Washington Nationals: Five Who Must Step Up In 2017

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At the dawn of a new season, the Washington Nationals are on a lofty perch. Who must stand and deliver this year to ensure the Nats success?

To get past the National League Divisional Series block, a few things need to happen for the Washington Nationals. First, they have to win. Yes, that is a Tim McCarver answer. Still, with the New York Mets healthy, a division title repeat by the Nats is not a given.

Then, they must remain injury-free. An impossible task but, if they avoid the serious ones to key players, the nagging day-to-day things are survivable. Trea Turner going down in May with a fractured wrist is not. A front line layer hitting the 60-day disabled list makes getting to the playoffs an immense challenge.

Throw in luck—as no team goes through six months without something good happening—and you are left with performance on the field.

If this season goes down in history as a success, these five players or groups must have either a career year or close to it. Washington won 95 last year thanks to tremendous efforts of Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos. Yet injuries to Ramos and Stephen Strasburg hurt against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

If beating those Dodgers or Chicago Cubs is in the cards, the Nats must have elements of the above. Health, winning and luck. Although the first and last on the list are things Washington cannot control, the win thing is.

Here are the players who must perform at a higher level all year to win.

RYAN ZIMMERMAN

To expect Ryan Zimmerman to return to his pre-injury level of productivity is not realistic. But, he should hit better than .218 and carry an Adjusted OPS+ of 69 like last year.

A streaky hitter, like we have seen this spring, Zimmerman must re-establish his batting eye and draw more than the occasional walk. He can sting the ball as hard as anybody, but when thing go bad they are hit at fielders or on the ground.

Whatever the change was around 10 days ago in West Palm Beach, Zimmerman is lacing balls airborne and doing a better job protecting the plate. If he carries that approach though the season, there is no reason his batting average cannot climb above .240 with a chance at 20 homers.

Of all the players with the Nats, no one would enjoy a deep championship run more than Zimmerman. His body is not capable of the efforts from 2007-13, but his years of experience can navigate the team and himself through a storm.

Watch his swings and strikeout totals. Expect Dusty Baker to rest him more often giving Adam Lind the chance to fill in.

A fresher Zimmerman can really help, especially down the stretch when everyone is tired.

STEPHEN STRASBURG

When healthy, Stephen Strasburg is among the best pitchers in the game. If the Nats are to break through in October, they need him to be healthy and strong.

The quirk for Strasburg is pitching from the stretch with the bases empty. He wants to simplify his delivery and has had decent results with it in Florida. Now he must turn it into a way to pitch over 200 innings.

Strasburg has not started over 25 games since 2014 as he battled a variety of injuries after his Tommy John surgery. If he can take the hill 30 times and throw around 190-200 frames, he will have done his share.

We know he can win—earning a 15-4 record last year as his flexor mass injury developed—but he needs to set a personal best this year to ensure the Nats are not stuck in the NL Wild Card Game.

Although strikeouts are a huge portion of Strasburg’s game, he must learn to pitch to contact and keep his pitch count down. At 28, the time is now to change from a thrower to a pitcher. If he is to earn success, he cannot be throwing clean innings over 20 pitches.

In the first year of his new contract, there is extra pressure for him to do well. Strasburg must overcome it and concentrate on each individual start.

The skills are there, the time to perform is now.

BRYCE HARPER

Without question, this is the biggest year of Bryce Harper’s career.

After the peaks of his 2015 MVP season to the valley of 2016’s underwhelming campaign, Harper starts 2017 with heavy expectations and tremendous burdens. When you had his powerful spring, at least eight home runs, it adds pressure.

Although he need not match his 42 home run and 99 RBI totals from two years ago—although, it would not hurt—Harper has to top his 24 homer performance from last year.

Because of his ability to draw walks, his on-base percentage was not horrible in 2016 at .373, but his batting average was atrocious at .243. Harper need not hit .330 again like two seasons ago, but his eye and swing must be better.

We know about his future contract demands. The prospect of Harper leaving is a main reason the Nationals are pushing so hard this year. Yes, there is talent on the farm, but no one can replace his power and speed right now.

Wherever he signs that massive free agent deal, Harper wants to show what he can due under pressure. He is a player you build a championship contender around. If he can get back to 2015 with the supporting cast he has, they can win it all.

If so, if Washington proves they will build around him, then he might stay. With Scott Boras and his relationship with the Nats, you never know.

Zimmerman and Jayson Werth can enjoy their contributions for what hopes to be the big year. For Harper, he needs it.

JOE ROSS

This is the year the Nats need to see a full season from Joe Ross.

Injuries limited the second-year pitcher to 19 starts last year. Because he relies so much on movement to get guys out, he burns through pitch counts fast, lasting 105 innings or under 5.2 innings a game. Even for a fifth starter—his projected role—those numbers are not good.

Another pitcher who has played well this spring, Ross must take the ball every fifth day and keep the Nats in games until the bullpen is ready. He does not need 20 wins or 200 innings—it would be wonderful if he did—to have a successful year.

If his ERA stays around 3.45 and they can squeeze 160-180 innings from him, everyone will be happy. Ross must learn to trust his defense behind him to get batters out. He has to avoid allowing 0-2 counts balloon to full ones. Because his fastball dances and dips, he cannot always control the strike zone.

What he can do is manage his game better. Fitness and durability are essential. Remember, the team waived his name around last December at the Winter Meetings. He responded by having a great spring, giving Dusty Baker confidence.

That effort must continue over the next six months. All-Star Games and Cy Young considerations are sweet bonuses, but his Baseball Reference page should have 30 starts on his 2017 line. If another starter goes down, Ross moves up the chain.

With division games packed early and late, he has to turn potential into results. He can deliver.

THE MIGHTY CLOSER

By the time you read this, we might know who the Nationals will use as their closer. Or, we may get an answer before Labor Day.

More from District on Deck

The closer is the Washington Nationals biggest enigma. Come November, all the worry might be for nothing. November is a long way away.

No matter if Blake Treinen, Koda Glover or Shawn Kelley win the role, the pressure is real to perform. Any slip will cause an avalanche of bad press and gritting of teeth. Unable to keep Mark Melancon, or sign anyone else, we start the season with an unproven closer to be named later.

Regardless of who carries the job, all three guys are staring into the harsh spotlight. A Harper or Adam Eaton can hide after a bad strikeout. A home run ball launched offers no solace if the Nats lose late.

Mentality, expectations and potential fill columns and the airwaves, but outside the short period where Kelley filled in last year, none of these three have had the expectations to close. If the Nats were forecast to be 81-81, then it would not be a big deal.

Although the words “World Series or Bust” are not said in public, those are the expectations. No three players in DC—including Kirk Cousins or Alexander Ovechkin—are under the microscope more.

As a unit, if they do the job, the Nats advance. If not, then Washington’s fate is out of their own hands and the price gets higher every blown save.

Next: Lind Earns Spot Over Robinson

Sleep well, boys.

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