Just take a look at that cover image that I chose for the article, and it's hard to even believe that it happened at one point. All 4 of these guys, Juan Soto, Trea Turner, Bryce Harper, and Anthony Rendon, were teammates on the 2018 Washington Nationals, and at times, seemed like the future of an organization for the foreseeable future.
Fast forward to 2019, and Harper had signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, as the Nationals were outbid by their division rival to secure the services of the future Hall of Famer, as the Nats' insistence on deferring Harper's money rather than paying him in full on a yearly basis ultimately ended up being a large part of the final decision. It hurt a ton, as the Nats chose not to move Harper at the 2018 deadline in hopes of bringing him back that offseason, only to watch him walk away for nothing.
Now, let's not forget that the Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019. In this time as yet another homegrown talent is off to a division rival, it's easy to forget that the team did win a ring just 5 years ago, but man oh man, that feels like an eternity ago with each passing day.
Anyways, fast forward to 2020, Rendon is gone to the Los Angeles Angels, as the organization had a choice to make in free agency between him and 2019 World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg. While hindsight is 20/20, both contracts have aged terribly, but yet another homegrown superstar had left in free agency.
Fast forward to 2021, the Nationals made a franchise-altering deal, sending shortsop Trea Turner and righty Max Scherzer to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for a return centered around righty Josiah Gray and catcher Keibert Ruiz. Scherzer was expected, as he was on an expiring deal, but the inclusion of Turner is what hurt. The fact that the Nationals didn't explore any sort of extension before dealing him was baffling, and Turner is still on the short list of the best shortstops in baseball.
However, things would get worse, as just one year later, the Nationals dealt superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres for a return that included current Nats' cornerstones such as James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, and CJ Abrams, as well as prospects Robert Hassell III and Jarlin Susana. It was an immaculate return, but trading arguably the best young superstar outfielder was a final gut punch to a fan base that had already been knocked out. A true kick while we were down.
And finally, let's take a look at the present day, as Juan Soto has inked a record 15-year, $765 million deal with the division rival New York Mets, meaning the Nationals will now have to face Soto 13 times a year. Additionally, they will also have to face Harper and Turner 13 times a year as well, just a constant reminder to Nationals fans about what could have been.
The main thing to think about is that, as a Nationals fan, things over the last 5 years have been absolutely brutal. The team has not been seriously competitive in a long time, and moves to seriously improve the club have not come from the front office, despite promises by ownership and by General Manager Mike Rizzo that they are going to look for ways to improve the club.
It is important to note, this is NOT Mike Rizzo's fault. A GM of a team can only do what he is permitted to do by ownership, and not being allowed to target any free agents on long-term, high-value deals are hindering the franchise in a big way. If the Nationals want to gain back the fan base, they NEED to make a big splash. Whether it's Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman, or a big-time free agent pitcher, the club has to do something in order to show the fanbase that the Lerner family actually care about winning baseball.
I know every Nats fan is devastated at the Juan Soto news, but the fact that he turned down $440 million and almost doubled it is a job well done. Betting on himself really worked out for him here… https://t.co/w8mnR0zZKu
— District on Deck (@DistrictOnDeck) December 9, 2024
The point in this piece is that it's okay to feel a number of different ways, as there's a lot of different perspectives to look at. It's fine to be upset with ownership for not being involved in his free agency, but there's really only about 5 teams that would have come close to that final number, so it should come as no surprise that the Nationals weren't involved.
It's fine to feel upset with Soto for going to the Mets, but if you were offered $765 million by an MLB team, I have a hard time imagining that many players would ever turn that down. It's fine to be frustrated, as it's been more than enough time since the franchise has seriously attempted to be competitive, and if ownership doesn't show any attempt to drastically improve the club this winter, it's time to push for a change to come to the club.
What do you think of Juan Soto signing with the Mets? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.