All the buzz in the last week has been regarding the early firings of Davey Martinez and Mike Rizzo. This was definitely not surprising, but perhaps earlier than some may have thought. With the draft just days away, the team made the moves with a purpose of being forward-thinking. A new regime will be coming into town the team goals are to be re-set.
Progressive Success for Young Stars
The Nationals carry a ton of young talent on their roster as well as in the minor leagues. The team is without a full-time manager and general manager as they sit 12 games back of a wild card run. Surely, anything is possible, but to build a bright long-term outlook is to focus on young talent. That talent itself shall be the focal point throughout the second half.
The items on this list go beyond James Wood and Mackenzie Gore. This list focuses on guys like Brady House, Dylan Crews (upon return), Robert Hassell III, Daylen Lile, and Brad Lord. What will they bring in the latter months of the season? Who will be the future starting lineup of this team? Who will bring the Nats back to the postseason, or even an NL East pennant? These are all questions that won't be answered in 2025, but clarity of vision may be gained.
Build Up Trade Assets
The future can never be built fully on young items. Any successful team will have a balance of youth and veteran leadership. Some will come from within, but many will come from outside. The Nationals carry little attractive trade items at the moment, but it does not have to remain that way. Some trade assets can be guys like Josh Bell and Nathaniel Lowe. These guys have veteran experience and should numbers trend upward, perhaps may their trade value do the same.
Bell has well over a 1.000 OPS and bats nearly .400 in his last 2 weeks. If he can maintain these numbers until the deadline, it may be just enough to attract assets to way of DC. Like Bell, you would love to see further players improve numbers and prove trade assets at the deadline. This team is entering a minor re-build, and any sustained success will be vital to the team's future whether those players stay here or not. Assets valued correctly should pay dividends anyway you cut up the cake.
Managerial Clarity
The Nationals now have a plethora of time to evaluate and execute on their managerial successors. A benefit of mid-season firings is just that - time. When a team fires management at the end of season, they put themselves under the gun to hire their guys before anyone else does. With all this time, the homework must be done and with promising young items, surely it will be rather easy to get the right guys for the job (fingers-crossed).
News is floating around that Theo Epstein is already being talked to - very interesting given his obvious success. It will be very interesting to see how rumors elevate in the coming weeks/months. The team must hire the right guys and if they do, success may be sooner than later.
Keep the Fanbase Engaged
Any good marketer will say that you can probably market just about any product. The product may be lacking, but there is still much excitement within. James Wood is in the home run derby. Mackenzie Gore is tossing an elite season. Young stars are making their mark. A good fanbase is a massive key to an organizations success. They build a culture, they pay the bills, they lead momentum, and the best fans will be there at the ups and downs. Small successes build into large ones. A note to the fans - stay engaged. With the above goals becoming met, quicker success shall appear. Rome was not built overnight, and neither will be their next championship.
What else do you want to see happen this season? What needs to happen? What do you want to keep watching for? Let me know any comments you have on X @jetbets17