The Washington Nationals have kicked off 2026 spring training, and it will be fun to see how the team ends up faring over the next several weeks. We have not yet seen the team in action outside of some social media clips and first-hand accounts from those close to the action, but this is always a fun time of the year.
Given the current state of the franchise as a whole, where the expectations for on-field performance are pretty low considering the performance of the team over the last few years, it would be fair to say that in a lot of ways, this year is a bit of a throwaway season. That might be a little harsh, but the fact is that the record of the club will probably not be very great when the dust settles at the end of the year.
However, the Nationals are a team that is certainly looking up for the future given their new and improved farm system, but they have a long way to go until they are competitive. Whenever looking towards the future, it is also good to acknowledge the past, especially when it comes to team history.
New manager Blake Butera can certainly look back at some past successes from managers of the Nationals like Dave Martinez, Davey Johnson, and others who have found success, but in terms of getting the most out of his players, there might not be a better example for him to follow than Dusty
When it comes to the Baker family, they are very well-regarded in Nationals history, so much so that the organization chose to draft Dusty's son Darren Baker, who even debuted with the Nationals back in 2024. It was a great story at the time, and Nationals fans wished him nothing but the best as him and the organization parted ways earlier this offseason.
Baker was an awesome contact hitter in the minors, and even showcased that during his brief time in the majors, tallying 7 hits in 14 career at-bats while even notching a pair of doubles. Unfortunately for him, he fell victim to a roster squeeze of middle infielders in the organization, and as a result has now latched on with the Chicago White Sox.
He inked a minor league deal with them yesterday, and is looking to find a way to crack their Opening Day roster as a backup infielder. Inevitably, he likely faces an uphill battle as he did in Washington for years, but nonetheless we will be rooting him on as he continues his professional journey.
What do you think of Darren Baker signing with the Chicago White Sox? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.