4. One bold prediction for the rest of the 2019 season.
Tom– The Nationals will acquire a setup man and a fifth starter while also re-signing Anthony Rendon at or near the All-Star Break. The team will then secure a spot in the wild card play-in game and win it. After that, it’s anybody’s guess!
Ross– – Max Scherzer runs away with the N.L. Cy Young award, winning it unanimously for the first time in his career.
Danny– The Nationals end up with Sam Dyson and/or Alex Colome (maybe even both) at the trade deadline. Mike Rizzo has shown a willingness to deal from his Major League roster in order to acquire mid-season bullpen help with Blake Treinen and Felipe Rivero both being dealt for closers mid-season. I bring that up because with the Nationals depleted farm-system, they could try to dangle Matt Grace as a trade piece being that he’s controllable through the 2023 season. He could hypothetically dangle Wander Suero, but being that he’s more valuable than Grace, I could only see that happening in a trade for somebody like Ken Giles, who would be controllable after this season. Although I’d like to give a final prediction for how I see the season playing out, I’m torn. Fangraphs gives the Nationals over a 70% chance to make the playoffs. With that said, the Nationals have a tough schedule down the stretch. They’re surely not the 62-win team they were on pace for earlier this year, but they’re also not a 117-win team like they’re on pace for now. I think they finish with 87-88 wins. Whether that’s enough to sneak into the playoffs or not, we’ll see.
Monty-The Nationals will re-sign Anthony Rendon before he reaches free agency. I know that it seems like a longshot, especially with Scott Boras as his agent, but Rizzo and the Lerners are under immense pressure to bring Rendon back. They cannot let him walk in the offseason like they let Bryce Harper walk last year. Finally an All-Star, Rendon is hitting .304 with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs in 75 games this season. The Nationals will likely end up overpaying, but I see them finding a way to get it done in the end and keep Rendon in DC.
Corey– My bold prediction for the rest of the season is that Anthony Rendon hits 41 HRs. His onslaught of power at the beginning of the season shows just how truly undervalued he is as a player. Having already hit 20 he’s five HRs shy of his career-best 25 which he hit in 2017. I expect his performance to increase even more down the stretch and would not be surprised to see him touch 40HRs.
Matt– The Nationals acquire White Sox closer Alex Colome to bolster their bullpen at the deadline. Colome could slide is at the Nationals primary eighth-inning setup man and would make their bullpen much better as a whole. He also could help lighten the load that Sean Doolittle has to carry by closing on nights when Doolittle needs rest.