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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 19h

Luis García Jr. has more than 600 games of MLB experience, and his track record at the plate and in the field is pretty well-known. But he’s still only 25. But he’s due to make about $7 million next year. What does the Nats’ new front office do?
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/s...

Still only 25, García may be at a career crossroads

PLAYER REVIEW: LUIS GARCIA JR.Age on Opening Day 2026: 25How acquired: Signed as international free agent, July 2016MLB service time: 4 years, 142 days2025 salary: $4.5 million

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 22h

10/14 – ANIBAL SANCHEZ
RHP, 2019-22
Signed 2-year, $19 million deal to be No. 4 starter in World Series rotation, going 11-8 with 3.85 ERA and carrying no-hitter into 8th inning in NLCS. Nats totals: 19-19, 4.46 ERA, 55 starts. Career totals: 116-119, 4.06 ERA, 341 starts.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 1d

After a late-May swing change, Josh Bell delivered an .845 OPS over the season's final four months. So, what does the future hold in store for the veteran slugger?
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/w...

Was Bell's in-season surge sustainable?

PLAYER REVIEW: JOSH BELLAge on Opening Day 2026: 33How acquired: Signed as free agent, January 2025MLB service time: 9 years, 53 days2025 salary: $6 million

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 1d

10/13 – ADRIAN SANCHEZ
2B/3B/SS, 2017-21
Signed out of Venezuela in 2007, infielder finally made MLB debut a decade later. Spent parts of next four seasons shuttling between D.C. and AAA, batting .262/.287/.328 with 11 2B, 16 RBI in 106 games.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 2d

First and foremost, Keibert Ruiz and the Nationals need to know if he's OK to play after his concussion scares this season. But even if he is, they'll need to have a real discussion about his future as the team's No. 1 catcher.
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/m...

Major questions linger for Ruiz after difficult season

PLAYER REVIEW: KEIBERT RUIZAge on Opening Day 2026: 27How acquired: Traded with Josiah Gray, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, July 2021MLB service time...

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 2d

10/12 – EDUARDO SALAZAR
RHP, 2024-present
Midseason waiver claim from Mariners delivered 2.96 ERA in 25 games in 2024 but struggled mightily this season, with 8.38 ERA and 2.172 WHIP in 30 games. Finished out year at Triple-A Rochester.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 3d

As ecstatic as I am that Northwestern won, I know Craig Heist is even more ecstatic that Penn State lost.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 3d

10/11 – MARC RZEPCZYNSKI
LHP, 2016
Acquired from A’s in August waiver trade for Max Schrock, veteran LOOGY delivered 1.54 ERA, 1.114 WHIP in 14 games. Made 3 appearances in NLDS and was charged with Game 5 loss after 4-pitch walk to only batter faced. Career: 14-27, 3.89 ERA.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 4d

For those no longer on Twitter, sad news to share about the one and only Craig Heist:

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 4d

Robert Hassell III made his MLB debut this season and showed some flashes of promise. But the Nationals still have to figure out how (or if) he fits into the long-term outfield plan. www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/d...

Did Hassell show enough as rookie to fit into Nats' outfield plan?

PLAYER REVIEW: ROBERT HASSELL IIIAge on Opening Day 2026: 24How acquired: Traded with James Wood, CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Jarlin Susana and Luke from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August 2022...

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 4d

10/10 – BLAKE RUTHERFORD
OF, 2023
Yankees’ 1st round pick in 2016 signed minor-league deal with Nats 7 years later and earned promotion after posting .964 OPS at AA/AAA. Played in only 16 MLB games, going 6-for-35 with 2 RBI, 1 BB, 10 SO. Spent last two years in independent ball.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 5d

Is there still room for defensive whiz Jacob Young in the Nationals’ outfield?
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/i...

Is there still a place for Young in crowded outfield?

PLAYER REVIEW: JACOB YOUNGAge on Opening Day 2026: 26How acquired: Seventh round pick, 2021 DraftMLB service time: 2 years, 37 days2025 salary: $768,700

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 5d

10/9 – KEIBERT RUIZ
C, 2021-present
Acquired with Josiah Gray, Donovan Casey and Gerardo Carrillo from Dodgers for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, has been Nats’ No. 1 catcher for 4 years. In 466 total games, has .249/.294/.370 slash line with 42 HR, 199 RBI, 20.4% CS rate.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 6d

A bunch of really good people who have worked a long time for the Nationals - two decades, in a few cases - lost their jobs today. It's an inevitable, maybe necessary, byproduct of the kind of major front-office change they made. But your heart still aches for those let go.

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Reposted by Mark Zuckerman

Bobby Blanco @bobbyblanco.bsky.social · 6d

A tale of two halves. A change in leadership. Breakout seasons from under-the-radar prospects.

Taking a look at the top storylines from the Nats' 2025 season. www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/t...

Top storylines from Nats' 2025 season

We are already 10 days into the Nationals’ offseason and it has already been busy with the introduction of Paul Toboni as the new president of baseball operations one week ago. But before we look ahea...

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 6d

Why Daylen Lile’s eye-opening rookie season may not have been a fluke.
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/p...

Peripherals suggest Lile's breakthrough was no fluke

PLAYER REVIEW: DAYLEN LILEAge on Opening Day 2026: 23How acquired: Second round pick, 2021 DraftMLB service time: 119 days2025 salary: $760,000

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 6d

10/8 – JOE ROSS
RHP, 2015-21
Acquired with Trea Turner for Steven Souza, Travis Ott in 3-team deal, was effective when healthy, going 26-28 with 4.26 ERA in 98 games (76 starts). Started Game 5 of World Series when Max Scherzer was scratched. Has since pitched for MIL/PHI.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 7d

A 3-month IL stint completely disrupted Dylan Crews’ rookie season. But what we have seen of him to date has revealed some obvious strengths and some obvious areas that need improvement.
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/a...

After injury plagued season, Crews' areas for growth are obvious

PLAYER REVIEW: DYLAN CREWSAge on Opening Day 2026: 24How acquired: First round pick, 2023 DraftMLB service time: 1 year, 35 days2025 salary: $761,800

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 7d

10/7 – EDDIE ROSARIO
OF, 2024
Veteran signed during spring training, wound up as Opening Day center fielder. Hit just .183/.226/.329 with 7 HR, 26 RBI in 67 games before getting released July 3. During 11-year mostly with MIN/ATL, hit .261/.298/.449 with 169 HR.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 8d

Kicking off our end-of-season player review series with James Wood, who proved he can play at an elite level for three months and now is tasked with proving he can do it for six months.
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/w...

Wood's next challenge: Sustain production for six months

PLAYER REVIEW: JAMES WOODAge on Opening Day 2026: 23How acquired: Traded with CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Robert Hassell III, Jarlin Susana and Luke Voit from Padres for Juan Soto and Josh Bell, August...

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 8d

10/6 – ENNY ROMERO
LHP, 2017-18
Reliever made 55 appearances (53 of them in 2017), going 2-4 with 3.90 ERA, 2 saves and 10.5 K/9. Also pitched for TB/PIT/KC during 5-year career, finishing 4-6 with 5.12 ERA.

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Reposted by Mark Zuckerman

Bobby Blanco @bobbyblanco.bsky.social · 9d

Between leaving the Red Sox and joining the Nats, Paul Toboni took his kids to Fenway as fans. He wants to build a similar fan base in D.C.

"We want to create an environment where...kids around D.C., around the greater region, are filling up the park." www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/w...

Why Toboni wants to connect with Nats fans

It was easy to see why Paul Toboni impressed the Nationals ownership group during his interview process for the team’s then-open president of baseball operations position, a job that he officially acc...

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 9d

10/5 – JOSH ROGERS
LHP, 2021-22
Originally 11th round pick by Orioles, joined Nats in Sept. 2021 and pitched well enough to return in 2022. Wound up appearing in 22 games (9 starts), going 4-4 with 4.06 ERA. In 36 MLB games with BAL/COL, finished 7-7 with 5.55 ERA.

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 10d

The time has come. Here’s how we did with our Opening Day predictions on the 2025 Nationals … 😬
www.masnsports.com/blog/entry/r...

Revisiting our 2025 Opening Day predictions

OK, it’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for. No, not the naming of the Nationals’ new president of baseball operations. Not the hiring of a new manager. And certainly not the signing of any core y...

www.masnsports.com

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Mark Zuckerman @markzuckerman.bsky.social · 10d

10/4 – JEFRY RODRIGUEZ
RHP, 2018-21
Lanky right-hander had two stints with Nats (in between trade with CLE for Yan Gomes), going 3-3 with 5.78 ERA in 28 games (9 starts). Made 10 appearances for CLE in 2019, going 1-5 with 4.63 ERA.

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