Headlines

  • Mets Activate Max Scherzer, Designate Chasen Shreve For Assignment
  • Dodgers, Austin Barnes Agree To Two-Year Extension
  • Anthony DeSclafani Out For The Season
  • Juan Soto Open To Extension Discussions With Nationals
  • Nationals Exercise 2023 Options On Mike Rizzo, Dave Martinez
  • Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Josh Harrison

White Sox To Sign Josh Harrison

By Anthony Franco and Mark Polishuk | March 12, 2022 at 6:25pm CDT

The White Sox have agreed to a deal with utilityman Josh Harrison, his representatives at MSM Sports Management announced. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter links) that it’s a one-year, $5.5MM guarantee. He’ll make $4MM in 2022 and the deal also contains a 2023 club option with a $1.5MM buyout.

An 11-year MLB veteran, Harrison has remained a productive player into his mid-30s. He’s never been an elite offensive player, aside from a .315/.347/.490 showing with the 2014 Pirates that earned him some down-ballot MVP support. Yet he’s typically been a solid hitter throughout his MLB run, including over the past couple seasons. Harrison rebounded from a down two-year stretch between 2018-19 to post decent numbers since the start of the 2020 campaign.

Over the past two seasons, Harrison owns a .279/.343/.402 line across 649 plate appearances. That’s four percentage points better than league average, by measure of wRC+. Harrison doesn’t have huge power — he’s hit 11 home runs with a .123 ISO (slugging minus batting average) — but he brings excellent bat-to-ball skills to the table. He’s only punched out in 13.4% of his plate appearances over the past couple seasons, and he made contact on 82.7% of his swings last year. That’s more than six points higher than the league mark, a continuation of career-long success putting the bat on the ball.

Midway through last season, it seemed as if Harrison might even be playing his way into a multi-year contract. He saw regular action bouncing between second base, third base and left field with the Nationals and was hitting at a well above-average level (.294/.366/.434) in 359 plate appearances through late July. The A’s acquired him alongside Yan Gomes as part of Washington’s deadline teardown, but Harrison stumbled down the stretch. He hit just .254/.296/.341 in his two months in the Bay Area before reaching the open market.

That late-season downturn coupled with Harrison’s age (35 in July) combined to limit him to a one-year guarantee. He should have a decent path to playing time on a postseason contender with the South Siders, though. Chicago is presently slated to open the year with Leury García at second base after re-signing him to a surprising three-year deal in November. Given Harrison’s and García’s respective price points, the latter might remain the nominal “starter” at the keystone, but both players figure to bounce around the diamond.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Chicago White Sox Transactions Josh Harrison

72 comments

Free Agent Faceoff: Second Base Battle Royale

By Darragh McDonald | December 30, 2021 at 2:03pm CDT

For those teams looking to improve at second base, many free agent options have already gone. Marcus Semien went to the Rangers, Javier Baez to the Tigers, Eduardo Escobar to the Mets, Cesar Hernandez to the Nationals and Rougned Odor to the Orioles. Chris Taylor and Leury Garcia returned to their clubs from 2021, the Dodgers and White Sox, respectively. It seems some people in the industry believe Trevor Story should be moved to second base, but it’s unclear if Story himself agrees with that assessment. It’s also possible that another shortstop could be moved to second, such as Jose Iglesias, though he has only 21 games of second base experience in his career thus far and hasn’t matched Story’s offensive production. For teams looking to upgrade at the keystone, who’s still available to be signed after the lockout?

Josh Harrison, 34, had an awful campaign in 2019 but has been solid over the past two seasons. Over 2020 and 2021, he got into 171 games and hit .279/.343/.402. That amounts to a wRC+ of 104 and 1.8 fWAR. Of those 171 games, he played second base in 114 of them, as well as lesser time at third and shortstop, with brief stints at all three outfield spots and even one inning at first base. Statcast doesn’t like his defensive work at those tertiary positions, but he was worth 8 OAA as a second baseman in 2021.

Jed Lowrie, 38 in April, only played nine games over 2019 and 2020 due to injuries. 2021 was a solid bounceback, however, as he played 139 games, hitting .245/.318/.398, for a wRC+ of 100, exactly league average. However, almost half of those games saw Lowrie slotted in at DH or appear as a pinch hitter, as he only played second base in 71 of them, along with three innings at third.

Donovan Solano, 34, is coming off the best three years of his career. From 2019 to 2021, he played 236 games, hitting .308/.354/.435 for a wRC+ of 114. In most of those games, 172, he appeared at second base, while also seeing some limited action at third and short. Statcast pegged his defense at second base as close to average over those three seasons.

Jonathan Villar, 31 in May, has alternated hot and cold in recent years. In 2019, he hit 24 homers, stole 40 bases and slashed .274/.339/.453 for a wRC+ 107 and 3.9 fWAR. In the shortened 2020 campaign, he hit just two dingers, stole 16 bases and hit .232/.301/.292 for a wRC+ of 65 and -0.3 fWAR. He turned things around again in 2021, with 18 homers, 14 stolen bases and a line of .249/.322/.416, 105 wRC+ and 2.1 fWAR. He only played nine games at second, as the Mets largely used him at third and short. Statcast wasn’t enamored with his defense in 2021, pegging him at -3 OAA overall.

Matt Duffy, 31 in January, had a rough 2019 and couldn’t crack the big leagues in 2020. Signed by the Cubs to a minor league deal prior to the 2021 season, he was able to crack the Opening Day roster and stick with the club all season long, except for a two-month stint on the IL. He got into 97 games and hit .287/.357/.381, for a wRC+ of 102 and 1.5 fWAR. He played 56 games at third, 21 at second, five at shortstop, three in left field, two at first base and even logged one third of an inning on the mound. Statcast graded him as being -4 OAA at second base in that small sample.

Matt Carpenter, 36, had a tremendous run from 2012 to 2018, putting up a wRC+ of at least 117 for seven straight seasons. However, it’s been a straight slide downwards since then. He finished 2018 at 140 but dropped to 96, 85 and 70 over the subsequent three campaigns. His strikeout rate also gradually ticked upwards, from 23.3% in 2018 to 26.2%, 28.4% and 30.9% in the three following years. He played 34 games at second base this year and was considered around average by Statcast. There’s no questioning it’s been a rough few years, but if he could get anywhere near his previous peak, he could be an intriguing bounceback candidate.

Each of these players have warts, but none of them should command a huge financial commitment. Villar was the only one to crack MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents, being predicted to get a contract of $14MM over two years. But which one would you prefer? Have your say in the poll below.

(poll link for app users)

Share 0 Retweet 14 Send via email0

Free Agent Faceoff MLBTR Originals MLBTR Polls Donovan Solano Jed Lowrie Jonathan Villar Josh Harrison Matt Carpenter Matt Duffy

64 comments

Infield Notes: Harrison, White, Santana

By Anthony Franco | December 20, 2021 at 7:12pm CDT

Free agent utilityman Josh Harrison fielded multiple offers from teams before the institution of the lockout, tweets Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. As is to be expected given Harrison’s skillset, Nicholson-Smith suggests different clubs have indicated they’d deploy the 34-year-old in different roles depending on team need. This past season, he started games at six positions — second base, shortstop, third base and all three outfield spots, with the bulk of that work coming at second and third base.

Harrison is coming off a decent season split between the Nationals and A’s. The right-handed hitter posted a .279/.341/.400 line with eight home runs across 558 plate appearances, numbers that check in a touch above the league average by measure of wRC+. While he didn’t draw many walks or hit for much power, Harrison’s minuscule 13.4% strikeout rate enabled him to hit for a solid batting average. It’s worth noting, though, that the two-time All-Star’s production tailed off following the midseason trade that sent him to Oakland. After starting at a strong .294/.366/.434 clip across 359 plate appearances in Washington, Harrison hit only .254/.296/.341 over 199 trips to the dish in the Bay Area.

Some notes on other infield situations around the game:

  • Mariners first baseman Evan White has fully recovered from the season-ending left hip surgery he underwent in mid-July and has begun some baseball activities, writes Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. While a return to full health is an unequivocal positive, there’s still plenty of question about how productive White will be in 2022. After all, he’s already been supplanted on the depth chart by Ty France, who looks cemented as the regular first baseman following a .291/.368/.445 showing in 2021. White, who’s under contract through at least 2025 thanks to the pre-debut extension he signed in November 2019, owns only a .165/.235/.308 line across 306 career MLB plate appearances. The 25-year-old did win a Gold Glove award in 2020, but he’ll obviously need to be far more productive offensively to earn everyday playing time. Divish writes that some within the organization feel White could benefit from more time at Triple-A, and he does still have all three minor league option years remaining. He’s expected to see some outfield time in Spring Training to broaden his defensive versatility, although the bigger question figures to be his form at the plate once gameplay resumes.
  • As part of a reader mailbag, Alec Lewis of the Athletic suggests the Royals could attempt to find a taker for Carlos Santana coming out of the lockout. That’d assuredly require some creativity — including cash, taking back an undesirable contract as part of the trade, including a prospect of note, etc. — given how Santana performed in 2021. The generally reliable veteran hit only .214/.319/.342 over 659 plate appearances, easily the worst production of his career. The switch-hitter continued to avoid strikeouts (15.5%) and draw plenty of walks (13.1%), but his results on contact cratered. Santana is guaranteed $10.5MM in 2022, the final season of a two-year deal. Kansas City has first base prospect Nick Pratto on the doorstep of the majors after combining for a .265/.385/.602 line between the minors’ top two levels. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Pratto eventually starts to see playing time at Santana’s expense even if Kansas City doesn’t find a way to pull off a trade this winter.
Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Kansas City Royals Notes Seattle Mariners Carlos Santana Evan White Josh Harrison

42 comments

A’s Place James Kaprielian On 10-Day Injured List, Designate Domingo Acevedo, Jacob Wilson For Assignment

By TC Zencka | July 31, 2021 at 1:50pm CDT

The A’s made a number of roster moves today to make room for the additions of recently acquired Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison. Aramis Garcia was optioned to Triple-A, and James Kaprielian was placed on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder impingement. To make room on the 40-man roster, Domingo Acevedo and Jacob Wilson were designated for assignment, per Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links).

Kaprielian was supposed to start tomorrow’s ballgame. Daulton Jefferies will get the call-up to take his place, so another roster move will need to be made at that point, tweets Kawahara. Jefferies made his debut in a two-inning outing last season but has spent the entirety of 2021 at Triple-A thus far. He’s made 12 starts with a 5.19 ERA spanning 59 innings.

Kaprielian, meanwhile, came up and seized a rotation spot this season. He’s marked a 3.24 ERA/4.15 FIP across 72 1/3 innings with a 26.5 percent strikeout rate and 9.1 percent walk rate. The Athletics don’t expect the shoulder issue to be significant, so the hope is that he’ll be able to return to the rotation before long.

Acevedo and Wilson will now be exposed to waivers. Acevedo, 27, made three appearances with the big league club, while Wilson was just 1-for-7 in limited playing time.

More significantly, perhaps, is Garcia’s demotion, as he’s likely to remain in Triple-A for some time as Gomes takes over the backup role to Sean Murphy. Garcia came over from Texas as part of the Elvis Andrus/Khris Davis deal that also saw Oakland swap out Jonah Heim. Garcia was intended to serve as a stopgap backup, but he hit just .205/.239/.318 in 94 plate appearances.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Oakland Athletics Transactions Aramis Garcia Domingo Acevedo Jacob Wilson James Kaprielian Josh Harrison Yan Gomes

14 comments

Athletics To Acquire Yan Gomes, Josh Harrison

By Steve Adams | July 30, 2021 at 2:21pm CDT

2:21pm: Shayna Rubin of the San Jose Mercury News reports the A’s are sending three minor leaguers to the Nats: catcher Drew Millas, righty Richard Guasch and righty Seth Shuman.

1:53pm: The Athletics have agreed to a deal acquiring catcher Yan Gomes and infielder/outfielder Josh Harrison from the Nationals, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan (via Twitter). The deal is pending medical review of the involved players.

Gomes, 34, is in the second season of a two-year, $10MM contract and has gotten out to a strong start, hitting at a .271/.323/.454 clip with nine homers, 11 doubles and a triple as the primary backstop in D.C — a demonstrable uptick from the league-average .226/.307/.387 slash posted by catchers so far in 2022. He’ll pair with Sean Murphy to give the A’s a pair of backstops who are outpacing that average level of offense behind the plate. Gomes also carries a terrific defensive reputation, which is supported by strong framing numbers and a robust 36 percent caught-stealing rate on the year.

Harrison, meanwhile, gives the A’s a versatile 34-year-old bench piece who has done nothing but hit since signing in Washington. He’s playing the year on a $1MM base salary and has turned in his best offensive showing since an All-Star 2014 campaign. Overall, Harrison has turned in a .291/.363/.431 slash in 450 plate appearances in parts of two seasons with the Nats. He’s experienced at second base, third base and in the outfield corners, so he’ll give manager Bob Melvin a right-handed bat with plenty of versatility for matchup-based lineup construction.

Millas, 23, was drafted by the A’s in the seventh round out of Missouri State by the A’s back in 2019.  Baseball America labeled him a 40-grade prospect prior to the season, calling him “one of the top defensive college catchers” in his draft class.  His bat is considered more of a question mark.  Millas is hitting .255/.372/.359 in 266 High-A plate appearances this year.

Guasch, 23, has worked to a 4.67 ERA, 26.8 K%, and 11.4 BB% in 54 High-A innings this year.

More to come.

Share 0 Retweet 2 Send via email0

Newsstand Oakland Athletics Transactions Washington Nationals Josh Harrison Yan Gomes

41 comments

Red Sox Acquire Kyle Schwarber From Nationals

By Anthony Franco | July 29, 2021 at 10:22pm CDT

The Red Sox have made a significant addition to the lineup, announcing the acquisition of corner outfielder Kyle Schwarber from the Nationals. Pitching prospect Aldo Ramirez is headed back to Washington in return. To create 40-man roster space, Boston designated reliever Brandon Workman for assignment.

It’s the continuation of a rapid sell-off for the Nationals, who were straddling the line between buying and selling as recently as last week. A recent run of poor play has made their direction clear, with Washington moving a series of veterans in rapid succession. No move was bigger than the reported Max Scherzer – Trea Turner blockbuster with the Dodgers, of course. But Washington has also traded reliever Brad Hand and Schwarber today, and it seems there’s more on the horizon. Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reported this evening the Nats are also fielding offers on reliever Daniel Hudson, utilityman Josh Harrison and potentially on catcher Yan Gomes.

Schwarber is currently on the 10-day injured list on account of a right hamstring strain. It seems he’s still a couple weeks away from returning, but he was on an absolute tear before he went down. The 28-year-old won the National League Player of the Month award in June after blasting a league-best sixteen home runs. Thanks largely to that incredible run, Schwarber’s amidst the best season of his career. The left-handed hitting slugger has a .253/.340/.570 line (138 wRC+) with 25 homers across 303 plate appearances.

That level of play certainly warranted Washington’s $10MM investment in Schwarber last offseason. He’s playing the 2021 campaign on a $7MM salary, with around $2.4MM still to be paid through the end of the season. Schwarber is also guaranteed a $3MM buyout on an $11MM mutual option covering the 2022 campaign. Mutual options are rarely exercised by both parties, so the Sox are likely to view Schwarber as a rental acquisition. The midseason trade rules out any chance that Schwarber’s tagged with a qualifying offer this winter.

Schwarber has primarily been a corner outfielder over the course of his career, but it’s possible the Red Sox front office views him as a potential solution for their subpar first base situation. While he’s never played the position in the major leagues, it would be a surprise if he didn’t see some time there in Boston.

The Sox have gotten good work from Alex Verdugo and Hunter Renfroe in the corner outfield this year. Either of those players are capable of kicking over to center field in a pinch, but with top prospect Jarren Duran now in the big leagues, it seems likely there’ll be some days where Schwarber lines up at first with that trio manning the grass. Obviously, J.D. Martinez has the designated hitter spot spoken for.

However Alex Cora decides to manage his roster, there’s no question Boston’s making an offensive upgrade. The Red Sox hold a modest 1.5 game lead in the American League East over the Rays, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom and the front office continue to explore other acquisitions in the coming hours.

Neither team made mention of cash considerations, so it seems as though the Red Sox will assume the remainder of the money owed to Schwarber. That’s a rather significant development, as taking on the prorated portion of Schwarber’s $10MM luxury tax hit puts the Sox near the $210MM CBT threshold. Jason Martinez of Roster Resource estimates Boston’s current luxury number at just below $214MM. Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, however, reports the Red Sox are “scraping” the tax threshold but haven’t yet exceeded it. Speier suggests the club is exploring deals that might eventually take them over that mark, particularly as part of an ongoing effort to bolster the pitching staff.

In exchange for Schwarber, the Nationals pick up a promising young arm in the lower levels of the system. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs immediately slotted Ramirez as the #8 prospect in the organization. Over the offseason, Longenhagen wrote that the righty had a velocity spike that pushed his high-spin fastball into the low 90’s. Ramirez has a good changeup and advanced control, and he’s performed well this season. The 21-year-old has tossed 31 innings of 2.03 ERA ball in Low-A, striking out a decent 24.6% of opponents with a minuscule 6.2% walk rate.

The Schwarber acquisition ends Workman’s second stint with the Red Sox. Signed to a minor league deal after being cut loose by the Cubs, the right-hander tossed 18 innings of 3.50 ERA ball with Boston. His peripherals didn’t support that level of run prevention, though, as Workman has issued fourteen walks while striking out thirteen. It’s possible he’s traded before tomorrow afternoon’s deadline, but it seems likelier he’ll wind up on the waiver wire. If he clears waivers, Workman would have the right to elect free agency.

Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the Red Sox were acquiring Schwarber. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Ramirez’s inclusion.

Share 0 Retweet 5 Send via email0

Boston Red Sox Newsstand Transactions Washington Nationals Aldo Ramirez Brandon Workman Josh Harrison Kyle Schwarber Yan Gomes

180 comments

Nationals’ GM: Upcoming Week Of Play To Determine Trade Deadline Plans

By Anthony Franco | July 21, 2021 at 8:55am CDT

No team from the NL East has yet separated themselves from the pack. The Phillies, Braves and Nationals are all within five games of the division-leading Mets, with much of the division hovering within the realm of .500.

It’s almost certainly division title or bust for all those teams, with the top three in the NL West all ahead of the Mets in the National League playoff picture. There’s likely only one path to the postseason for each of New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Washington, but the division’s overall underwhelming play has left the door open for each.

None of that group can really afford a slump over the next couple weeks — especially not the fourth-place Nats, who sit at 45-49. Speaking with reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com and Maria Torres of the Athletic) before yesterday’s game, Washington general manager Mike Rizzo acknowledged that the team’s performance over the next week and a half will go a long way towards determining their course of action before the July 30 trade deadline.

Rizzo suggested the front office would look to add to the roster if the team plays well over the coming days. He didn’t tip his hand as to exactly what that calculus looks like or how close to the top of the division the club would need to stay in order for the Nationals to serve as buyers. Washington beat the Marlins last night and will go for a sweep of Miami this evening. After an off day tomorrow, the Nats head to Baltimore for three games before a four-game set in Philadelphia that’ll take them up to the deadline.

Under Rizzo’s watch, the Nationals traditionally haven’t been shy about making midseason upgrades when they see the opportunity. The GM didn’t specify where the club would looking to upgrade if they wound up buying, but a few places on the roster stand out as logical fits. The Nationals could use help at the back of the rotation, and the bullpen has again had its share of issues.

On the position player side, either of second or third base could be easily upgraded upon. Alcides Escobar has played well since being acquired a few weeks ago, but he hadn’t appeared in the big leagues in either of the past two seasons and hasn’t had an above-average campaign since 2014. (Escobar was also diagnosed with a right wrist contusion after being hit by a pitch in last night’s game).

Starlin Castro didn’t play especially well at third base and was placed on administrative leave last week after being accused of domestic violence. (While not a disciplinary action, administrative leave gives MLB time to investigate alleged violations of the domestic violence policy while keeping the accused player away from the team). Rizzo told reporters yesterday (including Britt Ghiroli of the Athletic) he doesn’t expect Castro to return, saying the organization “failed” in their vetting process of the player’s makeup and stating that Castro’s alleged behavior is “not something that (manager) Davey Martinez’s and Mike Rizzo’s Washington Nationals are going to have on this team.”

If things go in the other direction and the Nationals do wind up selling, no player on the roster would draw more attention than ace Max Scherzer. Rizzo said he expects Scherzer to remain in Washington beyond the trade deadline, although he stopped short of calling him untouchable. Asked if there was any scenario in which Scherzer might be made available, Rizzo replied “if we turn into definite sellers, everything would be on the table, I would think. Which I don’t foresee.”

The odds are overwhelmingly stacked against a Scherzer trade, although it’s at least a little notable that Rizzo wouldn’t completely rule that situation out. It’d seemingly take a poor week of play for the Nationals to even consider a Scherzer trade, though, and there are numerous obstacles that could stand in the way even if Washington made him available. While he’s slated to hit free agency at the end of the year, the eight-time All-Star is due $15MM in annual deferrals through the end of 2028. He also has full no-trade rights, and agent Scott Boras suggested last month Scherzer might not waive those unless given some other form of contractual inducement to do so.

It’d be more straightforward for the Nationals to move a few of their other impending free agents. Utilityman Josh Harrison and relievers Brad Hand and Daniel Hudson would all generate calls from interested clubs. Jon Lester isn’t having a great year, but he could still upgrade some teams’ fifth starter spots and would be a respected veteran addition to a clubhouse.

The opportunity is there for the team to quell any of that speculation by playing well over the next week. The division still seems winnable for any of the top four teams, and Rizzo’s track record backs up his assertion he’d be willing to supplement the roster if the club shows enough life leading up to the deadline.

Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Washington Nationals Alcides Escobar Brad Hand Daniel Hudson Jon Lester Josh Harrison Max Scherzer Starlin Castro

53 comments

Nationals Reinstate Three From COVID List; Designate Jonathan Lucroy For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | April 12, 2021 at 2:52pm CDT

The Nationals announced a series of roster moves as they continue to bring players back from the COVID-19 list.  Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber, and Josh Harrison are all back from COVID protocols and are active for today’s game.  Infielder Luis Garcia and outfielder Yadiel Hernandez were optioned to the alternate training site but will remain on the Nats’ taxi squad, while left-hander T.J. McFarland and righty Ryne Harper were sent to the alternate site.  As well, catcher Jonathan Lucroy was designated for assignment.

Jon Lester is the only player still on the COVID-related injury list, as the Nationals have just about all of their roster back following the coronavirus outbreak that forced the team to postpone its first four games of the season.  Washington hasn’t yet announced its lineup for tonight’s game with the Cardinals, but it’s probably safe to assume that at least one of Bell, Schwarber, or Harrison will be able to play, since the team would otherwise be rather shorthanded.

Lucroy was signed to a minor league deal on April 3 and he ended up appearing in five games with Washington (hitting .357/.357/.429 in 14 plate appearances).  The Nationals added Lucroy since their catching corps was also depleted by the COVID-19 outbreak, and the veteran could now potentially head elsewhere with at least a decent five-game audition under his belt for a future suitor.  As noted by MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman and other writers, Lucroy is very close to achieving 10 full years of Major League service time, and will continue to accumulate service days while designated.

[RELATED: Upcoming Changes to MLBTR Commenting Policy]

Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Transactions Washington Nationals Jonathan Lucroy Josh Bell Josh Harrison Kyle Schwarber Luis Garcia Ryne Harper T.J. McFarland Yadiel Hernandez

Comments Closed

COVID Notes: 4/11/21

By Mark Polishuk | April 11, 2021 at 8:36pm CDT

The latest on coronavirus situations around baseball…

Latest Updates

  • The Nationals are hopeful the four players who remain in COVID-19 protocols- Josh Harrison, Josh Bell, Kyle Schwarber and Jon Lester– will be cleared to rejoin the team during their upcoming series against the Cardinals, manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post). If all goes well, the three position players could see action in St. Louis. Lester, however, will need some additional time to build up arm strength at the team’s alternate training site once he clears health and safety protocols, writes Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com.

Earlier Notes

  • The Red Sox have activated J.D. Martinez from the COVID-related injury list.  Martinez was placed on the list yesterday as a precautionary measure since he was feeling some potential COVID-19 symptoms, though manager Alex Cora said the team was pretty confident Martinez had only a minor illness.  Michael Chavis was optioned to Boston’s alternate training site to make room for Martinez on the active roster.

[RELATED: Upcoming Changes to MLBTR Commenting Policy]

Share 0 Retweet 1 Send via email0

Boston Red Sox Notes Transactions Washington Nationals Coronavirus J.D. Martinez Jon Lester Josh Bell Josh Harrison Kyle Schwarber

Comments Closed

Nationals Set Opening Day Roster

By Steve Adams | April 6, 2021 at 11:31am CDT

After having their first four games postponed due to positive Covid-19 tests within the organization, the Nationals have announced their roster for today’s season opener. Four Nationals players are said to have tested positive, with several more in the organization being deemed close contacts who are also going through protocol. Tuesday’s announcement was accompanied by a dizzying series of roster moves, which included placing catchers Yan Gomes and Alex Avila; left-handers Patrick Corbin, Brad Hand and Jon Lester; infielders Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer; first baseman Josh Bell; and outfielder Kyle Schwarber on the Covid-19 related injured list. Right-hander Will Harris was also placed on the 10-day injured list after his recent procedure to address a blood clot.

In a sequence of corresponding roster moves, the Nats recalled catcher Tres Barrera; right-handers Ryne Harper and Kyle McGowin; infielders Carter Kieboom and Luis Garcia; lefty Sam Clay; and outfielder Yadiel Hernandez from their alternate training site. Washington also selected the contracts of veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy and outfielder Cody Wilson. Wilson was specifically designated as a “replacement player,” indicating that he can be removed from the 40-man roster and sent back to the minors without clearing waivers as the affected Nationals players are cleared to return to the roster.

Notably, the Nationals’ Opening Day roster includes shortstop Trea Turner — a welcome development after Turner was absent from yesterday’s workout with the team. Manager Dave Martinez tells reporters that Turner was not cleared to be on the field yesterday (Twitter link via the Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty), so it seems he cleared protocols this morning. Turner will be joined in the Opening Day infield by Ryan Zimmerman, Hernan Perez (at second) and Starlin Castro (at third). The Nats will give Andrew Stevenson the nod in left field alongside Victor Robles and Juan Soto, while Lucroy draws the start behind the plate, catching Max Scherzer.

The Nationals will make up yesterday’s postponed contest against the Braves in a doubleheader tomorrow. It’s not yet clear when they’ll make up their three postponed games against the Mets, although given that they’re division rivals, the remainder of this season’s schedule will provide ample opportunity for those games to be played.

Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Atlanta Braves New York Mets Transactions Washington Nationals Alex Avila Brad Hand Carter Kieboom Cody Wilson Jon Lester Jonathan Lucroy Jordy Mercer Josh Bell Josh Harrison Kyle McGowin Kyle Schwarber Luis Garcia Patrick Corbin Ryne Harper Sam Clay Trea Turner Tres Barrera Will Harris Yadiel Hernandez Yan Gomes

15 comments
Load More Posts
Show all

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Mets Activate Max Scherzer, Designate Chasen Shreve For Assignment

    Dodgers, Austin Barnes Agree To Two-Year Extension

    Anthony DeSclafani Out For The Season

    Juan Soto Open To Extension Discussions With Nationals

    Nationals Exercise 2023 Options On Mike Rizzo, Dave Martinez

    Mets To Activate Max Scherzer On Tuesday

    A’s Designate Adam Kolarek, Option Cristian Pache

    Blue Jays Sign Sergio Romo

    Bryce Harper To Undergo Thumb Surgery

    Royals Trade Carlos Santana To Mariners, Promote Vinnie Pasquantino

    Major League Baseball Issues 12 Suspensions For Angels – Mariners Brawl

    Cardinals Place Jack Flaherty, Harrison Bader On Injured List

    Bryce Harper Fractures Left Thumb

    Phillies Select Mark Appel

    Daniel Hudson Suffers Season-Ending ACL Injury

    Recent

    White Sox To Activate Eloy Jimenez In Coming Days

    Giants’ Curt Casali Suffers Oblique Strain

    Diamondbacks Claim Sergio Alcantara, Designate J.B. Wendelken

    Rays Claim Yu Chang, Transfer Brandon Lowe To 60-Day IL

    Mets Activate Max Scherzer, Designate Chasen Shreve For Assignment

    Reds Claim Ian Gibaut, Designate Chris Okey For Assignment

    Phillies Claim Sam Clay

    Tigers Designate Sam Howard For Assignment

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    Tigers To Select Drew Hutchison

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Trevor Story Rumors
    • Frankie Montas Rumors
    • Michael Conforto Rumors
    • Arbitration Tracker
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • MLB Player Chats
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version