Thank You, Lane Thomas

The past few seasons have been rough. After the dismantling of the 2019 World Series team, the retirement of Ryan Zimmerman, and the trade of Juan Soto, it was hard to find a favorite player on the Nationals. CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore were clear up-and-coming stars, but would not cement their status as legit big leaguers until 2023. Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz were shaky at best, and it was hard to latch onto a younger prospect with the lack of depth in our system. With no clear star to follow the most, I focused my attention on a guy who was acquired for nothing. A guy who had shown flashes on his previous team, but did not really put anything of value together. A guy by the name of Lane Thomas.

It was July 30th, 2021. I still remember where I was, watching ESPN without my phone seeing that J.A. Happ had been traded to the Cardinals from the Twins for John Gant and Evan Sisk. The 38-year-old had a 6.77 ERA through 19 starts with Minnesota, and I sat there thinking to myself man, the Cardinals would give up a couple of players for J.A. Happ? I wish Rizzo tried to trade them Jon Lester. And wouldn’t you know it, one washed-up 38-year-old lefty was not enough for St. Louis. They traded for Jon Lester minutes later.

Lester was clearly past his prime, struggling mightily since his 34-year-old season in 2018 when he was an All-Star for the Cubs. From 2019-2021, Lester had a 4.67 ERA, striking out only 298 hitters in 374 innings. In 2020 the wheels fell off, before he was signed to a 1-year deal in Washington and had a 5.02 ERA through 16 starts. It was a miracle we received a player for Lester, let alone anyone of value. But Lane Thomas went above and beyond expectations.

The Lane train did not immediately make an impact in DC, not getting called up until August, but quickly became the everyday center fielder, and even made an appearance at second base (which Alex Avila also did that year) down the stretch. Over 45 games in 2021, Thomas slashed .270/.364/.489 with 7 home runs, playing a good center field and showcasing his elite speed. He entered 2022 with a clear position to play every day.

Lane was serviceable but not indispensable in his first season as an everyday player, showing flashes, like his three home run game in Cincinnati, but finished 2022 slashing .241/.301/.404 with 17 home runs and only 8 steals in 146 games. Mike Rizzo, Davey Martinez, and the lack of spending allowed Lane to remain an everyday player entering 2023 when he finally put all of his talent together.

In 157 games as the everyday right fielder in 2023, Lane slashed .268/.315/.468, with a career-high 28 home runs and 20 steals. His defense overall was shaky, especially on tracking balls hit behind him, but his bazooka for a right arm put him at second in the major leagues among outfielders with 18 assists. Thomas was an All-Star snub, getting off to a sizzling first half with some BABIP luck aiding him, before cooling off slightly down the stretch. He finished the season with a 3.1 fWAR, ranking him as the 7th-best right fielder, and 19th-best outfielder overall. Lane was fantastic and has carried over most of that success into 2024, even with a cold start and a knee injury that put him out for a month.

Continuing his theme of dramatic splits, Lane has destroyed left-handed pitching this year and has ranked slightly below the league average against righties. Over his career since 2019, Lane has an OPS that is 36% above average against lefties, and 16% below average against righties. In 2024, his 28 steals show his aggression on the basepaths, and ranks among the top 5 in the MLB, but he has also been caught 12 times. He is currently riding a 27-game on-base streak, including his time with Cleveland, and he will continue to be an everyday player for them as they vie for a playoff berth.

With Lane’s drastic splits, it was hard for most Nationals fans to grapple with Mike Rizzo’s reluctance to sell him, before the great trade he was able to swing with Cleveland.

Lane Thomas is a player who will never be the best player on your team, but a guy who will show up every single day and compete. Thomas finished his Nationals career with a .759 OPS, 60 home runs, 60 stolen bases, and 92 doubles. I will never forget how good he was to end 2021, and his All-Star snub in 2023. Every time I hear “Dirt On My Boots” by Jon Pardi, I will be sure to tip my cap and remember Lane Thomas for his parts of four years in the nation's capital. Thank you, Lane Thomas.