Not quite 'Your 2021 Washington Nationals!' finally playing
The Washington Nationals finally got their season started five days later than they were supposed to after a delay because of a coronavirus outbreakAPRIL 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nationals place 10 on IL ahead of season opener vs. Braves Alex Avila, Josh Bell, Patrick Corbin, Yan Gomes, Brad Hand, Josh Harrison, Jon Lester, Jordy Mercer and Kyle Schwarber were all placed on t...
APRIL 6, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM
COVID-hit Nats make many moves before 1st game of season
Starting pitchers Jon Lester and Patrick Corbin, closer Brad Hand and four position players expected in the lineup have been put on the 10-day injured list by the Washington Nation...APRIL 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Opens year on COVID IL The Nationals placed Hand on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.
Impact Hand is one of nine Nationals players on the 40-man roster who will begin the campaign on the IL as a result of the team's recent COVID-19 outbreak. Prior reports have suggested that only four of the players in question have been confirmed to have tested positive for the virus, but it's uncertain whether Hand is one of the infected players or if he was merely a close contact. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, players that tested positive will be eligible to return after 10 days in quarantine, while those ruled out through contact tracing can return after a week. Daniel Hudson and Tanner Rainey look to be the top candidates for saves while Hand is sidelined.
APRIL 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Doesn't work out Monday Hand was not on the field for the Nationals' workout Monday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Impact Eleven players in total are reported to be in quarantine for the Nats due to positive COVID-19 tests or being designated as close contacts, and Hand's absence from the workout suggests he's probably in one of those groups. If he's in the latter group, he could still be cleared to play in time for Tuesday's game against Atlanta, but Daniel Hudson or Tanner Rainey would be the most likely candidates to handle a save chance if Hand is unavailable.
APRIL 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Closing time: Indians to use closer-by-committee approach
The Indians will open the season without a definitive closerMARCH 31, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Velocity creeping up Hand topped out at 93 mph with his fastball over the weekend, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports. "I think by the end of spring training, the adrenaline will start pumping a litt...
Impact Declining velocity was a concern for Hand last season and may have played into Cleveland's decision to part ways with him, as he averaged 91.5 mph with his fastball in 2020 -- over two miles per hour slower than in 2018. The southpaw still got excellent results though, going 16-for-16 on save chances and posting career lows in ERA (2.05) and WHIP (0.77). With Hand not showing any signs of further decline this spring, there seems to be little danger of him losing his grip on the closer role for Washington.
MARCH 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Yanks star Stanton off to strong start after smashing finish
Giancarlo Stanton is picking up where he ended the postseason last yearMARCH 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nats reliever Harris out with blood clot in pitching arm
Washington Nationals reliever Will Harris has a blood clot in his right arm and the team doesn’t expect him to be in the bullpen on opening dayMARCH 20, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nationals pitcher Will Harris has blood clot in throwing arm
Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez says right-handed reliever Will Harris has a blood clot in his throwing arm and is leaving spring training camp to be examined by a speci...MARCH 19, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Soto, Turner, healthy rotation key for champ-to-chump Nats
Juan Soto and Trea Turner are expected to lead the lineup again for the Washington Nationals as they try to get back to winning baseball after tying for last place in the NL EastMARCH 17, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Here are Cleveland's 2021 Top 30 prospects The Indians keep jettisoning mainstays, reducing payroll and winning. Since July 2019, they've traded Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, Mike Clevi...
MARCH 10, 2021 • MLB.COM
Nats release Jeffress for unspecified 'personnel reasons'
Reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been released by the Washington Nationals for what general manager Mike Rizzo called unspecified “personnel reasons.”MARCH 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ohtani fans 5 in return to mound; Harper HR on 1st swing
Shohei Ohtani figured he’d be careful in his return to the mound after two injury-spoiled seasonsMARCH 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Looks good in BP session Hand threw 25 pitches in a batting practice session Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. "He threw the ball really, really well. So he's getting close to getting in a game...
Impact The southpaw was signed in the offseason to shore up the back of the Nationals' bullpen after being cut loose by Cleveland in October. Hand has recorded 103 saves over the last four seasons, and while Martinez has been seemingly reluctant so far to definitively state that the 30-year-old is his closer, there's currently no reason to think Hand has any serious competition for the role.
MARCH 3, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Closer job not locked in? Hand appears to be the Nationals closer but may not be fully locked into the job, with manager Dave Martinez merely saying Friday, "In a perfect world, he'll be our closer," Matt W...
Impact It's possible all that it takes to qualify as a "perfect world" in Martinez's mind is that Hand remains healthy this spring, something that shouldn't be too difficult given that he hasn't hit the injured list since 2014. If that's all he meant, there's little reason to worry here, but it's nevertheless strange to see Hand given less than a full endorsement. He sure looks like the closer, as he's saved 103 games over the last four years while posting a 2.61 ERA, so there's probably not much reason to worry here unless the Nationals continue to refer to him in somewhat ambiguous terms.
FEBRUARY 26, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Strasburg in 'preparation mode' as Nationals start workouts
Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says Stephen Strasburg is in “preparation mode, not in rehabilitation mode” as official spring training workouts get started for the...FEBRUARY 18, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
NL East teams at the start of spring training
A team-by-team look at the National League East entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catcher...FEBRUARY 11, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Indians sign reliever Bryan Shaw to minor league deal
With some spots to fill in their bullpen, the Cleveland Indians signed durable reliever Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract and invited him to big league spring trainingFEBRUARY 4, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lefty Jon Lester finalizes $5M, 1-year deal with Nationals
Left-handed starter Jon Lester and the Washington Nationals have finalized a $5 million, one-year contractJANUARY 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Working on sinker Hand has spent a good part of the offseason working on his sinker, and trying to improve his velocity with both it and his four-seam fastball, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Pos...
Impact Hand's average fastball velocity has dropped two mph over the last two seasons, forcing him to dedicate this offseason to regaining some of that velocity. His results have still been excellent despite the velocity drop, but he's been working with less of a margin for error than he'd like.
JANUARY 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Lester, Kluber, Hand boost free agent total to 175 Jon Lester, Corey Kluber and Brad Hand were among 15 more major leaguers who became free agents when teams declined...
OCTOBER 31, 2020 • USATODAY.COM
Friday's Sports in Brief
OCTOBER 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lester, Kluber, Hand boost free agent total to 175 Jon Lester, Corey Kluber and Brad Hand were among 15 more major leaguers who became free agents Friday when teams declined their 2021 option...
OCTOBER 31, 2020 • STARTRIBUNE.COM
Lester, Kluber, Hand boost free agent total to 175
Jon Lester, Corey Kluber and Brad Hand were among 15 more major leaguers who became free agents when teams declined their 2021 options, many victims of budget cuts following a seas...OCTOBER 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
