Washington Nationals: Nationals All-Star Pitching Candidates
The Washington Nationals have no shortage of pitching options on its roster. Which pitchers are on their way to Cleveland for the All-Star game?
The Washington Nationals season is not even one-fifth of the way complete, but it is never too early to discuss the All-Star Game.
Last season, the Nationals were represented in their home ballpark by three players: Bryce Harper, Sean Doolittle, and Max Scherzer.
In 2017, the Nationals sent a franchise-record five players to the game: Harper and Scherzer went along with Daniel Murphy, Ryan Zimmerman, and Stephen Strasburg.
This season, the Nats have a strong chance to send a strong group of stars to Cleveland, Ohio, for the 2019 MLB All-Star Game.
As a team, the Nationals have struggled, going 13-18 over the club’s first 31 games. It’s evident that the Nationals are worse than the sum of its parts, but some of those parts are playing extraordinarily well.
The All-Star Game is great to highlight exemplary efforts from players on teams that are struggling. The game gives the players a moment in the spotlight, whereas they might not get it as part of a below average team.
The crowned jewel of the Nationals is the starting pitching, as it has been for the team’s best seasons.
Starting with Jordan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez, to Scherzer and Strasburg, and now Patrick Corbin, there is no shortage of great pitching on the Nationals.
That trend remains constant this season, as there are several Nationals pitchers who got out of the gates hot and have made an early case for the Midsummer Classic.
Starting Pitcher Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer is first and foremost on our list.
Please don’t get fooled by his 4.08 ERA, Scherzer is pitching like the best pitcher in baseball. I can say that confidently because his 1.7 WAR is a top-five mark in baseball.
Scherzer still boasts otherworldly stats: His 12.02 K/9, 1.36 BB/9, and 2.15 FIP shine the brightest on his FanGraphs.com page. It’s also notable that Scherzer is inducing more ground balls than ever before, as his 44.1 GB% is seven percentage points higher than his career average.
The incredible part is that Scherzer is getting unlucky.
Scherzer’s .377 batting average on balls in play (BABIP) is nearly 100 points higher than his career average. Also, his 65.5 runners left on base percentage (LOB%) is 11 points lower than his career mark.
When those numbers regress toward the mean, Scherzer might have the best statistical season of his career.
It should come as no surprise that if that happens, he’ll be starting the All-Star Game for the National League for the third consecutive year.
With a seventh All-Star appearance, and perhaps a fourth Cy Young award, Scherzer will move closer and closer to becoming the first player with a Curly W on his cap in Cooperstown.
Starting Pitcher Stephen Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg no longer throws an effortless 98 mile per hour fastball, but he is getting outs as frequently as ever.
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With a steadier diet of sinkers and curveballs, Strasburg has pitched his way to a 3.45 ERA (3.12 FIP), an 11.57 K/9 and a top 10 pitching WAR in Major League Baseball.
This season, Strasburg ranks in the top five of the MLB in strikeouts, and top ten in innings pitched. This shows that despite his change in pitch selection, he’s still producing the results Nats fans are accustom to seeing.
A stalwart of the Nationals organization since his debut in 2010, Strasburg is aiming to make his fourth all-star team in his career.
If he achieves that goal in 2019, it will be his third all-star appearance in four years.
Strasburg made the team in 2016 and 2017 but only pitched in the 2012 game. He faced four batters, allowing one hit and one walk, but secured a double-play in a shutout inning.
As quiet as Strasburg is, he’ll never advocate for himself for the All-Star Game. However, Nats fans know how great he is, and they should do the talking for him when All-Star voting time comes.
Relief Pitcher Sean Doolittle
Last on our list, and the last pitcher on the mound at the end of games is Sean Doolittle.
A true marker of consistency, Doolittle is as reliable as relief pitchers get in the ninth inning. With the Nationals, Doolittle has saved 50 games and only blown the save three times.
This season, Doolittle has been overworked to an extent, but still is pitching incredibly well. He was once used 13 times over a 24 game stretch, but still posted a 1.35 ERA and 31% strikeout rate in that span.
Doolittle made his first All-Star team back in 2014 with the Oakland Athletics. As mentioned earlier, he made last year’s team with the Nationals.
Since the trade from Oakland, Doolittle has established himself as one of baseball’s best relief pitchers, and a third All-Star appearance would only solidify his position.
With the rest of the bullpen starting to round into form, Doolittle may get more of a break between outings. This might make him an even more effective and efficient pitcher if that is even possible.
If the offense can start picking things up, it will create more save opportunities. Doolittle’s four saves slot him outside of the top 20.
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Nats fans know that is not his fault. When given the opportunity to save a game, Doolittle shuts it down. Perhaps he’ll get a chance to do that in Cleveland in July.