Liam Griffin
Articles by Liam Griffin
Nats go high-tech: New regime brings out pitching machines, apps, spin-axis balls
First-year Washington Nationals manager Blake Butera and new President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni have placed their analytics-forward fingerprints all over the Nationals' rebuild, from coaches pulled out of sports science labs to new analytics tools across the organization. Published March 25, 2026
Nationals unveil opening day roster, portion of starting rotation
The Nationals finalized their opening day roster on Wednesday, 24 hours before the team takes the field against the Cubs in Chicago for their first game of the season. Published March 25, 2026
Cinderella-less Sweet 16 represents new normal for March Madness
Midnight is arriving early for college basketball's would-be Cinderellas. For the fourth consecutive year, the men's NCAA tournament will feature just one double-digit seed, 11th-seeded Texas, as the transfer portal and name, image and likeness budgets make it harder for small schools to compete. Published March 24, 2026
Bullpen questions, depth concerns accompany Nationals’ final roster projections
The cherry blossoms are blooming, and Nationals baseball is on the horizon. Published March 24, 2026
New-look Nationals embrace process as spring training concludes
The Washington Nationals, now led by first-year President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni and new manager Blake Butera, sent Dylan Crews, 2024's No. 2 overall pick, down to Triple-A Rochester over the weekend. They sent a message in the process: nobody's development would be rushed. Published March 23, 2026
Nationals add infielder Vivas, send pitcher Linan to Yankees
The Nationals haven't stopped making moves with less than a week before opening day. The franchise added infielder Jorbit Vivas on Sunday through a trade with the New York Yankees. Published March 22, 2026
Ovechkin scores 1,000th goal, Capitals fall to Avalanche in OT
Alex Ovechkin is the second player in NHL history to surpass the 1,000-goal mark between postseason and regular-season play. Wayne Gretzky -- who Ovechkin passed for the regular-season goals record last season -- found the back of the net 1,016 times and still holds that lead. Published March 22, 2026
Nationals send former All-Star Gray, outfielder Hassell to Triple-A
The Washington Nationals' opening day roster is taking shape as spring training winds down. The franchise sent pitchers Josiah Gray and Julian Fernandez to Triple-A Rochester on Thursday, along with outfielder Robert Hassell III. Published March 19, 2026
Commanders sign safety, special teams ace Reaves to extension
The Commanders' special teams ace is sticking around. The franchise signed safety Jeremy Reaves to a one-year extension on Thursday to keep the 29-year-old in Washington through the 2027 season. Published March 19, 2026
March Madness offers Wizards’ faithful a chance to dream about the future
The Wizards' rebuild can't go on forever. The franchise is bottoming out this season, looking to lock in a top pick in the draft lottery before inching back toward relevance next season. Published March 18, 2026
Capitals’ Hutson earns rave reviews ahead of potential NHL debut
It takes a village to turn a teenage college hockey star into an NHL contributor. Luckily for the Capitals -- and newly promoted defenseman Cole Hutson -- the franchise has an array of veterans who are eager to lend a helping hand. Published March 17, 2026
Iran lobbies FIFA to move World Cup matches from U.S. to Mexico
FIFA is refusing to move Iran's World Cup matches from the U.S. to Mexico, despite public lobbying from the Islamic republic's soccer federation. Published March 17, 2026
Commanders offensive, defensive schemes take shape as free agency cools
The dust has settled on the first wave of NFL free agency, and -- bit by bit -- the vision for the 2026 Commanders is taking shape. Published March 16, 2026
McNichols to re-sign with Commanders on one-year deal
The Washington Commanders have agreed to re-sign running back Jeremy McNichols, according to multiple reports. Financial details for the one-year deal were not immediately available on Monday morning. Published March 16, 2026
Nationals to add team dog to roster, ask fans for naming help
Man's best friend is coming to Nationals Park -- and not just at the team's half-dozen "Pups in the Park" nights. The Nationals announced Monday that they'd welcome a team dog to the roster as it undergoes basic training and socialization to become a service animal. Published March 16, 2026
No Maryland, American or Georgetown: 16th-seeded Howard to represent D.C. in March Madness
The District's March Madness dreams will rely on a Cinderella this year. Howard -- a No. 16 seed -- is the city's only representation on this year's NCAA men's basketball bracket after underwhelming seasons from Maryland, American, George Washington and Georgetown. Published March 16, 2026
Capitals sign Hutson, highly-touted prospect, to 3-year deal
The next generation of Washington Capitals is on the way. The franchise signed Cole Hutson, their second-round selection in the 2024 NHL draft, to a three-year, $2.9 million NHL contract on Sunday. Published March 15, 2026
Commanders fill holes after whiffing on big names in NFL’s free agent frenzy
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is reuniting with a college teammate. The Commanders agreed to sign former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White, who played with Daniels at Arizona State, a source familiar with the negotiations told The Washington Times on Thursday. Published March 12, 2026
WNBA, players union fail to reach labor agreement after marathon negotiating meeting
The WNBA's players and owners could not reach an agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement during a 12-hour negotiating session that stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning. Published March 11, 2026
Commanders to sign former Terps Okonkwo, Cross in free agency
Two Maryland products are returning to the region. The Washington Commanders agreed to sign safety Nick Cross and tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo on Wednesday, according to multiple reports. Published March 11, 2026
