The Commanders Report. Good luck to the Washington Commanders tomorrow night as they face the Detroit Lions. Kick-off will be at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Fox. The winner of the game will advance to the NFC Championship game, which will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 26th, also on Fox. Can the Commanders win the game tomorrow night? We hope so!

Goodbye Mr. Baseball. Yesterday, Bob Uecker, the iconic Milwaukee Brewers radio announcer, former Major League catcher, and beloved actor, passed away at 90. Uecker's career spanned decades, leaving an indelible mark on baseball and entertainment.

⚾ Happy Retirement. According to multiple news outlets, Washington Nationals 3B Jake Alu has retired from professional baseball. Alu was drafted in 2019 by the Washington Nationals in the 24 round and the 723 overall pick in that year's MLB Draft. Alu will finish his professional career in the Majors with a batting average of .226, an OPS of .571, 16 RBI, and two homeruns. Alu will finish his career in the minors with a batting average of .282, an OPS of .778, 221 RBI, 39 homeruns, and 1,519 at-bats. Congratulations, Jake Alu, on your retirement from baseball.

🚪 Closing Time. We will officially close out our 2024-2025 offseason coverage on Friday, January 31st, to get ready for our live Spring Training action, which will start on Friday, February 7th! Keep an eye out for the link to our live blog, your one-stop shop for all things Nationals Spring Training!

👋 Welcome Back. Our popular Game Notes will return for the 2025 season, with the first edition of this season being published for the National's first Spring Training Game on February 22, 2025. Be sure to subscribe to Nats Report+ to get our full Game Notes!

TGIF! Good Friday Morning from another cold day in Washington D.C. outside the Nats Report Newsroom. Here are the latest headlines, news analysis, and more about the Washington Nationals organization for Friday, January 17, 2025.

Count down clock:

• Pitchers & Catchers (February 12) - 26 Days

• Official start of Spring Training (February 20) - 34 Days

• Nationals first Spring Training Game (February 22) - 36 Days

• OPENING DAY (Thursday, March 27, 2025) - 69 Days!

The temperature in West Palm Beach, FL, will be 71 degrees, while today's temperature outside the Nats Report Newsroom will be 43 degrees. Who's ready for Spring Training weather?

Today's Morning Briefing is brought to you by BREAKING T. Celebrate Washington's best baseball moments with timely, high-quality, super-comfy apparel you can't get anywhere else from Breaking T. Wear the Moment® and your Breaking T today!

Don't forget to become a Nats Report+ subscriber today and receive our exclusive Weekly e-newsletter. Tomorrow morning and every Saturday, you'll get a recap of all the latest Nationals news and headlines, plus a glimpse into the week ahead as we eagerly anticipate Spring Training and the start of the 2025 season.

📰 Driving the Day at the Nats ReportHere are some top stories we're tracking in the Nats Report Newsroom

📝: Meet the Press. Washington Nationals International Scouting Director Victor Rodriguez shared his excitement over top international prospect Brayan Cortesia and catcher Daniel Hernandez. Rodriguez discussed the development of key prospects like Daniel Hernandez in a recent media session. From our article: "Rodriguez expressed excitement about the signing of Brayan Cortesia, a shortstop with 'five-tool potential.' He emphasized Cortesia's athleticism and raw talent: 'Pretty much all the tools across the board are above average with a chance to hit and hit for power.'"

Reflecting on his first signing period as the head of international scouting, Rodriguez acknowledged the increased responsibility but emphasized the valuable experience gained from working with other successful organizations. Furthermore, Rodriguez highlighted the importance of maintaining a simple approach to player evaluation, stating, "We try to keep it as simple as possible. Don't ignore the obvious here. The big leaguers stick out, hitters stick out, guys that throw strikes." Read our full article here.

🌴 Major League Baseball's Spring Breakout Returns. Major League Baseball has officially announced the dates and times for this year's Spring Training prospect showcase.  The event, which began last year to showcase Minor League talent on Major League fields, kicks off on Thursday, March 13th, with the Red Sox and Rays facing off in Port Charlotte, Florida. The Spring Breakout concludes on March 16th with a matchup between the Reds and Brewers in Maryvale, Arizona.

This year, the Washington Nationals will participate twice in "Spring Breakout." The first game will be against the Houston Astros on Friday, March 14th, with the first pitch scheduled for 2:05 PM, and the second game will be against the New York Mets on Sunday, March 16th, with the first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM EDT / 2:05 PM PDT.

⏳ SPEED READSWhat we think the Washington Nationals front office is reading

📌 Mets make 'last-ditch' offer to Pete Alonso, Blue Jays to restart Vlad Guerrero extension talks (CBS Sports)

📌 MLB Analyst Thinks Dodgers Have Worst Chance to Land Roki Sasaki Among Finalists (Sports Illustrated)

📌 Mets projected to land Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 1-for-1 blockbuster (Sporting News.com)

📌 Former Washington Nationals Slugger Agrees To Reunite With New York Mets (Sports Illustrated)