Wire Taps: Washington Nationals place Will Harris on 10-Day IL; Four days off for Nats + more...

Four days off seven games into the 2020 campaign, with the threat of baseball’s pandemic season coming to an end if players don’t act like they’re playing during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? It’s a weird one that’s for sure. The defending World Series champions are off until Tuesday after the scheduled opponent, Miami’s Marlins, had an outbreak of 19 players now testing positive for the coronavirus. Reporting on how the Fish reportedly ended up in this position do not put the club in a favorable light. Get it together, Marlins. Go read your links...

NATS BEAT:

Harris To Injured List:

Harris placed on 10-day IL with right groin strain - (MASN)
"[Will] Harris appeared in only two of the Nationals’ first seven games this season, and looked shaky in each."

Nats place Harris (groin strain) on 10-day IL - (MLB.com)
"On Thursday, manager Dave Martinez was optimistic the nine-year veteran would be able to recover during the four days the Nationals have off in between games because their weekend series in Miami was postponed."

Nationals place Will Harris on 10-day injured list - (NBC Sports Washington)
"The move is retroactive to July 29. Harris can rejoin the team Aug. 8, which means he would only miss three games."

As Doolittle and Harris get right, Nats trust Rainey and Hudson - (MASN)
"Bullpen management is always subject to more scrutiny than any other strategic decisions a manager must make during the season."

Nationals reliever Will Harris becomes the latest pitcher to hit the injured list - (WaPost)
“Will Harris will be sidelined for at least another week with a right groin strain.”

Random Nationalsalia:

Sky’s the limit for Nats 2018 first-rounder Mason Denaburg - (MLB.com)
“The right-hander battled through biceps tendinitis prior to the 2018 Draft, then struggled in 2019 and had offseason shoulder surgery.”

Nationals catcher Tres Barrera files lawsuit after PED suspension - (WaPost)
“[Tres] Barrera had requested an emergency temporary restraining order, which would have enabled him to rejoin the Nationals with a judge’s ruling. But that request was denied Wednesday.”

Nationals watching craziness of 2020 season from inside their bubble - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Friday, they took a break. Martinez sent everyone home -- and nowhere else -- for a day."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Kieboom breaks through for Nationals - (MiLB.com)
“The offensive prowess that carried Carter Kieboom through the Minor Leagues was on full display in The Show for the Nationals on Thursday.”

Fortune favors the bold: Inside the Beat, 2019 Nationals – (The Athletic)
“When the Rockies came to Washington in 2019, those in the Denver media raved about how much fun [Gerardo] Parra had been.”

MLB, MLBPA agree to 7-inning twin bills - (MLB.com)
"In the interest of player health and safety, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association jointly announced Friday that both games of doubleheaders will be seven innings in length for the duration of the 2020 season."

COVID-19 BEAT:

MLB coronavirus spread altering baseball's schedule - (Sports Illustrated)
"Commissioner Rob Manfred may not see MLB's circumstance as a nightmare, but the sport has a lot of figuring out to do."

MLB players call on each other to take virus seriously - (Yahoo!Sports)
"At least two MLB players demanded better from their colleagues after a report emerged suggesting Marlins players did not take coronavirus protocols seriously."

Manfred to Clark: The Season is in Jeopardy - (Fangraphs)
"In case it wasn’t clear from the fact that six different teams, a full 20% of the league, have already faced cancelations due to positive COVID-19 tests on the Marlins, Phillies, and Cardinals, Rob Manfred put it in plain terms today..."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Marlins add 2 ex-Phillies with roster depleted by COVID outbreak - (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
"In need of players after 17 of their 30 reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, the Marlins have agreed to deals with a couple of recent ex-Phillies."

Phillies-Blue Jays weekend series postponed - (MLB.com)
"The Blue Jays' 2020 schedule was hit with another change on Thursday as their weekend series against the Phillies has been postponed."

Rojas urges Díaz to harness emotions on hill - (MLB.com)
"[Luis] Rojas said he disliked some of the negative emotion that [Edwin] Díaz showed on the mound as he wrestled with his fastball and slider control."

Miami has deals in place for reinforcements - (MLB.com)
"Scrambling to load up on roster replacements, the Marlins have reached agreements with reliever Pat Venditte, infielder Logan Forsythe and catcher Wilkin Castillo in recent days."