Washington
Despite Losses Piling Up, Washington Nationals Have Been Post-Deadline Winners
The Washington Nationals were one of the few teams ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline that were clear sellers. They traded several veterans from their roster intending to improve the team for the future.
As a result, the performance on the field in the subsequent weeks has fallen off.
The Nationals, who were hovering around the .500 mark in the early summer, have sunk to the bottom of the standings. At 61-76, there are only five teams in baseball with a worse record than them.
Despite the underwhelming performance in the second half of this season, the future remains bright for the franchise. A reason for that is the work they did ahead of the deadline.
Washington is already seeing immediate returns from some of the deals that they made. As shared by ESPN, they have the highest Net WPA among noncontenders in baseball.
Players they sent out in trades have compiled a Net WPA of -1.21. Players they have received have recorded a Net WPA of +0.39, resulting in an impressive +1.60 overall.
Second place behind them is the Toronto Blue Jays, who have a +1.25 WPA. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Chicago White Sox, which encapsulates just how badly things have gone for the franchise this season.
A big chunk of that Net WPA equation for the Nationals has been their trade with the Cleveland Guardians centered around outfielder Lane Thomas.
Thomas has been brutal with the Guardians, recording a .189/.270/.281 slash line in 100 plate appearances. On the other hand, one of the players obtained by Washington, Jose Tena, has been on a tear.
In 17 games, the San Cristobal native has recorded 21 hits in his first 62 at-bats with two doubles and two home runs. His 138 OPS+ is an elite number in the small sample size, as the Nationals could have another young, long-term building block.
Another youngster who has played well for the team since the deadline is Andres Chaparro. Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Dylan Floro, he has produced an OPS+ of 118, with nine of his 15 hits going for extra bases.
The core lineup that is coming together in Washington is very impressive. Those two with CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia Jr., James Wood and Dylan Crews is an incredibly strong foundation to build the lineup around.
If the Nationals can see improvements from their young arms, or bring in an established pitcher or two in the offseason, they will take off in 2025.
Washington
The Fallout From the Epstein Files
The Department of Justice is facing scrutiny this week after it was revealed that records involving President Trump were missing from the public release of the Epstein files. On Washington Week With The Atlantic, panelists joined to discuss the ensuing political fallout for the Trump administration, and more.
“The key thing to remember about the Epstein story is that it is a case that has been mishandled for decades. The reason that we’re hearing about this now and why it’s exploding into public view is because, for the first time, Republicans in Congress and Democrats in Congress were willing to openly defy their leadership and call for the release of these files,” Sarah Fitzpatrick, a staff writer at The Atlantic, said last night. “That has never been done before, and I think it really is changing the political landscape in ways that we’re still just starting to learn.”
“What’s been so striking is how many of those very same Republicans who were calling for the release of those files, who had promised to get to the bottom of them, are now saying things that are just the opposite,” Stephen Hayes, the editor of The Dispatch, argued.
Joining guest moderator Vivian Salama, a staff writer at The Atlantic, to discuss this and more: Andrew Desiderio, a senior congressional reporter at Punchbowl News; Fitzpatrick; Hayes; and Tarini Parti, a White House reporter at The Wall Street Journal.
Watch the full episode here.
Washington
Man charged with shooting co-worker in Washington Heights
A 26-year-old man had an argument with a co-worker before allegedly fatally shooting the colleague in Washington Heights, prosecutors said Friday.
Bobby Martin, who was charged with first-degree murder Thursday, made his first appearance Friday in Cook County court.
Martin, is accused of killing his co-worker, Antoine Alexander, 32, in a parking lot at 9411 S Ashland Ave about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Chicago police.
Prosecutors said Martin and Alexander worked together at an armed security company and got into a verbal altercation inside the guard shack on Tuesday afternoon. During the altercation, prosecutors said Alexander removed his bullet proof vest and threw it to the ground. A witness, another co-worker, then told the defendant and the victim to take the altercation outside.
After stepping outside, the defendant pulled his firearm and fired one shot into the victims abdomen, prosecutors said. The victim’s firearm was holstered at the time of the argument and the shooting. The defendant fled the scene and came into contact with another co-worker, whom he told that he had just shot Alexander.
Alexander was then taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.
Martin was arrested by authorities three blocks from his home approximately 20 minutes after the shooting, prosecutors said.
Martin was detained and will appear in court again on March 17, authorities said.
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Washington
Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury announces she’s pregnant
Trinity Rodman signs record deal with Washington Spirit
USWNT forward Trinity Rodman signed a three-year deal with the NWSL’s Washington Spirit. The deal makes Rodman the highest-paid female footballer in the world.
unbranded – Sport
Washington Spirit goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury has announced that she and her husband Matt are expecting a baby in July.
The couple made the announcement in a video on the Spirit’s social media channels, holding a baby goalkeeper jersey on the pitch at Audi Field.
Kingsbury becomes the most recent Spirit star to go on maternity leave, following defender Casey Krueger, midfielder Andi Sullivan and forward Ashley Hatch.
Sullivan gave birth to daughter Millie in July, while Hatch welcomed her son Leo in January.
Krueger announced she was pregnant with her second child in October.
Kingsbury has served as the Spirit’s starting goalkeeper since 2018, and has been named the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year twice (2019 and 2021).
The 34-year-old has two caps with the U.S. women’s national team, and was named to the 2023 World Cup roster.
The club captain will leave a major void for the Spirit, who have finished as NWSL runner-up in back-to-back seasons.
Sandy MacIver and Kaylie Collins are expected to compete for the starting role while Kingsbury is on maternity leave.
The Spirit kick off their 2026 campaign on March 13 against the Portland Thorns.
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