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Nationals Name Austin Voth Fifth Starter

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The Nationals have named right-hander Austin Voth the fifth starter in their rotation, manager Dave Martinez told reporters yesterday (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli). Right-hander Erick Fedde, who’d been his primary competition after Joe Ross opted out of the 2020 season, will head to the bullpen.

In many ways, this has been a long time coming for the 28-year-old Voth, who has appeared on the cusp of a bigger role with the team for several years. Back in 2016, Voth spent his age-24 season in Triple-A and racked up 157 innings with a 3.15 ERA, 7.6 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, 0.63 HR/9 and a 49.7 percent ground-ball rate. He looked MLB-ready at the time — or at least in line for a legitimate audition — but the Nats entered 2017 with a full rotation. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark were all established arms, and the aforementioned Ross had just turned in 105 MLB frames of 3.43 ERA ball. Voth headed back to Triple-A, where he struggled through an injury-plagued season.

A year later, Voth was working on rebuilding his stock in Triple-A and pitched reasonably well — but offseason signee Jeremy Hellickson was pitching better as the fifth starter at the MLB level. The 2019 season brought Voth his first extended look in the big leagues, and the righty gave the Nationals 43 1/3 innings with a 3.30 ERA, 9.1 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and 1.03 HR/9 in a quietly strong rookie effort.

Back in April, I took a look at some of the underlying numbers in that impressive eight-start run for Voth, noting that his curveball was an overwhelmingly effective pitch that featured top-of-the-scale spin rate. The hard-hit rate yielded by Voth and his opponents’ expected batting average, slugging percentage and weighted on-base average all pointed to someone who has the potential to be far more than a run-of-the-mill fifth starter.

The 27-year-old Fedde, meanwhile, will look to settle in as a full-time reliever it seems. The former first-round pick has made 26 starts in the big leagues but just nine bullpen appearances. Fedde’s average fastball as a starter last year was 92.1 mph, but that jumped to 93.3 mph when he spent the month of September in the bullpen working in shorter stints. Fedde has yet to find much success above the Double-A level, but he’s also worked primarily out of the rotation, with nearly 80 percent of his professional appearances being starts. He does possess strong K/BB numbers in the minors in addition to strong ground-ball rates, so perhaps airing it out in shorter stints and narrowing his pitch selection will help him to tap into his potential.

Juan Soto Tests Positive For COVID-19

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6:37pm: The team tested Soto on multiple occasions Thursday, and the results came back negative, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post tweets. But in order to return, Soto will still need two negative lab tests 24 hours apart.

1:35pm: General manager Mike Rizzo confirmed to reporters that Soto has tested positive, though thankfully, Soto is asymptomatic (Twitter link via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). The left fielder tested negative consistently in recent weeks but was positive on his most recent test, per the GM.

1:25pm: Nationals star Juan Soto has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss tonight’s season opener against the Yankees, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (via Twitter). The team announced its roster shortly after the report, and Soto indeed is not listed with the club’s outfielders.

Soto, still just 21, missed the early portion of Summer Camp while quarantining after being exposed to someone who’d tested positive, but he was cleared to return to Nats camp a week ago today. It’s not known when the positive test occurred or whether he is symptomatic, but Soto will need a pair of negative tests before he is able to return to the Nationals’ roster.

The Nationals’ roster listed Victor Robles, Adam Eaton, Michael A. Taylor, Andrew Stevenson and Emilio Bonifacio as its five outfield options. Robles and Eaton will line up in center and right field, respectively, on the regular, so it seems that some combination of Taylor, Stevenson and Bonifacio will shoulder the bulk of the load in left field during Soto’s absence.

The obvious hope here is that Soto, one of baseball’s most exciting young stars, will remain asymptomatic and return as expeditiously as possible. But the positive test serves as a reminder that this sort of storyline will likely continue throughout the season. Players aren’t being tested daily, and we’ve already seen multiple instances of erratic and inconsistent positive/negative results that have delayed some in getting back to the field.

Ryan Zimmerman Intends To Return In 2021

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Long-time Nationals corner infielder Ryan Zimmerman weighed retirement previously but ultimately elected to return for another season in 2020. He then reversed course in light of the coronavirus pandemic, opting out of the campaign.

It was fair to wonder whether Zimmerman would simply decide to hang up his spikes, particularly since he went out with a bang in the 2019 World Series. This being 2020, that question arose in a Zoom call between the veteran ballplayer and NIAID chief Dr. Anthony Fauci, who wisely took the opportunity to turn the tables (Twitter link to video).

Zimmerman was surprisingly decisive. “I fully plan on being back,” he said. “I’ve told my family and a bunch of close friends that I can’t go out like this.”

Perhaps this unusual stretch has provided Zimmerman a unique opportunity to experience retirement without committing to it. He says he has “missed every second” of being a part of the game and remains “very disappointed not being able to play.” At the same time, Zimmerman says he still believes he made “the right decision for me and my family” by opting out of the campaign.

Nationals Select Bonifacio, Freeman, Guerra

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The Nationals have selected three veteran players to their 40-man roster in anticipation of setting an Opening Day roster, as the Talk Nats blog first reported on Twitter. Utilityman Emilio Bonifacio, lefty Sam Freeman, and righty Javy Guerra are all slated to join the 30-man active unit.

It comes as no surprise that the defending World Series champs would call upon a group of grizzled vets to help fill out the 30-man roster to open the season. Whether any of these players will stick for the long haul or carve out significant roles remains to be seen; each has struggled to hang onto a MLB roster spot of late.

Bonifacio, 35, has been around the block more than a few times, appearing with eight teams (including the Nats) over 11 MLB seasons. He hasn’t appeared in the bigs since 2017 but had a solid showing last year at Triple-A and hit well in Spring Training.

Freeman (five teams) and Guerra (six) have also bounced around quite a bit over their time in the majors. The former spent most of 2019 in the minors but was a useful contributor to the Braves in the two prior seasons. The latter threw 67 2/3 MLB innings last year, most of them in D.C., compiling a 4.66 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.

Alex Vesia, Sterling Sharp Make Marlins’ Roster

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Left-handed reliever Alex Vesia and righty Sterling Sharp have made the Marlins’ Opening Day roster, per reports from Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald and Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter links). Vesia is not on the team’s 40-man roster, so his contract will be selected before the season kicks off. The Marlins’ 40-man roster is technically full, but they have a few players who appear to be on the Covid-19 injured list, and those players won’t count against the 40-man until they’re activated. A corresponding move or moves from the club may yet come, depending on other additions Miami wishes to make.

It seems safe to say that the 24-year-old Vesia has exceeded expectations set for him when he was a 17th-round pick just two summers ago. A product of Division-II Cal State East Bay, Vesia skyrocketed across three levels last year, pitching to a combined 1.76 ERA with a ridiculous 100-to-19 K/BB ratio in 66 2/3 innings of relief. He’s a pure bullpen prospect, but Vesia has a career 1.62 ERA since being drafted.

He ranks 21st among Miami prospects, per FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen, and checks in 27th at MLB.com. Vesia’s innings in 2020 will obviously be limited, given expanded rosters and the shortened season, but he’ll get his first look at MLB opponents in the near future and could potentially be a piece of the Miami bullpen for years to come.

Sharp spent the first few years of his professional career with the division-rival Nationals, who used a 22nd-round pick on him in 2016. The Marlins plucked Sharp from the Nats with the No. 3 overall selection in last December’s Rule 5 Draft after he turned in a productive season among the rookie, Low-A and Double-A levels in 2019. Sharp totaled 58 2/3 frames of 3.53 ERA pitching and 8.0 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9. FanGraphs (No. 30) and MLB.com (28th) regard the 25-year-old Sharp as a prospect of note in the Marlins’ system, with Longenhagen writing he could turn into a back-end starter in MLB.

Henderson Alvarez Signs With Indy Ball Club

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Former MLB right-hander Henderson Alvarez is hoping that an independent league stint will get his career back on track. He is joining the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association.

Alvarez says he is finally healthy and in good form. While MLB outfits obviously weren’t convinced, the 30-year-old says he intends to re-prove himself on the field.

In 2014, Alvarez spun 187 innings of 2.65 ERA ball. But he was derailed by injury in the ensuing season and has only made three MLB appearances over the past four campaigns.

Alvarez got a look at Triple-A last year with the Nationals, but couldn’t turn the corner. He pitched to a 5.94 ERA in 53 frames, recording 6.3 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 while surrendering 15 long balls in the supercharged offensive environment.

Wil Crowe Returns From Quarantine

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  • Right-handed pitching prospect Wil Crowe is at the Nationals’ minor league training camp after being in COVID quarantine for several weeks, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports (Twitter link).  The Nats’ second-round pick in the 2017 draft, Crowe is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the fourth-best prospect in Washington’s farm system.  Crowe has a 4.03 ERA, 2.41 K/BB rate, and 7.5 K/9 over 290 minor league innings, and while reached Triple-A last season, his 6.17 ERA over 54 Triple-A innings indicates that he might yet need some more seasoning before receiving a Major League promotion.  The Nationals did include Crowe on their initial 60-man player pool at the start of Summer Camp.

Victor Robles Joins Nationals’ Summer Camp

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Nationals center fielder Víctor Robles was in camp on Saturday, per various reporters (including Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington and Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). Robles worked out yesterday and will face live pitching for the first time this afternoon.

The 23-year-old had been isolating after coming into contact with a coronavirus-afflicted teammate a few weeks back. It isn’t clear if he ever contracted the virus himself, but he’s evidently now cleared all the necessary protocols for a return.

The former top prospect is a vital piece of the Nats’ attempted title defense. He made good on his first extended run of big league action in 2019. Robles was merely serviceable at the plate (.255/.326/.419 with 17 home runs in 617 plate appearances), but he was dynamic in all other aspects. He swiped 28 bases and rated as a clear plus overall on the basepaths. More importantly, Robles immediately stepped forward as one of the sport’s most dynamic defenders. His 23 defensive runs saved led all center fielders, while Statcast credited him with 14 outs above average. That more than lived up to scouts’ longtime lofty projections on his glove.

It remains to be seen if the delay will sideline Robles early in the regular season. As manager Dave Martinez acknowledged to Zuckerman, he’s certainly well behind on live reps. No doubt, the club will be cautious not to overexert the prized youngster physically. Nevertheless, Martinez left open the possibility Robles could be on the active roster right out of the gate. Michael A. Taylor would figure to see the biggest uptick in playing time if Robles’ work is limited early on.

Nationals Release Fernando Abad, Add Yasel Antuna To Player Pool

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The Nationals announced that they have released veteran left-handed reliever Fernando Abad. The club also added infield prospect Yasel Antuna to its 60-man pool, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com tweets. Washington now has 57 players in that group.

The Nationals signed Abad to a minor league contract in December, but he didn’t participate in their Summer Camp for an undisclosed reason. It turns out that Abad tested positive for COVID-19 when he arrived at camp, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Fortunately, Abad was asymptomatic and has just finished his 14-day quarantine.

The 34-year-old Abad last appeared in the majors a season ago, when he threw 13 innings of 4.15 ERA ball and notched 6.23 K/9 and 2.08 BB/9 as a member of the Giants. He was far better at the Triple-A level, where he posted a 3.07 ERA and logged a tremendous strikeout-walk ratio (10.0 K/9, 0.8 BB/9) in 44 frames.

While Abad hasn’t pitched much in the majors over the past couple seasons (he didn’t at all in 2018), he has been successful with a few teams – including the Nationals in 2013. He’s the owner of a lifetime 3.67 ERA with 7.62 K/9 and 3.16 BB/9 across 330 2/3 innings.

Antuna, now 20 years old, left the Dominican Republic in 2016 to sign with the Nationals for a hefty bonus of $3.9MM. He has since split his time between rookie and Single-A ball. Although he missed all but three games last year because of Tommy John surgery and lower body injuries, Antuna’s still regarded as one of the Nationals’ most promising prospects. Baseball America (No. 9), FanGraphs (12) and MLB.com (12) each place him near the top of Washington’s system.

Nationals To Play Home Games In D.C.

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JULY 17: The club has confirmed that it will play its home games at Nationals Park, Dougherty tweets. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Nationals reached a deal with the government. The agreement says players who are exposed to COVID-19 but test negative and are cleared to return will have to quarantine at their residences for 14 days when they’re away from the ballpark. However, they’ll be allowed to play as long as they follow MLB protocols. Those players will also be permitted to play on the road, but they’ll have to stay in their hotel rooms when they’re not at the park.

JULY 16: The reigning World Series champion Nationals are scheduled to start their title defense at home against the Yankees next Thursday, but it’s possible the teams’ series will take part outside of Washington, D.C. Because of coronavirus concerns, the Nationals are exploring alternate sites for the beginning of the season, Jesse Dougherty and Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post report.

According to the health protocols in Washington, any player, coach or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 would have to quarantine for two weeks. D.C. is not willing to make an exception to the quarantine policy for the Nationals, so the club has begun seeking contingency plans. The Nats’ Single-A stadium in Fredericksburg, Va., as well as their spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., are possibilities, according to Dougherty. Virginia would be the more likely venue, Dougherty suggests.

The coronavirus has had a major impact on the Nationals in recent weeks. Even before this news came about, the club had issues with receiving COVID testing results in a timely manner, and three of their players – Ryan Zimmerman, Joe Ross and Welington Castillo – opted out of the season over health concerns. The problems the Nationals have faced further illustrate how difficult it will be for MLB to pull off a season, even a 60-game version.

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