#nationals

#nationals

Not often does a 32-year-old designated hitter become one of the most sought-after players in free agency, but Kyle Schwarber isn't your typical 32-year-old. Coming off a career year with the Phillies, he hit 56 home runs, drove in 132 runs and started all 162 games. He also posted a personal best 4.9 fWAR while serving as Philadelphia's full-time DH. A three-time All-Star, World Series champion and Silver Slugger, Schwarber has built one of the most impressive résumés in the league.

Throughout Abrams' career, defensive metrics have graded him poorly. Outs Above Average, a Statcast-based statistic that accounts for the cumulative value a player is credited or debited for, has graded Abrams poorly for every season of his career. This past season, Abrams' OAA at shortstop was in the second percentile. During his four years in the big leagues, he has never posted an OAA mark above the third percentile.

He has now started 11 games since July, and he has been consistently performing above expectation. Lord has only had 3 of those games mark 4+ earned runs, and 5 games of 3+ earned runs. Though recording zero shutouts, Lord did have four starts of 1 earned run, or less. He also went 5+ innings in seven of his eleven starts in that time. These are all great, consistent numbers.

Senga cruised through two scoreless frames before unraveling in the third, when a walk and catcher's interference opened the door for Washington to plate two runs. The right-hander was tagged for extra-base hits in the fourth and a Josh Bell home run in the fifth, finishing with five runs allowed (four earned) over five-plus innings. His ERA ticked up to 2.58 as his struggles since returning from the injured list continued.

Good news, Dylan Crews is officially returning from the 60-day IL today. But it comes with bad news, as it will likely result in a demotion for a fellow young outfielder like Daylen Lile or Robert Hassell III.

Rookie Troy Melton allowed one hit in five innings, striking out six batters. Melton has allowed only one run in four appearances since his debut.

"We're looking for guys with stuff, you know, guys that have performed well... a combination of both is really where our focus was. We feel like we got several guys that have that. Eriq Swan, a really big guy with big stuff, strikes a lot of guys out, has velocity, can spin the ball..."

Francisco Mejia signed a minor league contract with the Nationals and was assigned to Triple-A Rochester, coming off a stint in the Mexican League where he excelled. Mejia's earlier high expectations faded after several disappointing seasons. Despite challenges, he displayed strong performance in Mexico, highlighting potential resurgence opportunities.

"In response to ongoing challenges with injuries in their outfield, the Nationals are set to promote Robert Hassell III, highlighting the need for depth and resilience."

Acquiring Juan Soto brings immense value, but losing him has proven to be equally impactful for teams, most notably the Nationals after their failed extension.

Nationals manager Davey Martinez expressed cautious optimism about Jarlin Susana's Grade 1 UCL sprain, considering it a 'best-case scenario' despite remaining concerns about his recovery.