Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Fri 3/15/19 4:03 PM

Taylor has both a sprained left knee and a sprained left hip and is expected to miss a significant amount of time, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
EDGE Analysis
Taylor suffered the injuries while making a diving catch Thursday against the Twins. It's unclear how long he'll miss, but his absence appears likely to extend into the regular season. The Nationals' depth in the outfield is thin, and Taylor is the team's only established bench option. His absence could mean Matt Adams and Howie Kendrick (hamstring) will be needed in the outfield.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Fri 3/15/19 9:27 AM

Taylor said Friday his left knee is still sore from the dive attempt that caused him to exit Thursday's game, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
EDGE Analysis
There was no indication that Taylor is dealing with a serious injury, but said he wanted to receive treatment before making any declarations. The 27-year-old seems likely to be sidelined at least through the weekend as the severity of the injury is determined.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Thu 3/14/19 4:49 PM

Taylor injured his left knee making a diving catch Thursday and will be re-evaluated Friday, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
EDGE Analysis
Manager Davey Martinez sounded cautiously optimistic that Taylor, who was limping after the game, avoided a serious injury. If Taylor is forced to open the year on the injured list, Howie Kendrick (hamstring) or Andrew Stevenson would likely start the year as the fourth outfielder.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Thu 3/14/19 2:04 PM

Taylor exited Thursday's game after apparently suffering a lower-body injury on a diving play in center field, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
EDGE Analysis
Zuckerman speculated that Taylor tweaked his knee, but there has been no word from the team. Taylor stayed in the game initially, but had to walk to the dugout instead of jogging in between innings. He is in line to be the Nationals' fourth outfielder.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Thu 3/14/19 1:53 PM

Taylor may have tweaked his knee on a diving play Thursday against the Twins, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
EDGE Analysis
He created a big divot when his spike caught on a diving play in center field. Taylor stayed in the game after getting checked out, but then attempted to job back to the dugout after the inning and needed to slow up to walk back. It remains to be seen if he will be allowed to head back out for the next inning.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Wed 3/13/19 3:55 PM

Taylor will likely enter the year as the Nationals' fourth outfielder, but should still get opportunities in center field when the team looks to rest Adam Eaton, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Earlier in camp it was viewed as a competition between Victor Robles and Taylor for the starting center fielder job, but it seems more likely now that Taylor's playing time will primarily come at the expense of Adam Eaton. Manager Dave Martinez said he views Taylor as the team's best defensive center fielder, so it's possible Taylor and Eaton settle into a loose platoon, with Taylor getting most of his starts against lefties.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Fri 3/1/19 10:04 AM

Taylor is still in a competition with Victor Robles for the starting center field job, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
EDGE Analysis
Following the news Thursday that Bryce Harper was officially joining the Phillies, Nats manager Dave Martinez reiterated that Robles and Taylor were still fighting for the position, although Martinez also indicated that both would see significant playing time this season. The club would prefer it if Robles seized the job this spring, but through the early part of camp Taylor has been more impressive at the plate, going 4-for-10 with a homer and a double. The 27-year-old's .239/.293/.395 career slash line over four-plus seasons paints a picture of a bench player, however.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Tue 2/26/19 6:34 PM

Taylor went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's loss to the Cardinals.
EDGE Analysis
After roping a double in his first at-bat, Taylor proceeded to steal third base and score on a wild pitch by Chasen Shreve. The speedster added another double in his next plate appearance before giving way to Chuck Taylor in center field. Taylor is currently earmarked for reserve duty, though his speed could make him a viable asset if injuries open up an avenue to playing time.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Thu 2/21/19 2:02 PM

Taylor will start in center field for Saturday's Cactus League opener against the Astros, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports.
EDGE Analysis
According to Zuckerman, Taylor dealt with hip and oblique injuries over the offseason. However, manager Davey Martinez said the speedy outfielder looked "really good" in workouts Thursday and doesn't seem to be experiencing any lingering effects from the aforementioned issues. As long as his health continues to hold up, Taylor appears to be slated for fourth outfielder duties this season behind Juan Soto, Victor Robles and Adam Eaton from left to right field.

Michael A. Taylor
OF CWS
Fri 2/1/19 11:49 AM

Taylor will sign a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Nationals after losing his arbitration case Friday, Jon Heyman of FancredSports.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
Taylor was seeking more in his second year of arbitration but will have to settle for the lower number. The 27-year-old took a step back at the plate in 2018 with a .227/.287/.357 slash line with 24 stolen bases in 385 plate appearances and is likely to enter spring training as the Nationals' No. 4 outfielder.