Washington Nationals: Worst Case Scenario Offseason

With the Washington Nationals franchise player set to hit free agency, we take a look at what could happen if the Nationals decide to hit the reset button this offseason.

The Washington Nationals are entering a pivotal, franchise altering offseason. It’s one that can shape the direction of this team for the next five or so years. The Lerners have known this time was coming, as has Mike Rizzo, so a plan is in place.

The Nationals have a Plan A heading into this offseason, which begins with re-signing Bryce Harper, and they also have a Plan B, which presumably would be to continue to spend at around the same clip they had previously been spending at to keep the team competitive in 2019. That Plan B also may focus on re-signing Anthony Rendon.

But, what if there’s a Plan C that nobody else is talking about? A plan that involves losing Bryce Harper and then deciding to “rebuild on the fly” in a similar way to the Yankees midseason sell-off in 2016.

It’s a cost cutting move, that would keep the team competitive but keep money available for the 2019 free agent class, which may not be as prestigious as the 2018 class, but still has a good amount of stars which will be ready to hit the market.

In a similar fashion to the article that Site Expert Blake Finney did playing the role of the Nationals GM for a week, we’re going to take a look at what the 2019 Nationals may look like if they decide to go with a Plan C. Let me warn you, the beginning is going to sting.