Washington Nationals: Evaluating who gets into Cooperstown
By Brian Foley
It’s already too late for Zimmerman to make a real Hall of Fame push, but he should appear on the ballot at the very least. Zimmerman has garnered MVP-votes twice in his career, and snagged two Silver Sluggers and All-Star nods apiece. He also became the face of a franchise at a crucial time, and was the one true holdover from Washington’s early struggles to its now sustained success. If he can put together a season or two similar to his 2017 campaign, Zimmerman will cruise past 300 homers, 1,000 RBIs, and 1,000 runs for his career.
More from District on Deck
- Latest DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code in Maryland: Bet $5, Win $200 Guaranteed
- Nationals Claim Jeter Downs Off Waivers
- Washington Nationals Minor League Spotlight: Robert Hassell III
- Washington Nationals Tuesday Q&A
- 3 Free Agents the Nationals Should Gamble On
Gonzalez has been the model of consistency across his 10-year career. He has paired a 3.58 career ERA with two All-Star appearances and a couple top-six finishes in the 2012 and 2017 NL Cy Young races. And while he is not a pure innings-eater, Gonzalez has averaged 31 starts and 189 innings pitched since 2010.
Gonzalez is in the final year with the Nationals, but at age 32, he should have several solid seasons remaining. He probably won’t hang on the ballot for long, but he deserves at least one year for his consistency and occasional high-end seasons.
Through 2015, Murphy was not even on the Hall of Fame radar. But after two spectacular seasons in D.C., the 32-year-old has raised his profile.
Murphy now owns three All-Star appearances and two Silver Sluggers, and has garnered MVP votes twice, including a top-two finish in 2016. He has been one of the best hitters in baseball over the past two seasons, slashing .334/.387/.569 with the Nationals. If he can hold even 90 percent of that pace through age 35, he will have racked up five seasons with an elite bat. Murphy also put together a historic postseason in 2015 with the Mets en route to the NLCS MVP.
Next: What is Wilmer Difo's trade value?
Barring an unprecedented late-career run, Murphy will fall well short of the Hall, but the totality of his career and recent surge still merits a ballot appearance.