Nationals Outfield Depth Offers Intriguing Options
By The Jim Rat
Michael A. Taylor avoided arbitration with the Washington Nationals Thursday by agreeing on a one year $3.325 million contract. The Nationals outfield depth chart remains virtually identical to last season, but the evolution of that talent may create some interesting options for Mike Rizzo and Davey Martinez as the season progresses.
Juan Soto, Victor Robles and Adam Eaton are locked into their starting roles with Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Stevenson likely to have a role with the Nats. With Taylor now out of minor league options, it appears likely that he will begin the season on the big league roster with Stevenson heading to Triple A.
Taylor’s Major League experience and production make it possible that he could be traded prior to opening day, but the Nationals should be cautious about moving him.
Adam Eaton is coming off of a solid 2019 campaign in which he had 158 hits over 151 games (oh yeah, and the Nationals won the World Series). But in Eaton’s first two years with Washington he played in only 118 games combined, suffering a series of injuries which derailed both seasons. If something were to happen to Eaton, or either of the other starting outfielders, the combination of Taylor and Stevenson would help to solidify the outfield rotation.
Eaton is on a relatively team friendly $9.5 million contract, but the Nationals own an opt-out option after this season. This could be extremely valuable to teams looking to shed money as the trade deadline approaches. If Taylor and/or Stevenson generate enough production, the team could use Eaton’s contract, and talent, as a way to enhance other areas of the club while taking on more significant money.
Taylor bounced between D.C. and Fresno last season, but he is entering his seventh major league season. He has over 1700 major league plate appearances and owns a career .240 average. With Taylor, you know what you are getting; he has proven he can be productive offensively and is an excellent defensive outfielder. Meanwhile, the Nationals have demonstrated their value in him. Taylor played a key role in the 2019 playoffs, starting several games after Victor Robles was injured.
It would not be challenging for the Nationals to move Taylor prior to opening day. His production makes him a third outfielder on many major league clubs, and the $3 million and change he is owed is manageable in the major league market. But the current return on Taylor is unlikely to match the value that he provides. If they need to move his salary to bring in a Josh Donaldson type and stay under the luxury tax, then I get it. But the Nationals aren’t a small market team. Moving his contract is not a necessity, and the depth and experience he provides is much greater than any low level minor leaguer or back of the bullpen type of player they would get in return. If Taylor plays well on the big league club this season, he could generate a much more significant return later in the season. Taylor could make for a low cost addition to a contender who may be trying to overcome injuries as the deadline approaches. But the Nationals are only likely to move him if they aren’t in the hunt or they’ve become very confident in Andrew Stevenson.
Stevenson was productive at both the Triple A and Major League levels last season. He hit .367 in 37 plate appearances with the Nationals while hitting .316 with 7 home runs in 93 minor league games in 2019. While he will likely start in the minor leagues, his 2019 production makes him an intriguing player. If Stevenson continues to produce, the Nationals could very easily feel comfortable enough to move Eaton or Taylor in order to add offensive production or solidify the bullpen.
Depth has been a recurring theme this offseason for the Nationals. While Rizzo has worked to add to the infield rotation, it is the outfield depth that may be the biggest trading chip when we get to the trade deadline.