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Washington Nationals: Where Should Anthony Rendon Hit?

By Matt Weyrich

Sep 27, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon (6) hits a three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 27, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon (6) hits a three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the sixth inning at Nationals Park. The Nationals won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Each week, Matt Weyrich discusses the biggest question surrounding the Washington Nationals. This week? Where should Anthony Rendon hit in the order?

After finishing fourth in the National League in runs scored last season, the Washington Nationals will be returning a majority of the core hitters to the fold again in 2017. Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa are the only players no longer with the organization, having been replaced by Derek Norris and Adam Eaton.

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Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper are all but guaranteed to hit either the third or fourth in the lineup, but the rest of the order has yet to be determined. Eaton, Murphy and Harper all bat left-handed, yet each is expected to hit somewhere near the top of the order. The forgotten man in the mix, however, is third baseman Anthony Rendon.

Without cheating, take a look at these stats and come to your own conclusion as to who should be hitting second (behind Trea Turner and ahead of Murphy/Harper) based on their numbers from last season.

Player A: .284/.362/.428, 14 HRs, 59 RBIs, 29 doubles, 14 stolen bases, 91 runs, 115 Ks

Player B: .270/.348/.450, 20 HRs, 85 RBIs, 38 doubles, 12 stolen bases, 91 runs, 117 Ks

Pretty similar, right? Player A is better at getting on base while Player B hits for more power. One of these players is most likely going to be hitting second while the other will be bumped down to fifth. Eaton is Player A and Rendon is Player B. With how many question marks there are at the bottom of the order, Rendon should be hitting fifth.

Rendon can be a streaky hitter at times, but his second-half tear put all of baseball on notice. Some might consider it a crime to be hitting him so low, but the players ahead of him give Rendon the best chance to succeed. All four of the hitters in front of him finished last season with an on-base percentage of .362 or higher. While Rendon isn’t a premier power hitter just yet, he will have ample opportunities to drive in runs.

Next: Nats Are Still Favorites to Win the NL East

Eaton has never hit more than 14 home runs in a season. He’s a speedy player with a knack for getting on base. Jayson Werth, Ryan Zimmerman and Norris are either too old or too inconsistent to be relied on heavily to drive in runs. By batting Rendon fifth, he can be the team’s go-to hitter in clutch situations.

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