October 30, 2019 was the last “normal” game of baseball before things went… well, you know. It was also the end to one of the most remarkable seasons ever witnessed in Major League Baseball. Nationals fans let’s be honest, you had your moment and it was great. Now it’s time to get serious again. Last season, the Nationals tied for fourth place in the National League East Division and it seemed like most fans were still feeling that 2019 glow instead of being horrified at their team’s performance. But who could blame them? The Nationals have been through a lot since they moved from Montreal in 2005: five playoffs, seven managers, and one Bryce Harper.
New Nationals
In all honesty, this was a great offseason for the Nats. In a 1-year, $6.35 million contract, the Nationals acquired Josh Bell from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bell is a powerful, switch-hitting batter who can do damage in the middle of the lineup. After a decent 2019, last year involved some upsetting statistical results for the first baseman. But a new environment with the Nationals could be what he needs to get back in the groove. It hurts to think about, but Ryan Zimmerman’s departure from baseball is right around the corner. At the very least, this could be the man to replace him.
My col: Washington’s spring training has been filled with happy returns, especially the hitting of new Nats Josh Bell and Kyle Schwarber, two of the hottest sluggers in MLB. Now, lets see if it lasts. https://t.co/Nv3SPWvXdr
— Thomas Boswell (@ThomasBoswellWP) March 25, 2021
The Nationals biggest position-player acquisition was Kyle Schwarber from the Chicago Cubs. Schwarber, another powerful hitter and reliable defender, seems like a great replacement for Adam Eaton. Not to mention, his relationship with Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez goes back to when Martinez was a bench coach for the Cubs during their World Series win in 2016.
Closer Brad Hand and the Washington Nationals are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 25, 2021
Hand winds up with more than his option and will be the Nationals’ new closer.
These additions will be very important considering the horrible offensive numbers that were seen last season; however, the Nats know just as well as anybody that a strong bullpen is also important. Along with Schwarber, the Nationals have acquired Cubs pitcher Jon Lester in a 1-year, $5 million deal. Lester might not be what he used to be, but veteran experience should always be welcome in the starting rotation. In addition, Brad Hand, a lefty from the Cleveland Indians, recorded a league-leading 16 saves last season. Hand signed a 1-year, $10.5 million contract back in January, making this the fourth team he has played on since his debut in 2011; speaking of debuts, 2020 introduced Nationals fans to Kyle Finnegan and his deadly, upper-90’s sinker – a pitch he used to set up a slider that would yield a 51 percent ground-ball percentage.
The NL East Is Tough
One of the biggest changes that Major League Baseball will witness this season is the emergence of an extremely talented NL East. Since 2012, the Nationals have been planting themselves as contenders. Four division titles and a wild card appearance for a team that had been introduced to the league fewer than 10 years prior – not bad at all. But one of the biggest takeaways from this stretch is that conquering your division and finishing with 90 wins does not guarantee anything.
Brief Scouting Report
The NL East is comprised of the Nationals, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, and Philadelphia Phillies. This past offseason, the Mets acquired Francisco Lindor and Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland Indians. Although they are expected to be without Noah Syndergaard for the first couple of months, Jacob deGrom and company are still a massive threat. The Braves have one of the most stacked teams in baseball. Former National League MVP Freddie Freeman, young star Ronald Acuña Jr., and re-signed outfielder Marcell Ozuna will be a nightmare for opposing bullpens.
Dave Dombrowski’s Phillies, who dominated the NL East in the mid-to-late 2000’s, may once again become a force to be reckoned with. They spent a lot of money on bringing back J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius. Combine that offense with a bullpen lead by Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, and you can understand why they’re feeling the brotherly love in Philly. And finally, as the team with more losses than any MLB franchise since 2012, the Miami Marlins are back. They might not be the most prioritized name in this division, but with young arms such as Sixto Sánchez, they probably won’t be the easily-bullied team we’ve recently been accustomed to seeing.
My NL East Predictions
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) March 30, 2021
1. Braves
2. Nationals (WC)
3. Mets
4. Phillies
5. Marlins
New Strategies Needed
Around half of the games an MLB team plays each season are against teams in their division. In Washington’s 2019 World Series season, the Nats were 20 games over .500 against the Phillies and Marlins, but finished just four games over .500 against the rest of their schedule. I wouldn’t expect that same strategy to work again, especially since it barely got them to qualify for the Wild Card game. The comfort of having “easier” divisional games serving as damage control for other losses is no longer an option. The 2010’s are over and these teams have improved significantly, all competing for one guaranteed spot in the postseason.
Players to Watch
Team Leaders
It’s no surprise that Juan Soto is near the top of the list for possible NL MVP winners this year. Although 2019 showcased the potential Soto had, fans really got to see just how good he is in 2020. Not only did he snag the National League Batting Title, he took home a Silver Slugger as well. Oh yeah… the man is also 22. Of all the players on the big league roster, he is the least to be concerned about. Trea Turner had a phenomenal 2020. He batted .335 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs. He is currently ranked second among MLB shortstops going into this season. All of his injuries have been minute and with a six percent drop in his strikeout rate, those numbers can be expected to continue. Trea is going to be a very important piece this year.
Trea Turner’s rank among all @MLB shortstops in 2020:
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) November 12, 2020
1st – AVG (.335)
1st – OBP (.394)
1st – SLG (.588)
1st – OPS (.982)
1st – wOBA (.413)
1st – wRC+ (157)
You can still vote for the 2020 All-MLB Team presented by @CohnReznick!
?️ // https://t.co/zlrEAh1hOj pic.twitter.com/J9BqKHLpP3
When it comes to the starting pitchers, health is of utmost importance. Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin, I’m talking to you. Those in debate over Max Scherzer need to forget about 2020. He is still a three-time Cy Young Award winner and, although nearing the end of his prime, a dominant starter. Washington’s bullpen has gotten even better since last year. Along with the new faces, guys like Will Harris, Daniel Hudson, and Tanner Rainey are all returning to continue their legacies in the capitol.
The #Nationals have 3 pitchers in the top 11 of FanGraphs’ O-Swing% (the % of pitches a batter swings at outside the strike zone) since 2018.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) March 23, 2021
Patrick Corbin, 3rd
Stephen Strasburg, 9th
Max Scherzer, 11th
Other Guys
Victor Robles is going to have to continue, if not surpass, his defensive excellence now that he will be sharing the outfield with two sub-par defenders in Soto and Schwarber. He’s never been a great hitter, so this has to be his contribution to the team. At catcher, both Alex Avila and Yan Gomes have good reputations but only time will tell if that constancy has left them or not.
The major questions, defensively, are sourced at third and first base. We talked about Josh Bell’s potential on offense; however, the same cannot be said on defense. Ryan Zimmerman is, by far, the better defender. It will be up to Davey Martinez to decide whom he chooses to play at first, given a particular situation. As for third base, unfortunately, Carter Kieboom is not meeting expectations. He was sent down to the minors after continual struggles at the plate, leaving the third base position a toss-up. Luis Garcia and Starlin Castro are the other likely candidates for the spot, but we could see Kieboom return in the future. The bottom line is that the infield could be somewhat of an experiment for a little while.
Get Pumped Up!
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This will not be an easy year in the slightest. The division is deep, the roster has changed, and the atmosphere still won’t be what it was pre-pandemic. But Washington D.C. has some things to look forward to. It is the start of a new chapter for the franchise. A first place finish in the NL East is unlikely, but ruling out the possibility of a Wild Card game reappearance would be foolish. Above all, be glad that baseball is beginning a steady return to normalcy. The Nats have had worse odds stacked against them in the past – and look what happened! This is baseball, anything is possible.
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