. Gomes clocked out with a .223/.316/.389 batting line with 12 home runs, but he better controls the run game than Suzuki and had better marks as a receiver overall. The Nats will have upwards of $100MM to play with this winter, so unless they have a clear upgrade in mind, there’s a decent chance they pick up that option heading into the offseason.
  • Anibal Sanchez put his stamp on the NLCS in a big way last night, providing 7 ⅔ huge innings of one-hit ball for the Nationals. Cardinals hitters managed an average exit velocity of just 83.1 mph off of Sanchez on the night. The length provided by Sanchez was all the more crucial on a night when they were without their most integral reliever. That Daniel Hudson is a lynchpin reliever in the championship series is amazing in and of itself, but there was near panic in DC when it was announced he was to miss game one for the birth of his third child. It all worked out for the best – healthy baby girl, game one victory – and Hudson will be in St. Louis tonight to relieve his 9th-inning tag-team partner in Doolittle, who closed yesterday’s game with a four-out save. Crazy as this sounds, all but 2 of the 118 outs recorded in wins by the Nationals this postseason have come from Hudson, Doolittle, or the the Nats four-piece rotation, tweets Dougherty. 
  • Victor Robles may return to the lineup soon, per MLB.com’s Jamal Collier and Anne Rogers. He will not, however, be in the starting lineup for game two, tweets MASN’s Mark Zuckerman. Michael A. Taylor has been a surprisingly able replacement, though he did finally snap an 8-game postseason hitting streak with an 0-4 night in game one. Robles certainly provides more upside, and he’s arguably the best defensive centerfielder in baseball, but with so much of his game speed-dependent, there’s little reason to rush him back until his hamstring is healthy enough to be at full speed.

Anibal Sanchez To Return Wednesday

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The Nationals will activate right-hander Anibal Sanchez from the 10-day injured list to start against the Braves on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com was among those to report. Washington will make a corresponding move when Sanchez’s return becomes official.

Sanchez went to the IL with a hamstring strain May 17, the day after the injury forced him into a quick exit in a start against the Mets. The IL placement was the latest less-than-ideal development of the season for the 35-year-old Sanchez, who revived his career with the Braves in 2018. Sanchez’s success in Atlanta led the Nationals to hand him a two-year, $19MM guarantee in free agency.

Two months into Sanchez’s deal, the move hasn’t worked out for the slumping Nats. Sanchez has taken the ball for nine starts and pitched to a below-average 5.10 ERA/4.79 FIP in that 42 1/3-inning span. While Sanchez has struck out just under a batter per inning so far, his walk rate has offset that. Sanchez walked under three per nine last year, but he’s at 5.31 this season. Moreover, his groundball rate has plummeted from 45 percent to 31.5.

At 23-32, the Nationals may be the most disappointing team in the game, but there’s arguably enough talent on hand for the club to get back in the race. Of course, it would help for Sanchez to better resemble the pitcher he was last year upon his return. In doing so, he’d give Washington a solid complement to the all-world Max Scherzer–Stephen Strasburg–Patrick Corbin trio. The Nationals haven’t been able to find any solutions behind them this season, though Erick Fedde did just enjoy a two-start, 10-inning, one-run stretch. Like Sanchez, fellow offseason free-agent signing Jeremy Hellickson has stumbled after a bounce-back 2018. Hellickson went to the IL on May 20 with a shoulder strain.

Nationals Notes: Strasburg, Scherzer, Anibal, Ross, Knorr

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Here’s the latest from the D.C. baseball world, on a day that saw the Nationals defeat the Marlins to record their first three-game win streak of the season…

  • If the Nats can’t get back into the postseason race, Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer could potentially become trade candidates at the deadline depending on the team’s future direction, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes in a subscriber-only piece.  If the Nationals plan to reload for 2020, neither ace will be dealt, though a larger shakeup (and subsequent scaling-back of the team’s payroll) could see Strasburg or Scherzer on the block.  Both starter has a hefty salary, however, that will present obstacles to a deal.  Strasburg and Scherzer are each owed over $100MM on their contracts, both during the life of those deals and into the future, as per the Nationals’ deferral-heavy payment structure.  In Strasburg’s case, he is under contract through 2023 but can also opt out after either this season or the 2020 season, so potential trade suitors could either balk at the remaining salary, or balk at giving up a lot of prospects for a pitcher who could leave as early as this offseason.
  • Anibal Sanchez is set to throw a bullpen session tomorrow as he continues to rehab from a hamstring injury.  While Sanchez could potentially be activated to start for the Nats on Wednesday, Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com) that no decision has been made about Wednesday’s starter, and Sanchez could still make a minor league rehab start.  The veteran right-hander has gotten off to a tough start this year, posting a 5.10 ERA in his first 42 1/3 innings of 2019.
  • Joe Ross was sent down to Triple-A on Saturday, where he will be stretched out once again as a starting pitcher, Martinez told the Washington Post’s Sam Fortier and other reporters.  Injuries have limited Ross to just 285 Major League innings over four-plus seasons, and Washington deployed Ross as a reliever this season as he continues to recover from the Tommy John surgery that cost him virtually all of the 2018 campaign.  Like many in the Nats bullpen, however, Ross struggled — he posted a 9.22 ERA over 13 2/3 innings, with 12 strikeouts against eight walks.  “I think this gives him an opportunity to get comfortable, stretch him out, and hone in,” Martinez said, describing Ross’ shift back to starting pitching as a “longer term” move.
  • In his latest video update for FOX Sports (Twitter link), Ken Rosenthal reports that Triple-A manager Randy Knorr is seen by some in the Nationals organization as a natural choice to take over the big league managerial job (at least with an interim tag) if the embattled Davey Martinez is fired.  Knorr has worked in a variety of roles for the organization since 2005, including stints as the Nats’ bench coach and bullpen coach, and a manager at multiple levels of the farm system.  Rosenthal notes that Knorr’s supporters see him as a potential Brian Snitker-like figure — a longtime organization man who has managed or coached almost everyone on Washington’s roster at one time or another, so a transition from yet another managerial change could be somewhat smoother if a familiar face like Knorr took over.
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