Washington Nationals

Nelson Cruz will be back for a 19th season in Major League Baseball after signing with the San Diego Padres.

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Cruz has agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Padres.

Cruz became a free agent in November after the Washington Nationals declined a $16 million mutual option.

The Nationals signed the seven-time All-Star to a one-year deal in March with a mutual option for 2023. He was expected to provide more power at the heart of Washington's lineup as the organization looked to get back on track after two disappointing seasons since winning the 2019 World Series.

Things didn't work out for Cruz or Washington, though. He only hit .234/.313/.337 with 10 homers and 64 RBI in 124 games. The Nationals had the worst record in MLB (55-107), and they dealt Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline.

Per MLB.com's Will Leitch, Cruz was the third-oldest player on an Opening Day roster when the 2022 season began. He turned 42 on July 1.

Age has started to catch up to the Dominican recently. He had a strong start to the 2021 season with the Twins (.907 OPS, 19 homers in 85 games), but he had a steep drop-off after being dealt to the Rays (.725 OPS, 13 homers in 55 games).

It's not a surprise the Nationals wanted to move on from Cruz. He was largely unproductive in an everyday role last season and would have carried a large price tag in 2023.

The Padres will be hoping to catch lightning in a bottle, as he's not that far removed from being an above-average hitter. It seems unlikely he can play at that level during a full season given his age, but he could thrive in a part-time role in 2023.

San Diego already has a deep lineup, but the addition of Cruz will allow manager Bob Melvin to play matchups. He hit a respectable .248/.345/.383 with five homers in 149 at-bats last season against left-handed pitching.

An ownership group led by Ted Leonsis—already the owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards, NHL's Washington Capitals and the WNBA's Washington Mystics—is reportedly the front-runner to buy MLB's Washington Nationals, according to David Aldridge, Brittany Ghiroli and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Lerner family announced earlier this year that they would be putting the Nationals up for sale after 15 years at the helm and one World Series championship.

Per The Athletic's report, "Leonsis' group has been ahead of the others for the last month or so" but "multiple sources, though, said a sale is not imminent."

He reportedly had interest in the past in buying the Baltimore Orioles and has long eyed owning an MLB team.

The report added that an agreement isn't likely before the MLB winter meetings in December, and any sale likely won't be finalized until some point in 2023.

Leonsis' ownership group will also include billionaire David Rubenstein, the co-founder of the Carlisle Group.

Were Leonsis to successfully purchase the Nationals, he would join Stan Kroenke in owning three major United States pro men's sports franchises. The Kroenkes own the Colorado Avalanche, Los Angeles Rams and Denver Nuggets, along with the English Premier League's Arsenal and MLS' Colorado Rapids.

As for the Nationals, the team is in a full rebuild after controversially trading 23-year-old superstar Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres this season following failed contract negotiations. It came a year after the team made another huge splash, trading ace Max Scherzer and superstar shortstop Trea Turner.

And it came just three years after the team won the World Series in 2019. The Nationals have since failed to make the playoffs in each subsequent season, and what once appeared to be a promising core has largely moved on.

It appears that ongoing rebuild will be helmed by a new owner, with the Leonsis-fronted group reportedly the favorites.

The Washington Nationals and Stephen Strasburg enter the offseason with questions about the pitcher's status for 2023 following an injury-riddled 2022 campaign, general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters Tuesday:

"It's still a little bit of a mystery. I know that he's working hard strengthening his core and the other parts of his body. We're just going to have to see. With the type of surgery and rehab that he's had, it's unfamiliar to us. It's unfamiliar to a lot of people. We're going to have to take it day by day."

The last three seasons have not been kind to Strasburg.

In 2020, he made just two starts before undergoing a 15-minute carpal tunnel surgery in August of that year. He told reporters in February 2021 that "numbness" in his hand led to the decision to have surgery.

Last season, the veteran made just five starts before undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, which is when blood vessels or nerves between the collarbone and the first rib are compressed and cause pain in the arm, neck or shoulder.

This season, Strasburg has been plagued by a stress reaction of the ribs. He made just one start before going on the injured list.

Over the last three seasons, he has started just eight games, posting a 1-4 record, 6.89 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 31.1 innings.

In an interview with Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post earlier this month, Strasburg acknowledged that his future in Major League Baseball is murky because of his injuries.

"I realize the clock is ticking," he said. "It's been almost three years since I've been able to pitch competitively, and it's not like I'm getting younger."

He added: "I’ve been doing very minimal exercises, and I’ve seen some improvements as far as the way my shoulder is sitting. But I feel like the strength is not quite there, and I’m not really sure what the future holds."

Strasburg signed a seven-year, $245 million deal with the Nationals in December 2019 and is under contract through the 2026 season with an average salary of $35 million per year.

The 34-year-old was selected first overall in the 2009 MLB draft and has gone on to earn three All-Star selections, a World Series MVP award and a Silver Slugger award in 13 seasons.

In addition, Strasburg has a lifetime record of 113-62 with a 3.24 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 3.02 FIP and 1,723 strikeouts in 1,470 innings.

A fan was charged with simple assault following an altercation with an usher at Nationals Park on Tuesday, according to TMZ Sports.

A fan shared a video of a man arguing with an usher in an aisle of the stadium. Another stadium employee arrives to escort the man away. After walking up a few steps, the man stops and thrusts his arm into the usher's face.

Per TMZ Sports, the usher was bleeding from his right hand as a result of the skirmish but declined to receive any additional medical treatment after being looked at.

Neither local police nor the Nationals provided a comment on the matter. It's also unknown whether the team has levied any punishment against the man.

Earlier this season, the organization banned two fans from Nationals Park for five years after they made inappropriate comments toward Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras.

Washington suffered an 8-2 defeat to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday to fall to 53-101 on the season. Atlanta scored eight unanswered runs following an RBI double by Luke Voit and a solo home run by Victor Robles, which gave the Nats a 2-0 lead by the second inning.

The attendance was 23,281.

Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a testicular contusion, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASN.

Ruiz suffered the injury in Thursday's 11-6 win over the St. Louis Cardinals when he took a foul ball to the groin.

Ruiz remained in the game until the sixth inning before he was removed and taken to the hospital with swollen testicles. He was replaced by backup catcher Riley Adams.

Ruiz is in his first full season with the Nationals. He was one of the prospects traded to Washington last season in the deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The 24-year-old is in the midst of a solid season, slashing .251/.313/.360 with seven home runs, 36 RBI and six stolen bases in 112 games. It's the most games he has ever played in a major league season.

He appeared in just eight games for the Dodgers in 2020 and 2021 before being traded.

To replace Ruiz, the Nationals purchased the contract of Israel Pineda from Triple-A Rochester. However, they didn't necessarily need to do that with both Adams and Tres Barrera on the roster.

The Nationals are currently fifth in the NL East with a 49-89 record and are set to miss the playoffs for the third straight season since winning the World Series in 2019.

San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto is out for Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians because of left-mid back tightness, the team told reporters.

Soto was acquired by San Diego at the 2022 MLB trade deadline in a blockbuster deal with the Washington Nationals. The Padres also landed veteran first baseman Josh Bell and sent a substantial haul of prospects to Washington to complete the deal.

The runner-up for National League MVP in 2021, Soto has put together a solid season after a slow start. The 23-year-old is batting .252 with 23 home runs and 50 RBI overall this season, recording a .286 batting average in 18 games with San Diego.

Soto is one of the brightest young stars in MLB. He hasn't hit under .280 in any of his previous four seasons in the majors. He was also a key member of Washington's 2019 World Series win after posting 34 homers while driving in 110 runs.

After landing with the Padres, Soto is now part of a "Big 3" alongside star third baseman Manny Machado and shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. However, Tatis was suspended for 80 games last week after violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy.

While Soto is out, utility outfielder Wil Myers will see more time in the lineup. At 68-56, San Diego is mathematically tied with the Philadelphia Phillies (67-55) for the second Wild Card spot in the NL entering Tuesday. The Padres are hoping to have Soto back soon to keep pace in the playoff hunt.

Ted Leonsis, the owner of the NBA's Washington Wizards, NHL's Capitals and WNBA's Mystics "has emerged as a suitor" to buy MLB's Nationals, according to Barry Svrluga, Ben Strauss and Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post.

Leonsis "is among the would-be buyers granted access to the Nationals' financial data, a key step in preparing a bid for the District’s MLB franchise," per Svrluga, Strauss and Janes.

The Lerner family, led by real estate developer Ted Lerner, purchased the Nationals for $450 million in 2006.

Svrluga reported in April that the Lerner family was exploring the idea of selling the Nationals and had hired investment bank Allen & Co. to identify potential buyers. Ted Lerner's son, Mike Lerner, told Svrluga at the time that "there is no set timetable or expectation of a specific outcome" in selling the team.

However, the Washington Post reports "people familiar with the process" believe a sale could happen before the start of the new year in January and potentially in time for new ownership to be approved at owners meetings in November.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported in June that the Nationals were expected to be sold and could fetch at least $2 billion.

At least five potential bidders have met with Nationals officials this summer, including billionaire Michael B. Kim and mortgage tycoon Stanley Middleman, according to the Washington Post.

It's unclear if Leonsis has met with Nationals officials, or if he would be able to purchase the franchise on his own. The Nationals are valued at $2 billion, per Forbes, and are the 12th most expensive team in MLB.

Since the Lerner family purchased the team, the Nationals have reached the postseason five times, highlighted by a World Series title in 2019.

However, the team has struggled since then, going 26-34 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, 65-97 during the 2021 season and currently sits fifth in the NL East with a 41-82 record.

Washington is on pace to miss the playoffs for the third straight season.

In addition to the team's struggles, the Nationals could not come to an agreement on a contract extension for superstar outfielder Juan Soto and eventually traded him to the San Diego Padres this summer.

Soto was only the latest star player to depart the franchise. Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Anthony Rendon and Trea Turner have all left in recent years.

In any case, fans will be hoping the franchise's next owner can help the team get back to playoff contention.

The Washington Nationals banned two fans from Nationals Park for five years after making inappropriate comments toward Chicago Cubs star Willson Contreras, according to the Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro.

Following his team's 7-5 win over the Nationals on Tuesday, Contreras referenced an incident in which heckling by Nationals fans crossed the line:

Per Montemurro, the exchange came in the 10th inning. Contreras hit a sacrifice fly and began talking to one fan on his way back to the dugout. The report noted at least one fan was escorted away from their seat by security.

This comes two weeks after Kansas City Royals reliever Amir Garrett tossed his drink toward a fan behind the team's dugout during a game against the Chicago White Sox.

"Listen the disrespect is insane in these parks," Garrett wrote on Twitter in the immediate aftermath. "I really wish I could go to someone’s work and run my mouth. These are grown men talking slick. How miserable do you have to be with your own life?"

The southpaw subsequently apologized and received a three-game suspension, which is under appeal.

Contreras was rested for Wednesday's 3-2 victory over the Nationals, with Yan Gomes getting the start at catcher.

The three-time All-Star has appeared in 98 games, batting .247 and slugging .455 with 17 home runs and 46 RBI.

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo on Wednesday addressed the trade of Juan Soto, calling it a "brutal" and "emotional" moment for the franchise.

"Brutal scene. It was very, very difficult," Rizzo told The Sports Junkies. "I had kept Juan and Josh in the loop on where we were at during the trade talks and that type of thing, because I think it's only right to inform them, because they're reading all the stuff that's out there and that type of thing."

The Nationals traded Soto and first baseman Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres for MacKenzie Gore, C.J. Abrams, Robert Hassell III, James Wood, Jarlin Susana and Luke Voit ahead of Tuesday's MLB trade deadline. The move was an about-face for Rizzo, who previously said the organization had no plans to trade the 23-year-old two-time All-Star.

Rizzo said the team's outlook changed when Soto rejected a 15-year, $440 million contract extension. While most observers feel the Nationals received a historic haul from the Padres, Rizzo called his meeting with Soto to inform him of the trade an "emotional time."

"Yeah, it was a warm farewell and it was very emotional," Rizzo said. "I told him I loved him and he'll always be a part of my history and my family, and go on and have the career that we all think you're gonna have. And that was it. Yeah. We signed him at 16-and-a-half years old. I had known him since he was 14. It was...yeah, it's a very emotional time."

Washington signed Soto in 2015. Early this year, Elian Soto, Juan's younger brother, verbally agreed to sign with the team when he becomes eligible in January.

So while the divorce between Juan Soto and the Nationals was one few saw coming before the 2022 season, the two sides also apparently have no hard feelings.

Superstar outfielder Juan Soto tweeted a message of thanks to the Washington Nationals and their fans early Wednesday morning following his pre-deadline trade to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.

In a series of tweets, Soto expressed gratitude for the Nats organization and the fans who supported him, while also mentioning the importance of helping Washington win its first World Series title in 2019:

After Soto reportedly rejected multiple contract extension offers, the Nationals made him available via trade leading up to the deadline, and they sealed a blockbuster deal on Tuesday.

All told, the Nationals received a bevy of prospects and young players in shortstop C.J. Abrams, outfielders Robert Hassell III and James Wood, and pitchers MacKenzie Gore and Jarlin Susana, as well as veteran first baseman Luke Voit in exchange for Soto and first baseman Josh Bell.

While the Nationals had to part ways with one of the game's great young stars in the 23-year-old Soto, their rebuild received a major jump-start in the form of multiple players who can contribute now and in the near future.

During at least parts of five seasons with the Nats, Soto left an indelible mark on the franchise.

He earned two All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger awards, one batting title and won a World Series in 2019. Also, in one of his final appearances in a Nationals uniform, he won the 2022 Home Run Derby.

In 2018, Soto came out firing and finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. He followed that with a career-high 34 home runs and 110 RBI the next season en route to winning the World Series.

In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Soto won the batting title with a .351 average and led the NL with a .490 on-base percentage and .695 slugging percentage.

Last season, Soto finished second in the NL MVP voting when he slashed .313/.465/.534 with 29 homers and 95 RBI.

He got off to a slow start this season, but he has turned things around over the past month and is slashing .246/.408/.485 with 21 home runs and 46 RBI.

Despite his solid play, the Nationals are just 36-69 this season and seem in line for a long rebuild, which is partially why the Soto trade made sense despite the fact that he could have been the face of the franchise for years had he signed a new deal.

The trade instantly changes Soto's outlook as well since he is headed to a Padres team in the thick of the playoff race with a 60-46 record.

Soto will join a stacked lineup that will eventually include Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., the latter of whom is working his way back from a wrist injury.

The Padres have the pieces to be contenders in 2022 and beyond, and Soto could turn out to be the player who helps them win their first World Series in franchise history.