Hand was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Friday.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran left-hander was caught up in the Nationals' COVID-19 outbreak that delayed the start of the season, but he only ended up being away from the team for a week since apparently was only out due to contact tracing. Hand may need a day or two before being ready to pitch, but he should take over the closer's role now that he's cleared, relegating Daniel Hudson and Tanner Rainey to setup roles.

The Nationals placed Hand on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hand is one of nine Nationals players on the 40-man roster who will begin the campaign on the IL as a result of the team's recent COVID-19 outbreak. Prior reports have suggested that only four of the players in question have been confirmed to have tested positive for the virus, but it's uncertain whether Hand is one of the infected players or merely a close contact. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, players that tested positive will be eligible to return after 10 days in quarantine, while those ruled out through contact tracing can return after a week. Daniel Hudson and Tanner Rainey look to be the top candidates for saves while Hand is sidelined.

Hand was not on the field for the Nationals' workout Monday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Eleven players in total are reported to be in quarantine for the Nats due to positive COVID-19 tests or being designated as close contacts, and Hand's absence from the workout suggests he's probably in one of those groups. If he's in the latter group, he could still be cleared to play in time for Tuesday's game against Atlanta, but Daniel Hudson or Tanner Rainey would be the most likely candidates to handle a save chance if Hand is unavailable.

Hand topped out at 93 mph with his fastball over the weekend, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports. "I think by the end of spring training, the adrenaline will start pumping a little more," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Sunday. "We might see the 94s and 95s again."

EDGE Analysis

Declining velocity was a concern for Hand last season and may have played into Cleveland's decision to part ways with him, as he averaged 91.5 mph with his fastball in 2020 -- over two miles per hour slower than in 2018. The southpaw still got excellent results though, going 16-for-16 on save chances and posting career lows in ERA (2.05) and WHIP (0.77). With Hand not showing any signs of further decline this spring, there seems to be little danger of him losing his grip on the closer role for Washington.

Hand threw 25 pitches in a batting practice session Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. "He threw the ball really, really well. So he's getting close to getting in a game here soon," manager Dave Martinez said afterwards.

EDGE Analysis

The southpaw was signed in the offseason to shore up the back of the Nationals' bullpen after being cut loose by Cleveland in October. Hand has recorded 103 saves over the last four seasons, and while Martinez has been seemingly reluctant so far to definitively state that the 30-year-old is his closer, there's currently no reason to think Hand has any serious competition for the role.

Hand appears to be the Nationals closer but may not be fully locked into the job, with manager Dave Martinez merely saying Friday, "In a perfect world, he'll be our closer," Matt Weyrich of NBC Sports Washington reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's possible all that it takes to qualify as a "perfect world" in Martinez's mind is that Hand remains healthy this spring, something that shouldn't be too difficult given that he hasn't hit the injured list since 2014. If that's all he meant, there's little reason to worry here, but it's nevertheless strange to see Hand given less than a full endorsement. He sure looks like the closer, as he's saved 103 games over the last four years while posting a 2.61 ERA, so there's probably not much reason to worry here unless the Nationals continue to refer to him in somewhat ambiguous terms.

Hand has spent a good part of the offseason working on his sinker, and trying to improve his velocity with both it and his four-seam fastball, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hand's average fastball velocity has dropped two mph over the last two seasons, forcing him to dedicate this offseason to regaining some of that velocity. His results have still been excellent despite the velocity drop, but he's been working with less of a margin for error than he'd like.

Hand signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract with the Nationals on Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hand drew heavy interest during free agency before reaching his short-term agreement with the Nationals. The deal is pending a physical, but the 30-year-old should take over as Washington's closer in 2021 after converting on all 16 of his save chances with Cleveland last year while posting a career-best 2.05 ERA and 0.77 WHIP over 22 innings.

Hand cleared waivers and had his $10 million contract option declined by Cleveland on Friday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hand was placed on outright waivers Thursday, but no team claimed him under his $10 million price tag. He'll be paid a $1 million buyout by Cleveland, and the southpaw could have to settle for a lesser deal in free agency due to decreased financial flexibility around the league.

Hand was placed on outright waivers by Cleveland on Thursday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The team intends to decline Hand's $10 million club option and pay him a $1 million buyout should he pass through waivers unclaimed. The veteran lefty has a resume that teams would seemingly be quite happy to pay $10 million for under ordinary circumstances, as he's saved 105 career games and owns a 2.70 ERA and a 33.3 percent strikeout rate over the last five seasons. It's possible this is just an example of Cleveland being cheap, though if Hand does indeed head to free agency, it could be an indicator of just how suppressed the market will be during a pandemic offseason.