#12
The Washington Nationals followed up their World Series championship run in 2019 with a disappointing season in 2020. Will a return to 162 games lead to success again for the Nats?
#16 - 4th in NL East
MIH - Juan Soto
MIP - Patrick Corbin
PTW - Carter Kieboom
2020 Results
#20 - 26-34, 4th in NL East
In 2019, the Nationals got off to a slow start before finishing strong, making the playoffs, and winning the World Series. In 2020, the Nationals got off to a slow start and just about when they had gotten hot the year before, the shortened season ended with the team in 4th place. Teams often have a down year after a championship run, but I am really curious what would have happened if they had a full season.
Additions / Subtractions
The Nationals treated this offseason like a team that is not far away from returning to a deep postseason run. They upgraded first base by trading for Josh Bell from the Pirates. They rounded out an already strong rotation with veteran arm Jon Lester. They filled a hole in the outfield by signing slugger Kyle Schwarber. They strengthened the back end of their bullpen by signing lefty Brad Hand. They also got Ryan Zimmerman back after he opted out in 2020. Every move made seemed to be an upgrade over the player that occupied that spot last season, whether it be Adam Eaton, Anibal Sanchez, or Howie Kendrick.
Most Important Hitter
Josh Bell
The Nationals boast one of the best leadoff hitters in the league in Trea Turner and one of, if not the, best hitter in baseball in Juan Soto. These two just seem to be getting better and better too. It seemed that the goal of the offseason seemed to be protection in the lineup for these two. With young players like Carter Kieboom, Luis Garcia, and Victor Robles filling out a third of the lineup every day as players still trying to find their stride at the plate in the big leagues, they needed some veteran bats. Enter Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber. Both are in similar places in their career. Both have shown flashes of brilliance, and both have shown great struggles. I went with Bell in this spot because he has hit higher heights, and the Nats invested more in Bell. A switch-hitting slugging first baseman, Josh Bell made the All Star Team in 2019 during a season he hit 37 home runs and had a 142 OPS+. In 2020, Bell was under a 100 OPS+ for the first time in his career while anchoring the worst lineup in the league. Now he is expected to give that much needed protection to Turner and Soto while also hitting in a much deeper lineup. If he bounces back to 2019 form, this could be a scary lineup.
Most Important Pitcher
Daniel Hudson
The Nationals still have one of the most talented starting rotations in the big leagues. When you bring in Jon Lester to be your 4th starter behind Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin, you know you have a strong rotation. The Achilles heel for the Nats in this latest run has always been the bullpen. In the 2019 postseason, they pitched their starters more than any other team to avoid having to use the bullpen as much as possible. Now they are a little more established in the back end with Will Harris and Brand Hand. The question is can Daniel Hudson be a reliable closer. If he can, this bullpen should be good. If he can't, Hand will probably take over the role, shortening the depth of the bullpen they built.
Prospect to Watch
Tim Cate
The Nationals were just ranked the worst farm system in baseball by MLB.com, boasting only one Top 100 prospect, and that is their most recent first round pick (and he is only coming in at #99). Most of their system is nowhere near the big leagues. The player most likely to have an impact on the big league roster in 2021 is pitcher Tim Cate. This lefty is the 9th ranked player in the Nationals' system, and although he doesn't boast the plus velocity like many stud pitching prospects these days, he has the makeup of a guy that can be a back-end rotation option or a swing reliever able to pitch multiple innings. A skill set like that can be helpful down the stretch of a pennant chase.
2021 Prediction
3rd in NL East
The Nationals are going to be back in the conversation in 2021. They should be competitive again through a long season that did not involve a deep playoff run the year before. Their young bats should take a step forward. Their new additions should add some depth and pop to their lineup. I really like the look of what the Nationals are bringing this season. The problem is their division. As I have said with the previous two entries from the NL East, this is one of the deepest and most competitive divisions in MLB history. I see a scenario where the Nats win the division. I also see a scenario where they finish in last. And I could say the same for every team in the division. The amount of talent the Nationals have, this feels about right. They will be in the race in the last week of the season, but ultimately come up just short.
Fearless Prediction
Max Scherzer and Ryan Zimmerman will play their last games in a Nationals uniform in 2021.
2021 will probably see the end of an era in DC. Max Scherzer is entering the last year of his 7 year contract he signed in 2015, and although it was a huge megadeal (that will still be paying Max for 7 more years thanks to deferred money) it might go down as one of the greatest contracts in baseball history. He might move on after the 2021 season, but he will be remembered fondly in the nation's capital. So will Ryan Zimmerman, who has been a part of the organization ever since they moved from Montreal. His career is in its twilight, but he has been the face of the franchise for a very long time. If this is his last year in Washington, it is because he will retire. I doubt he will ever put on another uniform.
