Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom can breathe a slight sigh of relief. His big league career, dating back to 2019, has been a whirlwind, with more downs than ups. Earlier this season once it became clear Kieboom wasn’t going to make the team out of spring training, we wondered if he would be packaged in a trade. It appears he is getting a second (third, fourth?) chance.
Up to the point the Nationals fell out of playoff contention, we wondered if Kieboom was going to be a part of some other team’s rebuild. As the trading deadline passed, it now appears Kieboom is going to be a part of the Nationals rebuild.
He’ll at least get every opportunity to show he belongs in future plans. With the dismissal of Starlin Castro, and the departure of Trea Turner and Josh Harrison, Carter Kieboom stands to get all the playing time he wants over the next couple of months.
Time for him to shine.
Nationals third baseman Carter Kieboom is getting another chance to prove he is the future at the hot corner.
Kieboom had fallen way down the depth chart. The Nationals were looking for reasons not to recall him earlier in the year when faced with injury. Kieboom was injured himself for a spell, and missed the opportunity at a big league call-up.
That ultimately led to the trade for Alcides Escobar, and the hot start he was off to made it likely Kieboom would not resurface at all this year.
Well, here we are. Trades completed. Kieboom is back in the Majors and he’s going to get plenty of play.
Carter Kieboom and Luis Garcia will get a lot of playing the rest of this season, Davey Martinez says.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) July 30, 2021
Time to shake the bust label. Time to shake the singles hitter label. Time to show the neysayers he belongs. After collecting just one hit in his first twelve at-bats, Kieboom had two hits and a walk in the first game after the trading deadline.
Kieboom has a long ways to go and a lot to prove. As fans of the former first round pick, we are hoping he has found the cure to what ails him. The Nationals need Carter Kieboom to be productive. The Nationals need Carter Kieboom to succeed. Carter Kieboom may in fact be the third baseman of the future.