Wire Taps: Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman talks to Dr. Anthony Fauci; plus other things not nearly as interesting...

Yeah, you read that right up above in the title of the post, Ryan Zimmerman, a 35-year-old, veteran first baseman for the defending World Series champion Washington Nationals, sat down (virtually) with Dr. Anthony Fauci and discussed the coronavirus pandemic with the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. You can watch it all in the video included below.

Zim will probably make a good brand ambassador for the Nats when that 5-year/$10M personal services clause included in his old 6-year/$100M deal with the club kicks in...

NATS BEAT:

Neighborhood options keep Nationals reliever Will Harris going during quarantine - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Harris, one of the Nationals’ most important offseason acquisitions, is thankful for his circumstances while wading through quarantine brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic."

Should the Nationals sign Victor Robles to a long-term deal over Juan Soto? - (NBC Sports Washington)
"For a team that has a reputation for investing in pitching, it will be their position players who will be at the forefront of payroll discussions."

Catching Up with…Colin Bates - (Mayflies & Big Flies)
"This week we’re making yet another call to the bullpen for Colin Bates. "The Nationals selected Bates in the 2010 23rd round out of the University of North Carolina."

Reading the tea leaves about various MLB season proposals - (MASN)
"The length, format and other particulars of a potential season remain very much uncertain. But as various proposals get tossed around, it does seem like everyone involved fully expects something to get underway sometime this summer."

Who would Dr. Fauci start in a Game 7? Max Scherzer, of course - (NBC Sports Washington)
"In an interview with Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on a Zoom call Wednesday, Dr. Fauci was asked who he would start in Game 7 of the World Series if he was put in manager Davey Martinez’s shoes."

Ryan Zimmerman interviews Anthony Fauci about baseball’s return, Brad Pitt and the Nats - (WaPost)
"Whenever baseball does return and fans are allowed back at stadiums, Anthony S. Fauci has an open invitation to drop in the clubhouse at Nationals Park, home of his beloved World Series champions."

Notes on Will Harris and proposed new division alignment - (MASN)
"Pairing [Will] Harris with Daniel Hudson and Sean Doolittle allows the Nats to need only six innings out of their starters."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

NL EAST UPDATES:

Phillies will refund your money for April and May games - (Philadelphia Inquirer)
"The team is beginning to contact customers — season-ticket holders, group leaders, and single-game buyers — and inform them that they are eligible for a refund."

Robinson Cano's Mets future could be saved with universal DH - (NY Post)
"So far, Cano has not lived up to Van Wagenen’s billing in Queens. Could an abbreviated 2020 season provide a glimpse into Cano’s future?"

Miami Marlins to begin business operations staff furloughs - (Miami Herald)
"With no revenue stream coming in as the coronavirus pandemic keeps Major League Baseball at a standstill, the Miami Marlins will began temporarily furloughing members of their business operations staff, a source confirmed to the Miami Herald on Wednesday. About one-third of the department is impacted."

These Braves are hit harder, on the field, by MLB uncertainty - (AJC.com)
"General manager Alex Anthopoulos revealed that the Braves probably would’ve carried [Austin] Riley and [Johan] Camargo on the initial roster, then re-evaluated the situation when minor league baseball started."