Howie Kendrick Weighs Retirement Choice Ahead Of 2021
Washington Nationals first baseman/designated hitter Howie Kendrick revealed Friday that he is mulling retirement at the conclusion of the 2020 season. Already done for the year due to a hamstring injury, Kendrick revealed that in a non-COVID-19 circumstance, this would have been his last year; but now? The decision is up in the air. Kendrick is set to become a free agent at seasons end, having slashed .275/.320/.385 in 25 games this season. In addition to being a postseason star for the Nationals, he has compiled an .873 OPS across four years with the club. He had some sizable season-long fantasy intrigue prior to the injuries in 20, so if he comes back for a final year in 21, he could retain some of that same value.
Howie Kendrick Hopeful To Return Before End Of Season
Washington Nationals infielder Howie Kendrick (hamstring) plans on returning to the lineup this week. The 37-year-old is dealing with a hamstring strain and has not appeared in a game since Sept. 5. Kendrick was slashing .275/.320/.385 with 14 RBI before going down. He is a viable depth bat in fantasy formats, but there are likely even better options available for the final few games.
Washington Nationals first baseman Howie Kendrick (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday afternoon. The 37-year-old has been dealing with the nagging injury for the past few weeks. Kendrick has slightly regressed from his 2019 season, as he is slashing .275/.320/.385 with 14 RBI in 2020. In his absence, Eric Thames figures to see an uptick in playing time, but he is not a recommended asset in mixed leagues.
Howie Kendrick Begins To Heat Up As Season Progresses
Washington Nationals first baseman/designated hitter Howie Kendrick has reeled off RBIs in four consecutive contests, building a case for season-long ownership. Serving as the Nats primary DH, Kendrick has taken a while to heat up in 2020, but he has largely been affected by some poor luck. Kendricks .324 xBA ranks among the top five percentile of all batters, while xSLG (.488) is more than 100 points above his actual SLG (.382). Washington doesnt have an off-day until Sept. 9, so with Kendrick figuring to get a considerable amount of at-bats, he could have one or two-week streamer value in medium-sized leagues or larger.
Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles and infielder Howie Kendrick are both getting the day off versus Orioles right-hander Asher Wojciechowski. Carter Kieboom enters the lineup playing third and batting seventh, while Michael A. Taylor will bat ninth and play center field. Kendrick is off to a decent start this season despite battling a minor back ailment, while Robles is hitting just .222 to start the year with no steals. Expect the duo to return to the lineup for Monday's series opener against the Mets.
Howie Kendrick Expected To Rejoin Lineup Next Week
Washington Nationals first baseman/designated hitter Howie Kendrick (back) has not been in the lineup since Tuesday, but it appears that his absence will be coming to an end next week, per manager Davey Martinez. Entering the year coming off 2019 World Series MVP honors, Kendrick garnered considerable season-long attention, although he has gotten off to a 2-for-16 start at the dish. He figures to still see a considerable role upon his return, but the veteran group of Eric Thames, Asdrubal Cabrera, and Starlin Castro all figure to cut into his playing time if Kendrick can not reclaim prior form. It has been since 2016 that Kendrick has held down a full-time gig, which may give owners pause to immediately reinsert him into their lineups next week.
Washington Nationals infielder Howie Kendrick (back) is sitting for the second-straight day versus Blue Jays left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu. Josh Harrison is making his Nats debut batting sixth at DH while Carter Kieboom remains in the lineup batting sixth and playing third. Kendrick was a late scratch before Wednesday's contest after dealing with some upper back soreness and is considered day-to-day. With the club off this weekend due to the Marlins' COVID-19 fallout, Kendrick should return to full health early next week.
Washington Nationals first baseman/designated hitter Howie Kendrick (back) has been removed from the clubs starting lineup for Wednesdays contest against the Toronto Blue Jays. Instead, Asdrubal Cabrera will serve as the teams DH and bat third with Eric Thames batting cleanup and manning first base. The Nationals already entered play Wednesday without outfielder Juan Soto, who is attempting to return from a positive COVID-19 test. Kendrick has scuffled out of the gate in 2020, going just 2-for-16 with one RBI through his first five games. His next chance to return to the lineup comes Thursday when left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is projected to take the hill.
Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto and infielder Howie Kendrick returned to the team's summer camp on Thursday and played in an intrasquad game. The Nationals never announced why both players were absent from camp, so they may have come in contact with an individual(s) that tested positive for COVID-19. Both players received six at-bats on Thursday in order to make up for lost time. Soto had 34 home runs and 110 RBI last year for the World Series champions, while Kendrick was the MVP of the NL Championship Series against the Cardinals. Soto can do it all and is just 21 years old, making him worth considering in the second round of fantasy drafts. Kendrick was excellent in 2019, but at 37 years old, we wonder if he can replicate his 2019 season. The good news is he should see regular at-bats with the designated hitter in play. He's worth a late-round pick in mixed leagues for his ability to make contact.
The Washington Nationals used second baseman Howie Kendrick as their designated hitter last year in the World Series against the Astros. Kendrick is back for his 15th season, and while he's expected to be a backup infielder, he's now the top candidate to serve as their DH with National League adopting the rule for the shortened 60-game season. The veteran hit .344/.395/.572 with 17 home runs and 62 RBI in 370 plate appearances last regular season. If Washington goes with rotating DHs, first baseman Eric Thames and Ryan Zimmerman could also fill the role. Switch-hitting infielder Asdrubal Cabrera could also be used at DH if Carter Kieboom starts at third base. Kendrick should benefit the most from the new rule, and he's certainly worth a late-round investment with an opportunity at more of an everyday role in 2020.