MARCH 18, 2023•THEATHLETIC.COM
Josiah Gray, Kolten Wong and more $1 players to target late in mixed league draftsMichael Salfino offers up his favorite targets across the diamond when his wallet has only a few dollars left to spend in an auction draft.
Luis García - Pops second spring homerGarcia went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.
ImpactGetting the start at second base and hitting second, Garcia launched a wind-aided shot to the opposite field in the third inning off Hunter Brown. The 22-year-old infielder remains a big part of the Nationals' rebuild despite his initial struggles in the majors, and he's looked good at the plate this spring, going 11-for-37 (.297) with two doubles, two homers and a 3:5 BB:K.
MARCH 18, 2023•ROTOWIRE
MacKenzie Gore - Spring struggles continueGore gave up five runs on nine hits and two walks over four innings in Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros. He struck out three.
ImpactFacing a Houston lineup that was a mix of Opening Day starters and guys competing for bench roles, Gore's command wavered all afternoon, particularly against Jeremy Pena as the shortstop tagged him for homers in the third and fourth innings. Gore's talent is undeniable, but until the young southpaw shows some consistency he'll be a risky fantasy option. Through 14 innings this spring, he has a 9:6 K:BB and has served up three home runs.
MARCH 18, 2023•ROTOWIRE
MacKenzie Gore makes one thing clear — he is his own harshest criticNo one is harder on the Nationals' talented young starter, who showed Cy Young ability last season for the Padres but has struggled this spr...
MARCH 18, 2023•WASHINGTONPOST.COM
Spring training roundup: Nats score 8 in ninth to beat AstrosDarren Baker hit a game-tying grand slam in the ninth inning as the Washington Nationals roared back with eight runs to beat the Houston Ast...
MARCH 18, 2023•STAR-TELEGRAM.COM
José Urquidy - Hoping to stick in rotationUrquidy is hoping to remain in the Astros' rotation for the entire 2023 season, Michael Shapiro of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ImpactUrquidy pitched out of Houston's rotation for the majority of the 2022 season but was demoted to a relief role in the final days of the campaign and into the postseason. His overall numbers were plenty respectable, as he recorded a 3.94 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 164.1 frames, though the Astros boasted plenty of rotation depth at the time. If Hunter Brown proves reliable and Lance McCullers (forearm) can return to full health early in the season, Urquidy could be challenged for his role again. However, he'll be locked into the rotation to begin the new campaign.
MARCH 18, 2023•ROTOWIRE
Luis Garcia - Reworks deliveryMajor League Baseball forced Garcia to change his windup this offseason, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ImpactGarcia used a rocking motion with his arms during his windup in past seasons, but he has been forced to eliminate that as the league institutes a crackdown on deliveries that would be balks according to the letter of the rulebook. As a result, he shortened his windup and made it more compact. Garcia's results in the Cactus League have been positive to this point, as he's allowed only one earned run across five innings while maintaining a 5:1 K:BB.
MARCH 18, 2023•ROTOWIRE
