MIKE RIZZO

A benches-clearing interruption after Mets star Francisco Lindor was hit by a pitch overshadowed Max Scherzer’s return to Nationals Park even as the three-time Cy Young Award winner pitched New York to a 7-3 victory over Washington.

Patience is often rewarded for both free agents and general managers during most Major League Baseball offseasons.

Stephen Strasburg is slated to throw a live bullpen session next week as the Washington Nationals get spring training camp started.

If the universal designated hitter returns to the National League for good next season as many people believe, don’t be looking for the role to be filled with prototypical aging superstars who no longer play a position.

The Boston Red Sox have clinched a playoff berth on the regular season’s final day and will host the New York Yankees in the AL wild-card game after coming back to beat the Washington Nationals 7-5 on a tiebreaking two-run homer by Rafael Devers in the ninth inning.

A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Washington Nationals Vice President Bob Boone has informed the club he's resigning rather than comply with the organization's COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw were part of the same draft class.

Now this truly was an All-Star trade deadline day.

Starlin Castro, an infielder on the Washington Nationals, previously played for the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins.

Washington Nationals infielder Starlin Castro has been suspended for 30 games without pay and fined an undisclosed amount for violating Major League Baseball’s policy on domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

There is no shame in the Nats admitting the obvious: It isn’t their year.”The Nationals’ biggest trade chip is ace Max Scherzer. But the three-time Cy Young Award winner might not be the only player Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo might send packing, according to Rosenthal. Assuming he is healthy, trade Scherzer, a potential free agent who effectively can choose his next destination by exercising his right to veto any trade as a player with 10 years of service, five consecutive with the team. If Rizzo commits to selling off parts, he could have one of the best trade chips on the market in Scherzer, who turns 37 Tuesday. SNY’s Andy Martino reports that according to league sources, the Mets “will inquire” about Scherzer, who is 7-4 with a 2.83 ERA in 18 starts.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays are set to play their final home game in Buffalo when they host the Red Sox.

Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo says he doesn't plan on having infielder Starlin Castro back with the team this season.

Kansas City manager Mike Matheny warned opponents that if they act like Philadelphia’s Joe Girardi and ask umpires to check Royals pitchers for sticky substances, it would provoke his team.

Starlin Castro hit a go-ahead, two-run single off closer Hector Neris in the ninth inning and the Washington Nationals rallied three times to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 13-12.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo called Joe Girardi a “con artist” a day after Philadelphia’s manager asked umpires to check Max Scherzer for illegal substances during Tuesday night’s game.

Joe West has set the record for most games as a major league umpire.

While this year's crop of free agent shortstops is getting all the headlines, Washington's speedy slugger is right behind them.

Washington Nationals right fielder Juan Soto has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left shoulder.

The Washington Nationals finally got their season started five days later than they were supposed to after a delay because of a coronavirus outbreak.

The Washington Nationals have held a workout at their stadium as they prepare to finally start their season.

The Nationals and Atlanta Braves hadn’t heard by Sunday evening whether Major League Baseball will allow their game while Washington deals with a COVID-19 outbreak that could prevent 11 players from participating.

The Nationals will open their season by hosting the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday after dealing with a coronavirus outbreak that involves 11 of Washington's players.

Matt Harvey gets another fresh beginning in Boston on Saturday when he’s scheduled to take the mound for the Baltimore Orioles.

Matt Harvey gets another fresh beginning in Boston on Saturday when he’s scheduled to take the mound for the Baltimore Orioles.

The Washington Nationals say their season-opening three-game series against the New York Mets has been postponed after the 2019 World Series champions had a coronavirus outbreak.

The Nationals and Mets are waiting until at least Saturday to start their season as Washington deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.

The Nationals and Mets are waiting until at least Saturday to start their season as Washington deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.

Opening day in Major League Baseball saw All-Stars on the field and fans back in the stands.

The opening day game between the Washington Nationals and New York Mets was postponed hours before it was scheduled to begin because of coronavirus concerns after at least three of the 2019 World Series champions’ players tested positive for COVID-19.

The NHL has postponed three more Vancouver Canucks games due to COVID-19 issues.

EARLY TESTSThe Washington Nationals will be short-handed due to a positive coronavirus test for the second straight season opener. General manager Mike Rizzo did not reveal who the five players were, and the only certainty as of Wednesday night was that opening day starter Max Scherzer wasn't one of them. The Nationals did not have any players test positive during spring training prior to that. But in a what-are-the-odds moment, all three are set to start on opening day. To be pitching the same day as those guys is pretty cool.”MITTS AND MITTENSNolan Arenado, Kris Bryant and Miguel Cabrera will be wearing gloves on opening day.

On Wednesday, March 31, 2021, Rizzo said a player for the team has tested positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)WASHINGTON – A Washington Nationals player tested positive for COVID-19, and four teammates and a staff member have been quarantined after contact tracing on the eve of the regular season's start, general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday. The positive result came from a test conducted Monday, while the Nationals were still in Florida for spring training. AdThe flight home was where there was close contact between the five who are quarantining and the player who tested positive. "Everybody across the game — we had seen so few positive cases across spring training as a whole.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Jeremy Jeffress was released by the Washington Nationals on Sunday for what general manager Mike Rizzo called unspecified “personnel reasons,” less than two weeks after the reliever agreed to terms on a minor league deal. The 33-year-old Jeffress was taken by Milwaukee in the first round pick of the 2006 amateur draft and has pitched for five teams over 11 years in the majors. Last season, Jeffress went 4-1 with a 1.54 ERA and eight saves in 10 chances for the Chicago Cubs. AdMore than a decade ago, Jeffress was suspended twice for violating the minor league drug treatment and prevention program. He has said he used marijuana to manage a severe case of anxiety and he was diagnosed with juvenile epilepsy in 2013.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, that Strasburg is in preparation mode not in rehabilitation mode at spring training after having surgery in 2020. I think, if anything, all the work I’ve done strengthening it has only improved the movement of my pitches," Strasburg said. “Endurance-wise, stamina-wise, I feel like I’m a lot further along than I have (been) in years past,” he said. There was a period of uncertainty about when the so-called “summer camp” would start, so Strasburg would throw into a net to try to stay ready. Martinez said he might ask position players to play seven, eight or nine innings of the last 10 days of exhibition games.

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021, that Strasburg is in preparation mode not in rehabilitation mode at spring training after having surgery in 2020. So the familiar feel of February spring training has pitchers eager to unleash fastballs, spin a few breaking balls and get ready for the 162-game long haul. “Spring training is 50 days long,” Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais said. But young pitchers — many of whom didn't throw many innings last season — will have to be watched closely. He practiced on the first day of spring training Wednesday but an MRI later revealed the break.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Brad Hand delivers in the ninth inning in a baseball game against the Cincinnati Red in Cleveland. Brad Hand has agreed in principle to join the Washington Nationals, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)WASHINGTON – Brad Hand knows his fastball's speed declined more than 2 mph over the past two seasons. So the Washington Nationals' new reliever is trying to reverse that trend. The deferred money will come in payments of $1.5 million due next Jan. 15, $3.5 million due Jan. 15, 2023, and $1.5 million due Jan. 15, 2024.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Zimmerman agreed to a $1 million, one-year contract that would include additional bonus provisions. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)WASHINGTON – First baseman Ryan Zimmerman is returning to the Washington Nationals after sitting out the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, agreeing in principle to a $1 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Friday. A second person confirmed to the AP there is an agreement in principle in place, without describing the terms. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. ___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Schwarber agreed in principle to a one-year, $10 million contract with the Washington Nationals, according to a person familiar with the deal. (AP Photo/Matt Marton, File)WASHINGTON – Now that they're both with the Washington Nationals, Kyle Schwarber recalls joking around with Dave Martinez when both were with the Chicago Cubs — Schwarber a slugger, Martinez a bench coach. “He goes, ‘Whenever I get a manager’s job, you are going to come over, and you are going to play for me,'” Schwarber recounted. The 27-year-old Schwarber struggled at the plate during the pandemic-truncated 2020 season, hitting .188 with a .701 OPS. Like Schwarber, the 28-year-old Bell had a career year in 2019 — 37 homers, 116 RBIs, .936 OPS — and slumped in 2020.

FILE - In this July 22, 2020, file photo, Pittsburgh Pirates' Josh Bell bats during an exhibition baseball game against the Cleveland Indians in Pittsburgh. The Pirates traded the slugging first baseman to Washington on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020, for pitching prospects Will Crowe and Eddy Yean. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)PITTSBURGH – Josh Bell embraced everything about being a Pittsburgh Pirate. The Pirates sent the 28-year-old Bell to Washington on Thursday, giving the Nationals the middle-of-the-order bat general manager Mike Rizzo said was an offseason priority for the perennial NL East contenders. “In order to build that winning team and get to that winning team it’s going to require some difficult decisions at times, this is one of those," Cherington said.

Family patriarch Ray Boone followed Ted Williams at San Diego’s Hoover High and was a major league infielder with six teams from 1948-60. He broke in with Cleveland late in the 1948 season and had one plate appearance in the Indians’ World Series victory against the Boston Braves. Bob Boone chuckled at the thought of Aaron managing the Yankees in the postseason in San Diego. “It’s definitely a different feeling this year, very unique,” Bob Boone said by phone from West Palm Beach, Florida, where he’ll watch the playoffs on TV. So when I say turn on the game, turn on the Nationals.”Bob Boone, 72, ended up with another World Series ring.

If St. Louis loses and San Francisco wins, the Cardinals would make up two games against Detroit on Monday that were postponed this season due to St. Louis' coronavirus outbreak. If the Giants and Brewers win, San Francisco needs St. Louis to lose both games against the Tigers on Monday. The 37-year-old Pence helped San Francisco to World Series championships in 2012 and 2014. A career .279 hitter, he had 244 home runs and 942 RBIs for Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Texas. “He had a tremendous career, did a ton for the community in San Francisco and obviously for the San Francisco Giants,” Kapler said.

FILE - In this Feb. 17, 2020, file photo, Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez, left, talks with general manager Mike Rizzo during spring training baseball practice in West Palm Beach, Fla. Armed with a new multiyear contract, Rizzo says his top priority is working on a new deal for Martinez. The team has a club option for Martinez for 2021, but Rizzo says he prefers a long-term deal for the manager. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)WASHINGTON – Manager Dave Martinez and the Washington Nationals agreed to a multiyear contract extension that the team announced Saturday. Martinez led the Nationals to the franchise’s first World Series championship in 2019, his second season as the team’s skipper. There were some calling for Martinez to lose his job last season when Washington got off to a 19-31 start.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, file photo, The Washington Nationals celebrate after Game 7 of the baseball World Series against the Houston Astros in Houston. A year after winning the World Series thanks to a historic turnaround, the Nationals woke up Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020, with a 23-33 record and no mathematical chance of returning to the playoffs. There was no opportunity for a sellout crowd to roar during the raising of a championship banner or to witness a World Series ring ceremony. Most notably, World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg’s season lasted all of five innings before he was done because of a nerve issue in his throwing hand. The Nationals conclude their 60-game regular season with four games at home against the New York Mets, starting Thursday.

Philadelphia Phillies' Bryce Harper, left, celebrates his home run with third base coach Dusty Wathan during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Washington. With Harper leading the way, and homers from Andrew McCutchen, Didi Gregorius and Andrew Knapp, too, the Phillies beat the Nationals 12-3 Wednesday night. “We’re at the part of the season where I need to be on the field," Harper said. TRAINER’S ROOMPhillies: 1B Rhys Hoskins (left elbow) is unlikely to be activated off the injured list before the regular season ends, Girardi said. UP NEXTPhillies: Off on Thursday, then finish the regular season with a three-game series at Tampa Bay that opens Friday.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo, left, looks on from the dugout as a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves gets underway, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Atlanta. Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was tossed for yelling at umpires from a luxury suite in Atlanta on Sunday, with longtime crew chief Joe West saying, enough is enough.I wouldnt take that from a player. I wouldnt take that from a manager, West told The Associated Press. Rizzo was standing outside the box, high above the plate at Truist Park, without a mask and was barking toward the field. Rizzo has gotten steamed at umpires in the past, most notably at Citi Field in 2016 after a loss to the Mets.

FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2020, file photo, Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo talks with members of the media during the team's "Winterfest" baseball fan festival in Washington. The Nationals and Rizzo finalized a multiyear contract extension Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020. Brock died less than a week after Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seavers death at 75. During their stellar careers, Brock and Seaver faced each other 157 times -- the most prolific batter/pitcher matchups for either star. Keuchel (6-2, 2.19 ERA) threw five scoreless innings, then was pulled after tossing a few warmup pitches before the sixth.

Washington Nationals' Carter Kieboom walks away after popping out to end a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)For a second straight season, the Washington Nationals are off to an awful start. CUTTING IT CLOSEWhile the Nationals have struggled from the start, the New York Yankees figured to be in the clear for a postseason spot after their 16-6 start. In 1993, San Diego executed an infamous fire sale, dealing Fred McGriff and Gary Sheffield in the middle of the season. He would go on to become a six-time All-Star for San Diego and, eventually, a Hall of Famer.

ATLANTA The Washington Nationals and general manager Mike Rizzo finalized a multiyear contract extension Saturday. The 59-year-old Rizzo, who also holds the title of president of baseball operations, built the team that won the 2019 World Series championship. They won the last season's World Series after making the playoffs as a wild card. I look forward to continuing our strong working relationship for years to come.Rizzo is in his 12th season guiding the Nationals' baseball operations. With Rizzo guiding the direction of the team, the Nationals are 951867 the seventh-best record in the majors in that span.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Washington, Sunday, Aug. 9, 2020. Baltimore strung together a double, four singles and a walk, including Hanser Albertos two-run double and Anthony Santanders two-run single. We are not making any firm announcement, but I would imagine he is going to take the mound on Tuesday, Rizzo said. UP NEXTOrioles: Open a three-game series at the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday. That will be followed by series at Baltimore and Atlanta.

Washington Nationals' Howie Kendrick (47) is greeted with "air high fives" by Juan Soto (22) after Kendrick scored them both on a two-run home run off Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Alex Cobb during an exhibition baseball game, Monday, July 20, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)WASHINGTON Washington Nationals slugger Juan Soto tested positive for COVID-19 and was put on the injured list Thursday, forcing him to miss the start of the pandemic-delayed season. Soto had missed the first two weeks of the teams summer camp this month after he was exposed to someone with COVID-19. Also Thursday, Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu was reinstated from the COVID-19 injured list as New York set its opening day 30-man roster before playing Game 1. "If you told me my dream, making the opening day roster for the yankees, as a young kid in New Jersey would come true, I wouldnt have believed you.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

People watch from balconies of a building across the street during an exhibition baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park, Saturday, July 18, 2020, in Washington. Seems like every day theres a challenge, said Scherzer, the three-time Cy Young Award winner who gave up three-run shots to old friend Bryce Harper and mask-wearing Didi Gregorius in Washingtons 7-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The energy in the stadium thats usually there, isnt there, per se, Nationals shortstop Trea Turner said. Normally, you pull up and theres a good amount of fans there, Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor said after taking pregame batting practice. I got beat around a little bit, but thats good, Scherzer said.

The steady stream of players testing positive and opting out is leading to a growing unease that the full season might not be played. Theres a ton of players out there quoted saying this, but it almost feels like youre waiting on bad news, right? Youre waiting for travel restrictions to be shut down across the nation. Youre waiting for a second wave, where things become unplayable and sports take a backseat. MLB said it addressed delays caused by the holiday weekend, doesnt expect them to continue and commended teams for canceling workouts.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez #4 hold up the World Series trophy after the Nationals defeat the Houston Astros in Game 7 to win the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. The Washington Nationals have revived baseball in the nation's capital, and the television ratings are proof Major League Baseball is making a comeback in the D.C. area. The ratings for Game 7 of the World Series between the Nationals and Houston Astros were the best ratings for any MLB telecast in the Washington, D.C. market since 1998, according to league officials. Officials said the World Series in the D.C. area finished with an average rating in the local market of 23.3% across all seven games. Additionally, five of the seven World Series games were the highest-rated MLB games in D.C. since Game 7 of 2001 World Series featuring the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez #4 hold up the World Series trophy after the Nationals defeat the Houston Astros in Game 7 to win the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 in Houston, Texas. The Washington Nationals plan to visit the White House on Monday, less than a week after claiming their first World Series victory. Trump has not followed prevailing presidential practice on sports traditions on several fronts, including not yet throwing out an opening pitch at a World Series game while in office. The Nationals beat the Astros, 6-2, in Game 7 in Houston on Wednesday, becoming the first Washington team to win the World Series since the 1924 Senators. "Congratulations to the Washington Nationals on a great season and an incredible World Series," Trump tweeted hours later.