Wire Taps: Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Hudson on the 2020 season plans + more Nats links...

Ryan Zimmerman is still trying to decide whether he’ll play baseball with the coronavirus pandemic still a serious issue around the United States (and the world). Zim’s teammate Daniel Hudson said that he is planning to play in 2020, but he won’t be moving his family from Arizona to D.C. for the late-July-to-late-September season Major League Baseball is going to try to pull off, with postseason baseball in October if the defending World Series champs make it back after a World Series win last year. Check out what Zim and Hudson have to say about their respective thought processes below. Go read your links.

NATS BEAT:

Nats star Ryan Zimmerman's AP diary: To play or not to play? - (AP)
"'I’m still deciding whether to play. When it comes down to it, it’s a decision not just for me, but for my family as well.'"

Ryan Zimmerman, citing family’s health, is still deciding whether he will play this season - The Washington Post
“The first line made his position clear. It read, ‘I’m still deciding whether to play.’”

Nationals' Daniel Hudson prepared to leave family behind during 2020 season - (NBC Sports Washington)
"On Friday, Nationals reliever Daniel Hudson told Sirius XM’s MLB Network Radio that while he plans to participate in this season, he won’t be bringing his family with him to D.C."

Without fans, home-field advantage will only exist thanks to park dimensions in 2020 - (NBC Sports Washington)
"The extraction of fans may be the biggest change for Major League Baseball in 2020. Even more so than the near-limitless health requirements."

With Thames on roster, Nats well-positioned for everyday DH role - (MASN)
"So who will the Nationals employ the most as their designated hitter for the 2020 campaign? The good news for the Nats is they have a hitter on their roster built perfectly for the DH spot."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

MLB will return amid coronavirus, but can it last? - (Sports Illustrated)
"Remember all those innings Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer threw over seven months, including four rounds of playoffs? It’s a moot point now."

A spring at home: 30 people around MLB explain what they got better at - (Yahoo!Sports)
"Max Scherzer, Nationals pitcher, via his wife, Erica Scherzer: 'Max says he’s gotten a lot better at doing our daughter’s hair. You’d be shocked how tangled it gets and he’s finally figuring out how to comb through it.'"

How a shortened season affects 2020’s playoff odds - (Beyond the Box Score)
"Last season if only the first 60 games were counted, the eventual World Champion Nationals would not have made the playoffs, as they started the season an underwhelming 27-33."

A 60-Game Season Is a Boon to Middling Teams’ Playoff Odds - (FanGraphs)
"While the Rays and Nationals have been pulled in from the front of the pack, we see many more teams creeping up from what used to be the bottom tier of actual playoff hopefuls."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Phillies sign Casey Martin to wrap up 2020 draft business - (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
"The Phillies completed the business end of their 2020 draft on Thursday when they announced the signing of University of Arkansas infielder Casey Martin."

Analyzing what makes Mets' Jeff McNeil so successful - (SNY)
"Baseball Night in New York: Living Room Edition does a deep dive on Jeff McNeil, looking at what makes him so successful and his increased power numbers in the back half of 2019."

What roster decisions loom for the Marlins? - (MLB.com)
"Several non-roster invitees still have a chance to be on the Opening Day roster, which will sit at 30 for the first two weeks of the season before shrinking to 28 after two weeks and later 26 after four."

Flowers talks safety precautions, prep for '20 - (MLB.com)
"There may also be some additional concern for how the virus could impact some of the older members of the organization. Four members of the coaching staff are 60 or older."