Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor becomes free agent

By Todd Dybas
October 15, 2020 | 12:19 PM

Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor becomes free agent originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Michael A. Taylor went through various layers of baseball life with the Nationals. He was a touted prospect. He appeared to put together a breakout season in 2017. He could never find a way to be a more consistent hitter.

Now, Taylor is onto the open market. He cleared outright waivers and has elected free agency. His time in Washington is done.

Taylor, 29, leaves as a top-tier defender and with ongoing contact issues at the plate. He is one of the best defensive outfielders in the sport. He’s also a .237 career hitter with a .291 on-base percentage.

Playing under Dusty Baker led to Taylor’s best season in 2017. He finished with an .806 OPS despite 137 strikeouts and just 29 walks. It was a 2.8 bWAR season for him in only 432 at-bats. His production continued in the postseason when he delivered a 1.178 OPS in the five-game series against the Cubs. Overall, Taylor played 16 postseason games, which led to four home runs and a 1.027 OPS. He was 1-for-1 with a solo home run in the 2019 World Series.

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Taylor leaves the organization 11 years after being a sixth-round pick in 2009 out of Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Taylor leaving likely means Andrew Stevenson will be the team’s fourth outfielder in 2021.

His departure also drops the Nationals’ 40-man roster to 33. More removals are to come.

Eric Thames, Adam Eaton and Aníbal Sánchez are unlikely to have their contract options picked up. Sean Doolittle, Asdrúbal Cabrera, Kurt Suzuki, Josh Harrison and Brock Holt all will become free agents. Those moves can reduce the 40-man roster all the way to 25.

Three automatic additions will be made when Stephen Strasburg, Starlin Castro and Seth Romero are added back after being removed from the 60-day injured list.

But, overall, the Nationals are in the midst of a major overhaul of their 40-man roster.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
July 14, 2026 | 6:30 PM

Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers

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