Latest news with #WashingtonNationals
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
The Nats need a president of baseball operations. Here are some options.
The Washington Nationals enter the second half of the MLB season with an interim general manager and an interim manager, not to mention a record that's 20 games below .500. What's next: The Lerner family must hire a president of baseball operations to replace Mike Rizzo, the longtime executive they fired July 6.
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Why Yankees, Dodgers Make Sense As Trade Fit For Nationals' Star Closer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. FanSided's Nick Villano recently predicted the Washington Nationals would trade their closer, Kyle Finnegan, ahead of the trade deadline. "We end this list with another relief pitcher on an awful team. It's a tale as old as time," Villano wrote. "Bad teams don't have much use for a closer when they can't get anything out of the starter. So, let's find a new home for Washington Nationals' closer Kyle Finnegan. Finnegan is ideally a setup man at his next stop because he doesn't necessarily have 'hit-and-miss' stuff, but he can get outs. "That's what matters. He already has 18 saves on the paltry Nationals this season. It's not exactly All-Star worthy like it was last season, but he's doing his job and could have a career-high in ERA. Finnegan is later in his career than some teams would like (33 years old), but he's a quality arm that deserves a chance to do something in the playoffs." WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: Kyle Finnegan #67 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Detroit Tigers at Nationals Park on July 03, 2025 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: Kyle Finnegan #67 of the Washington Nationals pitches against the Detroit Tigers at Nationals Park on July 03, 2025 in Washington, looking at potential suitors for Finnegan, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers stand out as obvious landing spots. The Dodgers have faced as many pitching injuries as any team in baseball. They need to add more talent to their bullpen, despite having multiple closer-level arms at the backend of it. Adding Finnegan would give the Dodgers another reliable arm to slot in at the back portion of games. The Yankees have a talented bullpen, but they can always add more. While relievers like Ryan Helsley and Jhoan Duran may be enticing, they're likely out of the Yankees' price range. Finnegan could likely be acquired for much less than the top reliever on the market. He'd fit the Yankees perfectly. Washington will likely get whatever it can out of him. A trade should be expected in the coming weeks. More MLB: Red Sox's $21 Million Pitcher Listed As Potential Trade Chip Ahead Of Deadline
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Washington Nationals All-Star Emerges as Surprising Trade Deadline Candidate
Will a first-time All-Star for the Washington Nationals be on the move at the trade deadline? According to reporter Mark Feinsand, it's a real possibility. Feinsand reports that pitcher MacKenzie Gore, who was involved in the Juan Soto blockbuster trade in 2022, has been mentioned as a 'potential' trade candidate. The 26-year-old Gore has emerged as an ace in his fourth MLB season. He has a 3.02 ERA, 133 ERA+, 2.91 FIP, 1.196 WHIP and 3.6 bWAR across 19 starts and 110 1/3 innings this season. Gore is also third in the National League in strikeouts with 138. With the Nationals recently firing general manager Mike Rizzo, Washington's new front office could be inclined to part with Gore since he's under club control through 2027. The southpaw would bring back a significant haul of prospects from a playoff contender looking to upgrade their starting rotation. Gore told Feinsand ahead of the All-Star game he's not putting too much merit into the trade rumors. 'Having been traded before, it's just one of those things you don't even think about,' Gore explained. 'You love the guys you're around and you grow as a group with these guys, but I'm just trying to stack good starts and whatever happens, happens.' Even though Gore hasn't been linked to any teams publicly, those looking for starting pitching at the deadline include the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his first four seasons, Gore is 25-34 with a 3.93 ERA, 103 ERA+, 3.86 FIP, 1.371 WHIP and 542 strikeouts in 483 innings. Related Headlines Cleveland Browns Distancing From Quinshon Judkins After Arrest? 'Not Going To Push Anything': Joel Embiid Provides Revealing Update On 76ers Return Caitlin Clark's Brother Points Direct Finger for His Sister's Injuries Roster Bubble: 5 NFL Veterans Fighting for Their Jobs in 2025
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nationals' MacKenzie Gore breaks silence on shocking trade rumors
MacKenzie Gore has been one of the lone bright spots for the Washington Nationals this season. The left-handed ace was a deserving All Star. Yet somehow, Gore is involved in trade rumors. That's despite being under club control through 2027. Regardless, Gore is being rumored about, and he was asked about it at All-Star Weekend. Gore was traded once before, from the Padres' system to the Nats in the Juan Soto deal. 'Having been traded before, it's just one of those things you don't even think about,' Gore told Mark Feinsand. 'You love the guys you're around and you grow as a group with these guys, but I'm just trying to stack good starts and whatever happens, happens.' MORE: Kyle Schwarber is the hero of MLB's first All-Star Game Home Run Derby tiebreaker Because of Gore's ability and his two remaining contract years after this one, he'd demand a strong prospect haul. It'd still be surprising to see the Nationals deal their ace. But at least he'd know how to handle it. MORE MLB NEWS: Dodgers draft the latest Leiter pursuing MLB pitching dreams Eugenio Suarez breaks silence on Yankees trade rumors Giants' former top-100 prospect retires from baseball It's the year of Cal Raleigh Byron Buxton makes a bold proclamation on his future with the Twins Is Paul Skenes cursed?
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Nationals drafted Eli Willits over Ethan Holliday at No. 1 overall pick in 2025 MLB Draft
The Washington Nationals looked like they were on a course to take a college pitcher with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. But seemingly at the last minute, the Nats pivoted. They made a franchise-altering decision, but it wasn't to Ethan Holliday. Advertisement At 1.1, the Nationals drafted Eli Willits, a high school shortstop out of Oklahoma. At 17 years old, he's the youngest player ever chosen first overall. Late mock drafts had LSU's Kade Anderson as the Nationals' most likely selection. The college lefty was viewed as a talented, safe pick. The Nats decided they didn't want safe. They wanted best. Many had Holliday, the son of Matt Holliday (Rockies legend) and brother Jackson Holliday (Orioles rising star), as the No. 1 player on the board. "Ethan Holliday would've been the best pick," MLB Network's Harold Reynolds said on the broadcast. Advertisement Instead, they went Willits. He's the son of Reggie Willits, who was a six-year MLB outfielder with the Angels. He's viewed as having above-average tools across the board. He reclassified from being the No. 1 recruit in the 2026 class to get to the pros a year early. Willits will stick at shortstop, and he's quite a safe choice. He seems like he'll make it and be a good MLB ballplayer, for sure. "You can dream on him becoming Francisco Lindor," MLB Network's Dan O'Dowd said on the broadcast. "... We can argue about the ceiling all day, but has a really good floor." Advertisement From now on, he'll be compared to Holliday. The two high school shortstops from Oklahoma might end up as the two best players in this class. Is Willits the better one? Time will tell. MORE MLB DRAFT:
