Who will be on the 26 man roster Opening Day?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Rutledge can't get into the rotation with all the walks.  Think he might need to read Rizzo's sign a few more times.

got strikeout stuff so the pen might be possible until he wipes out the BBs.

[IanRubbish]

Jessica Camerato at mlb.com has her projections up.  Basically everyone we're expecting among position players with Jacob Young instead of Garrett, whom she seems to think will start the season on IL.

https://www.mlb.com/news/nationals-2024-opening-day-roster

[imref]

Given Garrett hasn't been in a game yet, that sounds realistic. IL or Rochester to start the season.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Another way to look at it is a few questions:

1) is garrett healthy enough to DH? looks like no for now, opening at least one roster slot. For now, that's either the 4th OF (she has Young) or Winker (a lefty DH who should not play the OF).
2) does Nunez show enough to stick around? if yes, that most likely sends Alu down.
3) Can either Rutledge or Davies displace the bottom of the rotation (Williams and Irvin)? I'm keeping this one open.
4) Bottom 2 righties and maybe one lefty look like a competition

2 non-roster invites make it in Cammerato's list - Winker and M. Barnes, taking Stras's and Thompson's slots on the 40 man.

Probably the primary lineup will be something like

Winker (DH)
Ruiz (2)
Meneses (3)
Garcia (4)
Senzel (5)
Abrams (6)
Gallo (7)
Robles (8 )
Thomas (9)

some speed on the bench if Young and Nunez both stick. I'd still maybe prefer Call sitting than Young, but perhaps one of the prospect OFs is assigned CF in Rochester, meaning Young sits wherever he goes.

[imref]

So now we're probably looking at:

1. Abrams - SS
2. Thomas - RF
3. Gallo - 1B
4. Rosario - LF
5. Winkler - DH
6. Ruiz - C
7. Senzel - 3B
8. Garcia - 2B
9. Robles - CF

With Young/Call, Adams, Vargas, Nunez, and Meneses on the bench, Garrett on the IL, and Kieboom DFA'd?

[Mattionals]

So now we're probably looking at:

1. Abrams - SS
2. Thomas - RF
3. Gallo - 1B
4. Rosario - LF
5. Winkler - DH
6. Ruiz - C
7. Senzel - 3B
8. Garcia - 2B
9. Robles - CF

With Young/Call, Adams, Vargas, Nunez, and Meneses on the bench, Garrett on the IL, and Kieboom DFA'd?

Probably right.

[IanRubbish]

Mini Me just put out a "letter to fans" praising Jacob Young and Trey Lipscomb.  Would be great to see even one make the OD roster.

[imref]

Best guess right now:

Ruiz-C
Gallo-DH
Meneses-1B
Lipscomb-2B
Abrams-SS
Senzel-3B
Rosario-LF
Robles-CF
Thomas-RF

Bench: Nunez, Vargas, Adams, Young,

Rotation: Gore, Gray, Corbin, Irvin, Davies

Pen: Finnegan, Garcia, Harvey, Rainey, Williams, Weems, Gsellman, Bleier

IL: Strasburg, Garrett, Cavalli, Ferrer, Floro

[Mattionals]

Best guess right now:

Ruiz-C
Gallo-DH
Meneses-1B
Lipscomb-2B
Abrams-SS
Senzel-3B
Rosario-LF
Robles-CF
Thomas-RF

Bench: Nunez, Vargas, Adams, Young,

Rotation: Gore, Gray, Corbin, Irvin, Davies

Pen: Finnegan, Garcia, Harvey, Rainey, Williams, Weems, Gsellman, Bleier

IL: Strasburg, Garrett, Cavalli, Ferrer, Floro

I could see them going with a longer bench and Winker being on it. JCA also suggested that Rosario might be a potential backup CF option, and that one of Young or Robles could get left off. My guess is it would be that Young could be optioned down, although I'd cut Robles simply because I'm done with him.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Winker instead of Young, and I still think they don't pull the plug on Luis Garcia just yet. I still expect Gallo to be healthy enough for the field. He's slated to play 1st tonight.

Gsellman, Bleier, M. Barnes, D. Law, Davies would need roster spots, as would Winker and I think Rosario. Stras, Thompson, and Cavalli are 60 day IL candidates, and they generated a slot by cutting Kieboom.

[Mattionals]

Winker instead of Young, and I still think they don't pull the plug on Luis Garcia just yet. I still expect Gallo to be healthy enough for the field. He's slated to play 1st tonight.

Gsellman, Bleier, M. Barnes, D. Law, Davies would need roster spots, as would Winker and I think Rosario. Stras, Thompson, and Cavalli are 60 day IL candidates, and they generated a slot by cutting Kieboom.

So that's four 40-man slots open for 7 spots. Call and Willingham have to be on the bubble for a DFA. Dropping Garcia Jr. would be fine, but Lipscomb as a replacement would also need to be put on the 40.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I only expect davies, winker, rosario, and 1 or 2 relievers to be added among the nris.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Willingham is an easy waiver candidate if they like nri relievers better

[imref]

LaSorsa has had a fantastic spring and has a chance at the roster. We're loaded with relief pitching right now.

Davey says Gallo will be the regular 1B with Meneses at DH.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Is Nunez a lock not to be returned? He's not playing his way into MLB

I just dont see Rizzo tossing away a rule 5 pick. Not after last year.

Slate's probably right, and I'd say I'm probably happier with Nunez as CJ's back up than I am with Vargas or Garcia, but this kid isn't ready at the plate and he had an off night defensively, prompting my q. Were Lipscomb to surprise and make the team, I don't think there's as big a need for a backup SS who doesn't play much otherwise. Nunez looks like a peak of being a backup defensive wiz who  can pinch run. I would cast Nunez more as a likely makes the 26 man roster rather than a hard core lock.

[imref]

Slate's probably right, and I'd say I'm probably happier with Nunez as CJ's back up than I am with Vargas or Garcia, but this kid isn't ready at the plate and he had an off night defensively, prompting my q. Were Lipscomb to surprise and make the team, I don't think there's as big a need for a backup SS who doesn't play much otherwise. Nunez looks like a peak of being a backup defensive wiz who  can pinch run. I would cast Nunez more as a likely makes the 26 man roster rather than a hard core lock.

I didn't see much of yesterday's game, but prior to that all the reporters were raving about Nunez' defense so maybe it's just one bad game.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Best guess right now:

Ruiz-C
Gallo-DH
Meneses-1B
Lipscomb-2B
Abrams-SS
Senzel-3B
Rosario-LF
Robles-CF
Thomas-RF

Bench: Nunez, Vargas, Adams, Young,

Rotation: Gore, Gray, Corbin, Irvin, Davies

Pen: Finnegan, Garcia, Harvey, Rainey, Williams, Weems, Gsellman, Bleier

IL: Strasburg, Garrett, Cavalli, Ferrer, Floro

Working off Imref's list, I might break things down into locks, likelies, battles, and still has a shot.

Locks (11 -5 position, 6 pitching):
OF - Thomas
IF - Senzel, Abrams
C - Ruiz, Adams
SP - Corbin, Gore, Gray
RP - Finnegan, Harvey, Rainey
IL -Ferrer 10 (15?) day; Stras, Cavalli, Thompson 60 day; Garrett - IL, length likely 10 day.
Likely IL, possibly available = Floro

Likelies (5 position, 4 pitching)
OF - Robles
IF - Garcia, Gallo, Vargas, Nunez
SP - Irvin, Williams (Davies could push either to the bullpen or Irvin to AAA)
RP - Ro. Garcia, Bleier


Battles (3 positions, 3 pitchers)
DH /1B /LF - Winker, Rosario, Meneses (2 or 3)
CF - Young (coin flip, could go with the 3 above and send Young down)
RP - Weems, Law, La Sorsa, Davies, Gsellman (3 most likely, could be 4 if one of the "likelies" doesn't make it and Floro is IL). Weems lacks options.

Still has a shot
Lipscomb - pushing aside Garcia, Nunez or maybe Vargas
Rutledge - pushing aside Davies and Weems or Williams
Call - only if they want Young playing every day in AAA, they really want a 4th OF who plays all OF positions, and they don't think Senzel / Thomas /Rosario can cover CF.
M Barnes - probably starts in the minors to see if he can recover velocity.

Red would need to be added to the 40 man roster.

Difficulty with the bullpen is the lack of options for anyone on the 40 man roster except Robert Garcia and, conceivably, Irvin out of the rotation. Meneses and even Senzel have options. Garcia does not. Davies or possibly Rutledge could knock Williams to the bullpen.

[imref]

The featured player signs are up at the park: CJ Abrams, Josiah Gray, Mackenzie Gore, Lane Thomas, Keibert Ruiz, and .... Luis Garcia

I guess it's an improvement when our manager is no longer up there.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

They seem really committed to Garcia this year.

[Natsinpwc]

They seem really committed to Garcia this year.

I feel like being committed when watching some of these guys. 

[Senatorswin]

They seem really committed to Garcia this year.

Yeah if I was Garcia I would feel a lot better after seeing my picture up there.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yeah if I was Garcia I would feel a lot better after seeing my picture up there.

I might even get lazy and make some stupid errors.

[aspenbubba]

Unfortunately, Gallo and Senzel will make the OD roster because they were signed to MLB contracts which guarantees them being paid in full regardless if DFA ‘ed at any point of the season. They have been sorely out performed by Rosario  Winker  Yepez and Vargas to date.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yepez might eventually knock Meneses out of a roster spot in August.

As for Rosario, he's 2 singles in 6 ABs with 0 walks going into today. If Rosario is outperforming them, then its by doing nothing instead of something negative. Yepez has actually played well - 7 for 22 with a dinger, 1 BB and 1 K. Outperformed Meneses, who has options.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.mlb.com/nationals/news/nationals-2024-opening-day-roster

Camerato's take.

Position 13
Ruiz/ Adams C
Rosario / Robles / Thomas OF
Gallo / Garcia / Abrams / Senzel IF
Meneses DH
Bench - Vargas / Nunez / Winker

So, Young to play every day in the minors. My locks and likelies, plus 3 of the 4 I said were in battles.

Pitching 13
SP - Corbin Gore Gray Irvin Williams (same as it ever was)
RP - Finnegan, Harvey, Rainey, Floro, Weems, Ro Garcia, M Barnes, Derek Law.

Has Davies on the outs, and Bleier, J Barnes, Perdomo, and Gsellman in the mix. Ferrer IL.

She may know something about Floro's health.