2024 Pre-Season Profile: Washington Nationals

 #29

The Washington Nationals are still rebuilding, but many of their highly-touted prospects are on the verge of a big league debut.  How long before they can contend again?

2023 Predictions

#29 - 5th in NL East

MIH - Joey Meneses

MIP - MacKenzie Gore

PTW - Cade Cavalli

FP - The last of the remaining players from the 2019 World Series run will play their last games in a Nationals uniform in 2023.

2023 Results

#26 - 71-91, 5th in NL West

Highest WAR (Position) - CJ Abrams

Highest WAR (Pitching) - Josiah Gray

The extend that the rebuild has gone since the 2019 World Series win is extensive and impressive.  The 2023 season was one of very little consequence or relevance for the Nationals.  In one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, they were locked in the cellar from the moment the season started.  It also saw the end of the Stephen Strasburg era as injuries forced him to retire.  However, there were sparks of promise from the likes of CJ Abrams, Stone Garrett, and Lane Thomas.  If only Patrick Corbin could pitch well, he could have been traded for more prospects.

Additions / Subtractions

The Nats took some fliers on some reclamation projects in the few off-season moves they made.  The master of the three true outcomes, Joey Gallo, will be contributing his 30 homers and and .150 average to the DC area in 2024.  The more interesting add is infielder Nick Senzel, once a top Reds prospect, now getting a fresh start after new top prospects left him without a job at the ripe old age of 28.

Most Important Hitter

Keibert Ruiz

One of the main prizes of the Max Scherzer trade a few years back, Keibert Ruiz has turned himself into one of the more promising young catchers in the league.  Now, entering his age 25 season, he is poised to take the next step and become a potential face of the franchise.

Most Important Pitcher

Patrick Corbin

Patrick Corbin turned a career year with the Diamondbacks in 2018 into a huge 6 year contract with the Nationals.  Despite being a major piece in the championship run in 2019, the Nationals would admit the contract has been an epic disappointment, being a below average pitcher the last 4 years and leading the league in losses each of the last 3 years.  Now he is entering his final year of his contract, and the only value he can provide the Nationals would be to show a version of his younger self in the early parts of the year so he would have some trade value at the Trade Deadline.  There's a good chance if he doesn't perform well enough to be traded, he might just be DFA'ed and see his career possibly come to an abrupt end.

Prospect to Watch

James Wood

Now for the exciting part of the Nationals!  Not only do they have some young talent already in their lineup like CJ Abrams and Keibert Ruiz, but they have more phenoms ready to burst on the scene as they sport the 14th best farm system in baseball.  The name baseball fans should get to know first is probably James Wood.  This 21 year old outfielder was a key piece the Padres sent in the Juan Soto trade of 2022, and now he is ready to show why.  Ranked the 12th best prospect in baseball, Wood is a 6'6" 234lb athlete that can crush the ball and outrun the best of them.  The only thing that could keep him from being the centerfielder of the future in DC is Dylan Crews, the 2nd overall pick last year that also could debut this season.

2024 Prediction

5th in NL East

If all their promise breaks out like they could, this could be the last season the Nationals spend in the cellar for awhile, which is saying something considering the division they are in.  There's a chance their lineup truly becomes elite by the end of the season, but their pitching will hold them back.  There's just no depth and much fewer reinforcements from their top prospects to help.

Fearless Prediction

MacKenzie Gore will be an All Star in 2024.

Another prize of the Juan Soto trade, along with CJ Abrams and James Wood, was MacKenzie Gore.  Good enough to be the 3rd overall pick on 2017 out of high school, Gore has yet to show much of the promise everyone expected.  With that said, 2023 did show some progress, having a 2 win season and almost being league average.  He's only entering his age 25 season.  There's a chance this is the year Gore puts it all together and shows why he was a top pick, a top prospect, and such a valuable trade chip.

2023 MLB Pre-Season Profile: Washington Nationals

 #29

The Washington Nationals may have won the World Series just 4 short years ago, but only a select few players are even left from that championship run.  Is the rebuild just starting, or can the Nats compete in 2023?

2022 Predictions

#24 - 5th in NL East

MIH - Josh Bell

MIP - Josiah Gray

PTW - Cade Cavalli

2022 Results

#30 - 55-107 - 5th in NL East

Highest WAR (Position) - Juan Soto

Highest WAR (Pitching) - Erasmo Ramirez

In just 3 years, the Nationals went from the top of the mountain to the bottom, earning the worst record in baseball.  They aren't even getting rewarded with the top draft pick thanks to the new draft lottery.  They also watched their once-in-a-generation superstar, Juan Soto, be traded mid-season to San Diego.  To show how bad they were last year, their top two players in WAR, Soto and Josh Bell, didn't even play for the Nats the last two months of the season.  Their top pitcher in terms of WAR was a swingman reliever.  The season went wrong in pretty much every way possible.

Additions / Subtractions

When the season goes that badly the year before, there is only one place left to go, and that's up.  There were not a ton of moves this offseason for the Nationals.  The main thing we saw is several veterans leave in free agency, like Nelson Cruz, Luke Voit, Cesar Hernandez, Anibal Sanchez, and Steve Cishek.  Basically, all the placeholders for younger players were sent out.  Brought in were a couple veterans looking for playing time and a fresh start in first baseman Dominic Smith, third baseman Jeimer Candelario, and outfielder Corey Dickerson.

Most Important Hitter

Joey Meneses

The Nationals have fully committed to the youth movement, with loads of highly-touted talent all over the field (much of which has been acquired recently in their blockbuster trades of Soto, Bell, Scherzer, and Turner).  However, every team needs surprises, and one of the few bright spots for the 2021 Nationals was Joey Meneses.  This 30 year old rookie seized an opportunity when the club cleaned house around the trade deadline and finished the season hitting .324 with 13 home runs and a 165 OPS+ in just 56 games.  Now, was this a fluke or a true diamond in the rough?  If Meneses can produce like this again in 2023, it will take a lot of pressure off the phenoms like Keibert Ruiz, C.J. Abrams, and Luis Garcia.

Most Important Pitcher

MacKenzie Gore

The Nationals still have some stars in their rotation like Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg, who only pitched one game in 2022.  However, possibly the most important pitcher to the future of the Nationals is MacKenzie Gore.  Gore was one of the many gems brought back in the Juan Soto / Josh Bell deal.  This former top prospect had trouble getting opportunities in San Diego while also battling injuries.  Now, Gore finds himself with a fresh start and a team committed to giving guys like him every chance to thrive.  If he takes off this year, the Nats are a lot closer to making their way back to contending than originally thought.

Prospect to Watch

Cade Cavalli

The Nationals boast a strong farm system, with 4 prospects in the top 100 with Cade Cavalli the most big league ready at #58.  I try not to highlight the same prospect multiple years in a row, but the Nats have very few top prospects that have a chance to impact the big league club this season.  Cavalli is a 6'4" righty that made his big league debut in 2022, but an injury shut him down after just the one start.  He should make the Opening Day roster in the rotation and might be the next big ace for the Nats.

2023 Prediction

5th in NL East

Yes, the Nationals are in full rebuild mode.  They also play in possibly the toughest division in all of baseball.  The balanced schedule will help them out this season so they don't get beat up so much by the likes of the Mets, Braves, and Phillies.  It's still not going to be good though.  With that said, they have enough exciting talent that they will be a fun watch win or lose.

Fearless Prediction

The last of the remaining players from the 2019 World Series run will play their last games in a Nationals jersey in 2023.

This is a bit of a stretch, but not insane.  Strasburg and Corbin need to show they have the value to trade for them and their contracts.  The most unlikely to move is centerfielder Victor Robles, who is entering his age 26 season, however with only a few years left before free agency, a trade to make way for the next wave of kids isn't out of the question.  It could happen!

2022 MLB Pre-Season Predictions: #30-21

Happy Opening Day!!!  One of my favorite things to do every year is take the month before the baseball season starts and do a preseason write-up and prediction article for each team.  Thanks to the lockout, a shortened Spring Training, and the crazy flurry of free agency signings during that shortened Spring Training, I did not have a chance to write these before the season starts.  With that said, I want to get my predictions out there in some way before the season gets going too much.  So here are teams #30-#21 in my pre-season power rankings.

#30

Oakland A's

2021 Prediction: #8, 1st in AL West, lose in ALDS

2021 Fearless Prediction: Before Opening Day 2022, Matt Chapman and Matt Olson will be traded, a new ballpark deal is done, or the A's will announce a relocation.

2021 Result: #13, 86-76, 3rd in AL West

Most Important Hitter: Sean Murphy

Most Important Pitcher: Frankie Montas

Prospect to Watch: Cristian Pache

2022 Prediction: 5th in AL West

After a lackluster end to 2021, the A's (as I predicted) traded away or let walk away almost their entire roster (including their manager).  Now the A's are starting over as they do every few years, but this one feels different.  They stripped the roster down to the studs without a next wave ready to compete.  Their most important players are the only ones left, and it's only a matter of time before they get traded too.  Are they trying to alienate the fanbase to make a move to Las Vegas easier?  Maybe.  On a side note, what is Oakland doing?  Do they just hate having sports?  They have already watched the Raiders move to Vegas, the Warriors move to San Francisco, and now the A's are on their way out since they refuse to build a new stadium to replace the worst facility in American professional sports.  Sad to see for a once proud sports city.

#29

Pittsburgh Pirates

2021 Prediction: #30, 5th in NL Central

2021 Fearless Prediction: Ke'Bryan Hayes will be an All Star and Rookie of the Year in 2021.

2021 Result: #27, 61-101, 5th in NL Central

Most Important Hitter: Bryan Reynolds

Most Important Pitcher: Mitch Keller

Prospect to Watch: Oneil Cruz

2022 Prediction: 5th in NL Central

The Pirates are a pretty lousy organization, shown by the fact that they just shelled out their biggest contract in franchise history at ... wait for it ... $70 million.  Then Ke'Bryan Hayes goes out and gets hurt in the first inning of Opening Day.  They seem to be the only team still concerned about service time manipulation by keeping Oneil Cruz in the minors to start the year because I think they are the only team that can't afford to sign a good player to a real contract.  Until they learn how to spend, they will only be good if they get lucky.

#28

Colorado Rockies

2021 Prediction: #28, 5th in NL West

2021 Fearless Prediction: Trevor Story will be traded before the Trade Deadline.

2021 Result: #21, 74-87, 4th in NL West

Most Important Hitter: Kris Bryant

Most Important Pitcher: German Marquez

Prospect to Watch: Elehuris Montero

2022 Prediction: 5th in NL West

The Rockies had an interesting offseason where they watched one of their stars leave in free agency while they brought another in.  What looked like a full blown rebuild got an uplift.  They don't have a lot of established players heading into this year though.  They should bounce back quick, but this year might be rough.

#27

Arizona Diamondbacks

2021 Prediction: #27, 4th in NL West

2021 Fearless Prediction: Madison Bumgarner will not be on the Diamondbacks roster at the start of 2022.

2021 Result: #29, 52-110, 5th in NL West

Most Important Hitter: Pavin Smith

Most Important Pitcher: Zac Gallen

Prospect to Watch: Alek Thomas

2022 Prediction: 4th in NL West

It's easy for the top of the NL West to rack up as many wins as they do when they have two door mats like the Rockies and Diamondbacks to deal with as many times as they do.  The Diamondbacks are trying, but they are so far behind the rest of the division (Rockies excluded) that it will take awhile for them to be relevant again.

#26

Cincinnati Reds

2021 Prediction: #19, 3rd in NL Central

2021 Fearless Prediction: Over half of the Reds' Opening Day lineup will no longer be on the roster Opening Day 2022.

2021 Result: #14, 83-79, 3rd in NL Central

Most Important Hitter: Jonathan India

Most Important Pitcher: Luis Castillo

Prospect to Watch: Hunter Greene

2022 Prediction: 4th in NL Central

My fearless prediction came true as the Reds unloaded a ton of their strong core and hit the full reset button.  They have a lot of promise with guys like reigning ROY Jonathan India and phenom Hunter Greene, but their step back will take a few years to bounce back from.

#25

Baltimore Orioles

2021 Prediction: #25, 4th in AL East

2021 Fearless Prediction: Trey Mancini will win Comeback Player of the Year.

2021 Result: #30, 52-110, 5th in AL East

Most Important Hitter: Cedric Mullins

Most Important Pitcher: John Means

Prospect to Watch: Adley Rutschman

2022 Prediction: 5th in AL East

It feels like the Orioles are starting to turn the corner.  The problem is they are in a division with 4 other teams that are World Series contenders.  They won't compete this year, but they will be interesting.

#24

Washington Nationals

2021 Prediction: #12, 3rd in NL East

2021 Fearless Prediction: Max Scherzer and Ryan Zimmerman will play their last games in a Nationals uniform in 2021.

2021 Result: #26, 65-97, 5th in NL East

Most Important Hitter: Josh Bell

Most Important Pitcher: Josiah Gray

Prospect to Watch: Cade Cavalli

2022 Prediction: 5th in NL East

It was time for the Nationals to take their step back and start to rebuild, but what a run they had!  They have another couple steps to fall back all the way before they start building back up, but when they do, they should still have possibly the best hitter of his generation in Juan Soto.

#23

Miami Marlins

2021 Prediction: #20, 5th in NL East

2021 Fearless Prediction: 2021 will be the last time the Miami Marlins finish in the cellar of the NL East for the next decade.

2021 Result: #25, 67-95, 4th in NL East

Most Important Hitter: Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Most Important Pitcher: Jesus Luzardo

Prospect to Watch: Max Meyer

2022 Prediction: 4th in NL East

The Marlins fell back down to earth in 2021 after a magical 60 games in 2020.  Now they are back on schedule with a lot of fun young talent.  It will be tough to compete with the top of the division, but they will cause headaches for the top teams throughout the season.

#22

Cleveland Guardians

2021 Prediction: #17, 3rd in AL Central

2021 Fearless Prediction: Shane Bieber will win a second straight Cy Young Award.

2021 Result: #16, 80-82, 2nd in AL Central

Most Important Hitter: Jose Ramirez

Most Important Pitcher: Shane Bieber

Prospect to Watch: Logan Allen

2022 Prediction: 5th in AL Central

The Guardians rely on one or two players more than any other team in the league.  If Jose Ramirez or Shane Bieber get hurt, they really don't have much of anything.  That's why they finally committed and paid Ramirez.  Scoring runs will be tough this year, but they can still pitch.  Bieber is the best and the leader, but not all they have.  My biggest issue with the Guardians this year ... can we stop this trend of rebranding a franchise but not changing a thing besides the name of the jersey?  The Guardians, the Commanders ... new name, exact same jersey.  It's going to take forever for people to get the name right because they look just like they did before.  Start over!

#21

Kansas City Royals

2021 Prediction: #24, 5th in AL Central

2021 Fearless Prediction: The Royals will sell at least two starting pitchers before the Trade Deadline.

2021 Result: #22, 74-88, 4th in AL Central

Most Important Hitter: Salvador Perez

Most Important Pitcher: Zack Greinke

Prospect to Watch: Bobby Witt Jr.

2022 Prediction: 4th in AL Central

This season for the Royals is all about veterans imparting wisdom on the young up and coming starts.  That's why they bring back Zack Greinke.  This season in KC is all about Bobby Witt Jr. though.  How quickly he breaks out will determine how successful their season is.

2021 Pre-Season Profile: Washington Nationals

 #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?

2020 Predictions

#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.

2019 Pre-Season Profile: Washington Nationals

#13

The Washington Nationals watched the face of their franchise leave through free agency over the offseason, however some think they might be better for it.  Will that be the case, or will the Nats take a step backward in 2019?

2018 Predictions

1st in NL East, lose in NLDS

2018 Results

82-80, 2nd in NL East

The Nationals have ruled this division for most of this decade, winning the division more times than not.  However, after two straight years of winning the division under Dusty Baker, they made a switch at manager hoping it would get them over the hump.  I predicted they would have a similar result as years past by winning the division but losing in the first round of the playoffs.  I didn't think any division competitors were going to be strong enough to challenge them.  I was wrong on several accounts.  First, the division was much more competitive than anyone thought.  Second, the Nats finished with their lowest win total since 2011.  For rookie manager Dave Martinez, 2018 was quite a disappointment.

Additions / Subtractions

What made 2018 a bigger disappointment was they couldn't make a good postseason run in Bryce Harper's last season in DC.  He moved on, signing his mega-deal in Philadelphia.  However, they didn't overreact and try to sign a different mega-deal to replace him.  They did sign the top free agent pitcher though in Patrick Corbin to join an already stout rotation.  He will take the place of departing Tanner Roark in the rotation.  The other moves were more minor but effective.  Out went catcher Matt Wieters, but in came Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki.  Veteran Brian Dozier was brought in to take second base.  Trevor Rosenthal and Kyle Barraclough were brought in to stabilize the back end of the bullpen.  So even though they may have lost Harper, the offseason looks like a mild success considering what they did accomplish.

Most Important Hitter

Juan Soto

One of the reasons the Nationals were okay watching Bryce Harper walk away from the organziation was the breakout season of Juan Soto.  At only 19, Juan Soto had a breakout season, coming up second in the Rookie of the Year race losing to the Braves Ronald Acuna.  Establishing another potential superstar in Soto made keeping their current one in Harper not quite as necessary.  However, that is a lot of pressure for the now 20 year old.  The sophomore slump is a real thing, but he can't have one.  He will be asked to continue to progress in to a superstar while taking up the mantle of "face of the franchise" that Harper left behind.

Most Important Pitcher

Sean Doolittle

Talk about a trade that worked out well for both sides!  In 2017, Sean Doolittle was traded from the A's to the Nationals for Blake Treinen.  I think both teams are happy with the results.  Treinen has become one of the most dominant closers in the league, and Doolittle has continued his strong production when he is on the field.  That is the problem though.  Doolittle has a tendency to get injured.  When he is healthy, there are few better, especially from the left hand side.  However, the Nats need him on the field for a full season.  The additions to the bullpen will be helpful insurance, but Doolittle is the one they want out there with the game on the line every day.

Prospect to Watch

Victor Robles

Reason #2 why the Nationals were okay watching Bryce Harper leave: Victor Robles.  Robles is the 4th best prospect in all of baseball behind only Vlad Jr., Tatis Jr., and Eloy Jimenez.  This 21 year old centerfielder is ready to break out, having made his debut last season in 21 games, but he was going to be without a spot in their outfield if Bryce came back.  Now, he will be patrolling center on Opening Day and is the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year entering the season.

2019 Prediction

3rd in NL East

I think the Nationals will actually be better this year than they were last year.  The problem is their division is a lot better than it was last year.  Their record should be slightly better than the .500 record they boasted last season, but they will be falling further behind in the standings with those around them getting that much better.  With the high expectations in DC though, no playoffs will be a huge disappointment for the second straight year.

Fearless Prediction

Manager Dave Martinez will be managing the Cubs in 2020.

The Nationals have been infamously impatient with their managers.  No Nationals manager has made it to three seasons since their first manager in DC, the late great Frank Robinson.  Every other manager either gets fired after two seasons or partway through their third.  Dave Martinez is entering that dreaded second season as the Nationals manager.  Dusty Baker was fired after two season of winning the division.  Dave Martinez will have no chance if he goes two straight seasons missing the playoffs altogether.  Combine that with the likely scenario that Joe Maddon is probably in his last season with the Cubs, and it seems like an obvious move for Dave Martinez, Maddon's former bench coach, to go back and manage the Cubs next season.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Washington Nationals

#2

The Washington Nationals have been on the brink of winning a pennant for years now.  Will 2017 finally be the year the franchise makes its first World Series?

My 2016 Predictions

2nd in NL East

Stephen Strasburg will be traded before the end of the season.

2016 Results

95-67, 1st in NL East, lost in NLDS

The Nationals had a better season than I anticipated.  Despite Bryce Harper having a sub-par season compared to his MVP 2015 season, the Nats were able to win the division behind their elite pitching.  The addition of Dusty Baker as manager seemed to have more of an impact than many expected.  With all that said, the Nationals still came up short, not even winning a series in the playoffs before being ousted once again.  As for my Fearless Prediction, I said the team had a choice to make: either sign Strasburg long term or trade him.  I simply chose the wrong option as Strasburg will be a Nat for the foreseeable future.

Additions / Subtractions

The Nationals were active this offseason.  They also made several of the more scrutinized moves of the offseason.  Leaving the team were catcher Wilson Ramos, rented closer Mark Melancon, ad shortstop Danny Espinosa.  The Nats were a leading candidate this offseason for ace Chris Sale.  When they lost the bid to the Red Sox, they immediately turned around and traded multiple top prospects for outfielder Adam Eaton.  Many have argued, although the advanced analytics say Eaton was worth the trade, the Nationals overpaid for him.  Late in free agency, they brought in catcher Matt Wieters to replace the departed Ramos.  The other questionable move involves a move they didn't make.  After losing Melancon to free agency, the Nats left themselves without an elite, or even a proven, closer.  They could have acquired guys like David Robertson from Chicago or Alex Colome from Tampa Bay.  Instead, they chose to fill this role from within, even though they had no one on their roster with big league closing experience.

Most Important Hitter

Adam Eaton

With the amount the Nationals gave up for Adam Eaton, he needs to show that he was worth it.  Eaton is a really good defensive player with a decent bat and a knack for getting on base and causing havoc once he is there.  With the sluggers the Nats have in the middle of their order, they felt their urgent need was a table setter to get on base in front of guys like Harper, Murphy, and Zimmerman.  Not only is Eaton being counted on to be that guy, he has to be that guy not only for the Nationals to succeed this season, but also to justify the big trade made for him.

Most Important Pitcher

Tanner Roark

To make a deep postseason run, a team usually needs three great starters to dominate a series.  After the Nationals lost the Chris Sale sweepstakes, they will be counting on Tanner Roark to be that #3 starter behind Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.  Recently, Roark has shown he can be that guy.  After being the odd man out a few years ago when the "Super Rotation" came to DC, Roark worked his way back into the rotation full time in 2016, winning 16 games with a 2.83 ERA in 210 innings.  He followed that up with a successful run in the WBC this spring.  If he pitches how he is capable of pitching, the Nationals may have their third ace without making a move.

Player to Watch

Koda Glover

At the end of the 2016 season, the Nationals had a farm system stocked full of talent poised to burst on the scene in 2017.  After the Adam Eaton trade, most of that talent is gone.  However, one player that is worth paying attention to is Koda Glover.  Glover, who played a little in the big leagues last season, is a live arm starting the season in the Nats' bullpen.  Under ideal circumstances, Glover becomes the reason why the Nationals didn't trade for a closer this offseason as he takes the job and runs with it.

2017 Prediction

1st in NL East, lose in World Series

I think this is the year the Nationals finally do it!  Their lineup rivals the Cubs in talent and depth.  Their top three starting pitchers can rival the Mets.  The moves they made this offseason, especially the Adam Eaton trade, not only show a commitment to winning now, but also will greatly help the team be better this season.  However, the X factor for the Nationals is their manager.  This team has found the perfect balance of analytic, sabermetric front office with an old school, clubhouse manager in Dusty Baker.  Baker in DC is a perfect fit, and last year's success proves my point.  This team is strong and has the experience across the board to make the deep run in the postseason the city, and the league, has been waiting for.

Fearless Prediction

Trea Turner will start the All Star Game at shortstop.

In 2016, Trea Turner showed that he is a star in the making.  He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting, only losing to Corey Seager.  That was while only playing half a season (73 games) and playing out of position (centerfield instead of his original shortstop).  Yet he had a .342 average, 13 homers, 40 RBI's, and 33 steals.  Now he is the Opening Day shortstop and leadoff hitter.  By the end of the season, Trea Turner will be considered one of the best young shortstops in the game with names like Lindor, Correa, Diaz, Story, and Seager.