Washington Nationals: Wilmer Difo should begin the season in Syracuse

Washington Nationals infielder Wilmer Difo has struggled mightily throughout spring training. He should begin the year in the minors to figure everything out.

Last season, Wilmer Difo was a bit of an unsung hero for the Washington Nationals. His versatility allowed him to spell starters at various positions, which led to him playing more than a typical backup.

In addition to spelling various starters, Difo did a phenomenal job as the starting shortstop while Trea Turner was recovering from a broken wrist. When all was said and done, Difo slashed .271/.319/.370 in 124 major league games.

Despite his strong 2017 campaign, Difo should begin this season in Triple-A Syracuse.

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Spring training games are essentially meaningless, but Difo has been dreadful. From going 4-for-35 at the plate, to committing two uncharacteristic errors in the field, he has not been himself throughout the Nats’ exhibition schedule.

In order to give Difo more time to figure everything out, the Nats should consider leaving him off of the Opening Day roster. They have several other infielders, specifically Adrian Sanchez and Matt Reynolds, who can fill his role as a backup infielder.

Throughout his career, Difo has been a dynamic player when given an opportunity to play everyday. However, he struggles when he does not receive consistent playing time.

With Daniel Murphy, Turner, and Anthony Rendon in tow, there will not be regular at-bats available for Difo in the majors. Even with Murphy likely to miss Opening Day, Howie Kendrick will likely receive most of the playing time at second base.

Although Difo could produce off the bench, the Nats would not be putting him in a very good position to succeed. If he begins the year in the minors, he can play everyday. He is only 25, meaning he is still developing, so this could be a beneficial experience.

Considering Murphy’s contract is set to expire after the season, Difo could be a major league starter as soon as 2019. Sitting on the bench this year would not do him any good, but playing everyday and developing in the minors would be beneficial.

This is not to say that Difo should not spend any time with the Nats this year; he could certainly be called up in the case of injury if he returns to form in the minors.

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2018 is an important year for Difo, as it is his final season to develop before potentially becoming a full-time starter. If he spends the whole year with the Nats, likely spending most of the time on the bench, it could be a wasted year.

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