Washington Nationals: Our Staff’s Predictions For The 2017 Season

2 of 6

Opening Day is today and our staff wanted to share their predictions for how the Washington Nationals season will play out this year.

It is that time of year again where the staff at District on Deck gazes into their cracked crystal ball and predicts how well the Washington Nationals will do in the upcoming season.

Although we try our best, you just never know what will happen over the next six months. Hopefully, the injury bug stays away, Blake Treinen excels at closer and we enjoy a deep run into October.

Regardless of how the Nats finish, they start the season in first place and undefeated. With some luck, they will finish the regular season in first.

There is added pressure on the Nationals to excel this season. But, a full season of Trea Turner and a healthy Stephen Strasburg gives everyone something to look forward too. This is a big year.

With a strong assist from our staff, we give you our predictions for the upcoming year. No matter what happens, we hope that the 2017 season brings you joy and excitement. This will not be a dull year and hope you check us out regularly.

We do not promise to be correct, but we will have plenty of fun along the way. Hopefully, one of us is right.

Without further adieu, here is how we see 2017 playing out. In the comments section below, tell us where you think the season is headed.

Frank Ellis’ Prediction

Projected Record 93-69

Finish- NL East Champs (Losing in the NLCS)

In many ways, the Washington Nationals are heading into a make or break season. D.C. is finally a baseball town and fans as you know won’t be happy with just being in the playoffs.

I believe that the Nats will finally make it past the first round of the playoffs and take fans through one of the most entertaining seasons ever to happen in the capital. There are three main reasons that this team is going to be very entertaining, the team itself, a rivalry, and finally the outcome.

Besides the likely regression of Daniel Murphy and Trea Turner, the players that were on the Nats in 2016 will do mostly the same job. Bryce Harper will see a little change and have more home runs (32), less stolen bases (<15), and a better batting average somewhere in the .280s.

Adam Eaton will find his spot toward the top of the lineup come mid-June and the bench will be even more effective than they were last year. What holds this batting order together is health. Although Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman won’t be stars, their consistency will help the club remain strong. Matt Wieters will likely run into some small health struggles, but will play in about 115 games, which is great for him.

You may be thinking how are the Nats going to repeat with regression from their two big bats and more of the same from the rest of the club? The answer is pitching and great pitching at that.

Strasburg won’t reach that wonderful 200 inning mark, but he will be in the 180-inning range. We will see a fully healthy Joe Ross for a full season and he will look like he did in his first year with the club.

Gio Gonzalez will finally live up the expectations everyone in D.C. had for him after his first year with the team. Tanner Roark will build off of his WBC performance and finally be recognized as the star he is. Finally, Max Scherzer will once again post 200 innings and 200 strikeouts.

The pitching is going to be what makes this team back-to-back NL East champs.

Quick side note: The bullpen will be the best bullpen the Nats have ever had to go along with the great pitching narrative.

The Nats and the Mets will be the best rivalry in baseball. They don’t have the history that the Red Sox and Yankees have, but it will be hard to find two teams as skilled as they are and that play each other so often. Add in a little Twitter feud or two and the teams/fans will be hyped for every game.

The Nationals will finally get past the first round of the playoffs defeating the Chicago Cubs (believe it or not) in the NLDS. The Cubs just wont have the starting pitching to handle the Nats. Unfortunately they will end up losing in the NLCS to the hated Dodgers.

Once again the season will end in sadness for the team and the fans, but a chance deep in the playoffs will be great to see.

Drew Douglas’ Prediction

Record- 95 wins

Opening Day is right around the corner, and this is a time of optimism and hope for many baseball fans. All the teams who finished just short have had time to get over the heartbreak of October and are excited to improve this year. This is a familiar feeling for Nats fans, but this may be the year that they put it all together.

Bryce Harper struggled through injuries last season, but has looked like his old self this spring. All eyes will be on him, and I believe his hot Spring will carry into the regular season.

It will also be a lot of fun to watch a full season from Trea Turner. He was among the most exciting players in the league last season, and is now moving back to his natural position of shortstop. The Nats have three legitimate MVP candidates in Turner, Harper, and Daniel Murphy.

The Nationals usually boast one of the best starting rotations in the league, and this year will be no different.

Max Scherzer should be great as always, coming off his Cy Young season. Pitching exclusively out of the stretch should keep Stephen Strasburg healthy and allow him to pitch more this season. Look for him to be one of the best pitchers in the league and possibly be in the Cy Young discussion. Tanner Roark will also have another good season and continue to be one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball.

The Washington Nationals have been one of the most talented teams in the league for several years now, but have not been able to make it past the NLDS. They have an excellent all around team, and look to be capable of making a deep run in the playoffs. I expect them to finish with around 95 wins again and possibly a World Series appearance if they are able to avoid major injuries. 2017 has the potential to be a huge year for the Nats.

Chris Lacey’s Prediction

Record: 90+ Wins

Result: Advance to NLCS

My prediction for the Washington Nationals during the 2017 season is the team will have a solid season on the diamond. The Nats have a roster that’s good enough to win another National League East division title.

The starting rotation was a major strength for the club last year, and I expect much of the same in the upcoming campaign.

The health of Stephen Strasburg will play a significant role on what type of success they experience. Strasburg is a difference maker for them on the staff and receiving 30 or more starts from him should allow them to make a return trip back to the postseason.

As for the offense, the lineup for the Nationals could be another source of strength for the club. They acquired outfielder Adam Eaton in the offseason and coupled with a full season from Trea Turner, it will cause nightmares for opposing pitchers.

The dynamic duo has plenty of speed to burn, and they can set the table for other players in the lineup.

Daniel Murphy had a superb first season in the nation’s capital, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he continues tearing the cover off the baseball in 2017.

Bryce Harper had a sub-par performance last year for the Nats, and I think he’ll revert to his MVP form from 2015. Harper has the skills to carry the offense for a couple of months and him beginning the regular season on a tear is very possible.

The only question mark going into the season is how the bullpen will hold up?

They named Blake Treinen as their closer, and he could be the answer to shut the door in the ninth.

Treinen threw the ball extremely well for them in 70-plus games last year. It will be interesting to see how long of a leash manager Dusty Baker will give Treinen if he blows a couple of save opportunities in the first month.

My prediction is the Washington Nationals will win at least 90 games and advance to the NLCS this year.

Ron Juckett’s Prediction

Record: 92-70 (first in NL East)

Result: Lose in NLDS to Chicago Cubs

Although many of the concerns from the offseason are put to rest, the Nats will have a harder time repeating as division champions.

Yes, the Mets pitching staff is healthy, but the Nats are expecting a full year from Strasburg and Joe Ross. You know Bryce Harper will bounce back. Trea Turner continues to show he is a superstar on the rise and Adam Eaton will play well.

The division itself is stronger than last year. The Marlins bullpen is excellent and the Braves boast a young team playing without pressure. Two dangerous combinations.

Washington boasts a powerful offense that will win games along with a better than expected bullpen. Like last year, they are not beating themselves. With Danny Espinosa gone, the team will not strikeout as much, creating more opportunities to score.

This will be a fun team to watch night after night, especially Turner.

Where they get into trouble come October is with unproven pitching from the bullpen. Yes, it is deep with true talent but, unless Treinen beats expectations, the added pressure of the playoffs hurts.

With the starting pitching, there is a depth problem outside the front five and a serious injury can change a good year into average.

I think the current roster would struggle in a best-of-five short series. Repeating will be difficult, but doable. If it comes down to closers, Treinen comes short and so do the Nats in the end.

Ricky Keeler’s Prediction

Record: 93-69 (first in NL East)

Result: Lose in NLDS to San Francisco Giants

Despite the uncertainty in the bullpen to begin the season, the Washington Nationals should have enough talent to repeat as division champions for the first time since the team to move to Washington D.C. in 2005.

More from District on Deck

While the Mets have one of the best rotations in the league (even with the Steven Matz injury), the Nats can counter that with the speed at the top of the order in Trea Turner and Adam Eaton, if he steals more bases. That can allow them to get free runs when desperately needed.

Right now, Bryce Harper looks like a player on a mission. He is laying off the pitches just off the plate and the power seems to be back. If he’s that selective this year and gets the protection around him in the order, he’s going to have a monster season.

To me, the season’s success could hinge on two players. First, in the rotation, it’s Gio Gonzalez. Everyone knows the talent Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Tanner Roark have. However, the lone left-hander had a strong spring. If Gonzalez shows any confidence on the mound this year, he can have a bounce back season as the fourth starter.

There will be uncertainty in the closer’s spot, though I think they made the right decision with Blake Treinen. Even with that lack of certainty, Mike Rizzo has done a good job of building the depth in the bullpen.

Having Koda Glover in the ‘pen to start will be exciting to watch. The X-factor in the bullpen is Enny Romero. If Romero can control his fastball, which he throws at a high velocity, that trade will look like a steal for Rizzo.

Next: Five Takeaways From Spring Training

I do have the Nats losing in the NLDS again this season this year to the Giants. San Francisco made the move of the offseason by fixing their bullpen with the signing of Mark Melancon as their closer. In the end, I think he gets his revenge on the Nats.

Home / Nationals News