The Nationals' season is quickly getting out of hand. The team currently is riding a poor 2-8 record over their last 10 games, and it appears to be trending downward. Despite early optimism with this team, it is looking like many decisions from the offseason are not paying off. Today we dive into the glaring mistakes this team is navigating as we approach the dog days of summer.
Pitching Depth
Trevor Williams is the name attracting constant criticism right now. He has been highlighted due to the fact that he is the 5th guy in the rotation that should have probably been upgraded. The team could have pivoted its target to bigger names like Blake Snell or Walker Buehler - an aggressive move - but it would have come with a large cost. More reasonably, the team was linked to possibly signing Nick Pivetta and seen as a longshot for Yusei Kikuchi. Yet, none of these moves gained significant traction.
As for the bullpen, the team was not strongly linked to anyone at all. The team is currently in a rebuilding phase, which is understandable, but the team also has big prospects up with the team now - James Wood and Dylan Crews. At what point might the front office want to improve chances at a playoff bid, especially in a world where 40% of teams make the October tournament? Ultimately, Mike Rizzo has decided to go with the cheaper options.
The State of the Bats
This past offseason, the key moves committed by the Nationals were in the batting department. The notables names to mention include Amed Rosario, Josh Bell, and Paul DeJong.
Rosario is the one move that has been looking quite solid to date. He currently is batting .295 with a .757 OPS and the lowest strikeout rate of his career at just 13.8% . Congrats Amed - we will sing your praises. On the other hand, Josh Bell has been a disappointment. In this day in age, a one-year $6 Million deal cannot ask for all-star effort, but it should certainly result in better than a .146 batting average . It proves quite certain that the team could have gone just about any other way and have found better results out of it.
Paul DeJong is the third key move to discuss, as well as their latest one made prior to Spring Training. He has dealt with an unfortunate injury after taking a pitch to the face, That aside, he has lacked much to rave about when healthy. DeJong was batting just .204 with an OPS in the low-500's. Like Bell, his output is clearly below average compared to the rest of the league. Although he should be back this summer, according to the latest injury updates, it's fair to wonder if Brady House will have taken his spot on the big league roster already.
GM Mike Rizzo
Mike Rizzo is a name that has been in the headlines for years now. The Nats had massive success finding the team's first title in 2019. It was the peak of the sport - attaining the league's ultimate goal. However, to become a dynasty, or at least a regular contender, a team must continue to build on those successes. Since then, the team has lost stars like Juan Soto, Anthony Rendon, and Trea Turner - a loss of prominence
Since their title run, Washington has failed to make the postseason at all. Rizzo has found some bright spots amongst the transactions made across the years, but that is not what it is all about. It is about one thing, and one thing only - winning. The team has failed to do so and it raises the question - should Rizzo still be running the show? It has been over 5 years since the last team achievement, and something must give.
Do you agree or disagree with any of these takes? Let me know on X - @jetbets