Washington Nationals: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Nationals Pitching Staff Given Bleak Outlook in 2026 Projections

Pitchers and catchers are just days away from reporting to spring camp, as Feb. 11 marks the official preseason period ahead of the 2026 campaign for the Washington Nationals.

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The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Which Washington Nationals offseason decision makes you nervous?

Paul Toboni’s first offseason as Nationals President of Baseball Operations has been an intriguing one. He made plenty of moves, but most of them have been with the future in mind.

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / February 9

The Washington Nationals need to make additions as Spring Training approaches

Pitchers and catchers report to camp tomorrow, and the Washington Nationals roster still feels painfully incomplete. Even for a team that does not have serious playoff aspirations, there are still holes that need to be filled.

Washington Nationals News / Just Baseball / February 9

What Does Success Look Like for the Nationals in 2026?

Starting in 2026, a new era of baseball is coming to the nation’s capital with a whole new regime to lead the way. Following another disappointing season under Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez, the Washington Nationals made significant organizational changes from top to bottom.

MLB News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'Home run leaders by MLB team' quiz

How many of the career leaders in home runs for every MLB franchise can you name in five minutes?

The 'First Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony' quiz

The 'MLB active home run leaders' quiz

The 'MLB 30/30 seasons' quiz

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / February 8

Prominent Analyst Raves About New Nationals Prospect, Believes 'He's a Star'

The Washington Nationals moved their best trade chip this winter when they sent MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers. That was a move that seemed destined to happen.

MLB News / Yardbarker

25 MLB players who have the most to prove in 2026

The new MLB season brings opportunities as players head into their walk years and try to rebound from subpar performances. These 25 players stand out heading into 2026.

Should Red Sox trade for former All-Star infielder?

Mariners getting needed bat in All-Star Brendon Donovan via three-team deal with Cardinals, Rays

Giants CEO calls Dodgers a 'dragon to slay'

Yankees' latest endeavor points to a Jasson Dominguez mistake waiting to happen

Top of Phillies' rotation is elite, but also comes with questions

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / February 8

Which Washington Nationals player would be the best in the NFL?

With the Super Bowl tonight, I got to thinking. Which Washington Nationals players could be NFL players? There are a lot of really good athletes on this team, so I had plenty of options.

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / February 7

What would a successful season look like in 2026 for the Washington Nationals?

The Washington Nationals are highly unlikely to make the playoffs in 2026. Paul Toboni knows that and so do Nationals fans. Even finishing above .500 feels like a pipe dream.

Gavin Fien News / Just Baseball / February 7

Why Model-Driven Teams Are High on Gavin Fien

Few draft prospects highlight the philosophical divide between traditional scouting and model-driven evaluation quite like Gavin Fien. Selected at just 18 years and four months old, Fien entered professional baseball with a profile that immediately sparked debate: loud underlying tools paired with a swing that still needs significant refinement.

Washington Nationals News / MLB on ClutchPoints / February 6

1 last-minute trade Nationals must make before spring training

After winning the 2019 World Series, the Washington Nationals have not even come close to sniffing the Fall Classic. Former head of baseball operations Mike Rizzo and his longtime counterpart, manager Davey Martinez, lost their jobs last summer.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / February 6

Nationals Should Take Chance on Gold Glover to Upgrade Infield Defense

One thing the Washington Nationals have to figue out is their first base situation. Right now, the organization seems comfortable going into spring training and seeing how things work out following the preseason prep period.

MLB News / MLB Trade Rumors / February 6

Red Sox Claim Tsung-Che Cheng

The Red Sox have claimed infielder Tsung-Che Cheng off waivers from the Nationals, the team announced. The Sox had a vacancy on their 40-man roster, which is now full.

MLB News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest pitching seasons from the modern MLB era

America's favorite pastime has more memorable performances than any sport. As such, figuring out which pitchers had the best seasons ever is no easy task.

Ken Waldichuk News / Washington Nationals on SI / February 6

Why Nationals' Latest Waiver Claim Ken Waldichuk Could Stick on Their Roster

The Washington Nationals have not been shy with their usage of the waiver wire this offseason. Paul Toboni and his front office have used this strategy

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / February 6

Looking at the Washington Nationals ties to the upcoming World Baseball Classic

Last night, the World Baseball Classic rosters were released. Seeing that got me really fired up, especially considering how much fun the last one was.

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The 'Super Bowl coaches since 2000' quiz

The 'Super Bowl halftime show artists' quiz

The 'NFL active TD-pass leaders' quiz

The 'NFL playoff receptions leaders' quiz

Washington Nationals News / Federal Baseball / February 6

3 Takeaways From My Top 30 Washington Nationals Prospects List

Yesterday, I released my preseason top 30 Washington Nationals prospects, which you can find here. The driving focus of my rankings was a combination of prospects’ performances so far in their careers, their underlying numbers for those performances, and the tools they have, which could lead to future success.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / February 5

Latest MLB Mock Draft Has Nationals Selecting Another High-Upside Pitcher

The Washington Nationals are in an interesting place when it comes to their present and future. Right now, there is no doubt that the weakest unit on their major league roster is their pitching staff.

MLB News / MLB Trade Rumors / February 5

Nationals Claim Ken Waldichuk, Designate George Soriano For Assignment

The Nationals have claimed left-hander Ken Waldichuk off waivers from the Rays, according to announcements from both clubs. Tampa had designated him for assignment a few days ago to make room for infielder Ben Williamson, acquired as part of the three-team trade headlined by Brendan Donovan.

MLB News / Washington Nationals on SI / February 5

Former MLB General Manager Urges Red Sox to Trade for Nationals Star

The Washington Nationals don't seem to have a major move up their sleeve when it comes to free agency despite a bevy of starting pitchers still remaining on the market.

Konnor Pilkington News / MLB Trade Rumors / February 5

Konnor Pilkington Elects Free Agency

The Nationals announced Thursday that lefty Konnor Pilkington, whom they had designated for assignment last week, cleared waivers and rejected an outright assignment to Triple-A Rochester in favor of free agency.

Washington Nationals News / Washington Nationals on SI / February 4

Nationals Lose Intriguing Utility Man After Red Sox Claim Him Off Waivers

The Washington Nationals have been busy using the waiver wire this offseason. While they rarely will find impact players that way, it's a strategy to augment the entirety of their 40-man roster and create depth in the Triple-A ranks if they are able to sneak unclaimed players through so they can remain with the organization.

Mason Thompson News / MLB Trade Rumors / February 4

Rangers, Mason Thompson Agree To Minor League Deal

The Rangers have agreed to a minor league contract with free agent righty Mason Thompson, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. It’s a homecoming for the Round Rock native, who’ll presumably be in big league camp with the club later this month.

MLB News / Yardbarker / February 3

Should Red Sox trade for former All-Star infielder?

The Red Sox are still a bat short in their lineup, with openings at third and second base.

White Sox continue to add to roster in trade with Red Sox

Every MLB player with double-digit Gold Gloves

The '2018 Boston Red Sox World Series roster' quiz

Michael Rucker News / MLB Trade Rumors / January 31

Mariners Sign Michael Rucker To Minors Contract

The Mariners signed right-hander Michael Rucker to a minor league deal earlier this month, according to Rucker’s MLB.com profile page. Rucker’s contract included an invitation to the Mariners’ big league spring camp, as per the list of non-roster invites Seattle released yesterday.

Washington Nationals News / Just Baseball / January 31

Praising the Nationals’ Fantastic Offseason (So Far)

Oftentimes, offseason winners are determined by which teams improve the outlook on their upcoming season. While the Washington Nationals haven’t exactly done that, they should be considered one of this winter’s biggest winners.

Washington Nationals News / The Spun / January 27

ESPN Star Trashes Owners Of The Washington Post

Much of the sports world is disheartened by speculation that The Washington Post plans to eliminate its sports section. Puck's Dylan Byers reported Saturday that the newspaper is expected to make "massive layoffs" that could affect "hundreds" of employees.

CJ Abrams News / Fastball on SI / January 27

Nationals’ CJ Abrams Looms as Wild Card in Offseason Trade Market

Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams is an interesting trade candidate. The San Francisco Giants showed interest in him and even tried to make a trade for him, but they couldn't meet Washington's asking price.