The Washington Nationals wrapped up another rough season at 66–96. Davey Martinez and Mike Rizzo were let go midseason, and Paul Toboni took on the role of president of baseball operations. He recently brought in Devin Pearson as his first major hire. With the team is still searching for a manager, attention in D.C. has turned to the offseason and whatever comes next.
The Nationals are watching October from home again, but a few familiar faces are still chasing a ring. Four former Nats still remain in the playoffs, and three of them are heading to the World Series. Here's how they stack up.
1. Blake Treinen and Alex Call — Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are already in the World Series, giving Blake Treinen and Alex Call the clearest path to a ring. With the way they're playing and their roster construction, they'll likely beat whoever comes out of the AL.
Treinen, 37, had a tough year, with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP in 32 games and 26.2 IP. He also missed time with a forearm injury and became the first pitcher in over 100 years to take five losses in five straight games. Still, he was a trusted late-inning option in October and came through in NLCS Game 1, earning the save by stranding the bases loaded. His ERA this postseason stands at 7.36, but he’s gotten outs when the Dodgers needed them.
Treinen pitched in 185 games for the Nationals from 2014 to 2017, posting a 3.39 ERA with 190 strikeouts across 223 innings. He also pitched in the 2016 postseason for Washington before being traded to Oakland in 2017 as part of the deal that brought Sean Doolittle to D.C. Treinen became an All-Star the very next season with the A’s. He has carved out a strong career as a reliever, posting a 2.90 ERA with 596 strikeouts in 576.1 innings. He already owns two rings with the Dodgers from 2020 and 2024, and now he’s looking to add a third.
Call, 31, was traded from the Nationals to the Dodgers at the deadline this year and made an immediate impact. In 2025, he hit .267 with five homers and 31 RBI in 86 games, posting a solid .746 OPS. For his career, he’s hit .242 with 21 homers and nearly 100 RBI. He’s 3-for-4 in his first taste of postseason action. Call’s postseason appearance presents the chance for his first ever World Series ring.
Call played 265 games for the Nationals from 2022 to 2025 and quietly became a bit of a fan favorite. He hit .243 with 19 homers and 91 RBI during his time in D.C., posting a .714 OPS. Now he’s one series away from a World Series ring.
2. Max Scherzer — Toronto Blue Jays
Max Scherzer has nothing left to prove, but at 41 years old, he’s chasing a third World Series ring. The prediction here: the Blue Jays will likely beat the Mariners tonight in ALCS Game 7 and send Scherzer to another Fall Classic.
Scherzer helped keep the Blue Jays’ season alive with a strong ALCS Game 4 start, throwing 5.2 innings of two-run ball and striking out five. He showed flashes of vintage Max in what was his 500th career start, and served up one of his best outings of the year.
Scherzer had a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts for Toronto this season and missed time with injuries. But he’s still fighting, and if the Jays find a way to reach the World Series, he’ll be a big reason why. Over his career, he’s 221–117 with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, and 3,489 strikeouts in 2,963 innings. Those numbers place him firmly among the all-time greats.
Scherzer pitched for the Nationals from 2015 to 2021, winning a Cy Young and helping deliver the 2019 World Series title. He made the postseason in three different years with Washington and dominated throughout his time in D.C., going 92–47 with a 2.80 ERA and 1,610 strikeouts over 1,229 innings. His 11.79 K/9, 0.96 WHIP, and 39.0 WAR make him likely the best pitcher in franchise history.
His Cooperstown ticket is already punched, probably with a Nationals cap. If this is his final postseason run, it feels fitting that it comes against the Dodgers, the team he briefly joined after leaving Washington.
3. Victor Robles — Seattle Mariners
After a wild ride over the past two years, Victor Robles is now one win from another shot at a championship ring.
The Nationals DFA’d Robles in May of 2024 after injuries and inconsistent offense made it hard to keep him around. He caught on with the Mariners and looked like a new player, hitting .328 with 30 stolen bases in 77 games that season. Seattle gave him a two-year extension, and he quickly became their leadoff hitter and one of their best defenders.
Robles missed most of 2025 with a shoulder injury and a seven-game suspension but returned down the stretch and has made key contributions. He hit .245 with a .611 OPS in limited time, but still managed six stolen bases and drove in nine runs. He has struggled at the plate in the playoffs, going just 3-for-26. For his career, Robles is a .247 hitter with 106 stolen bases and nearly 200 RBI.
Robles played for the Nationals from 2017 to 2024 and appeared in two postseasons with the team. In 530 games with Washington, he hit .236 with 31 homers, 156 RBI, and a .667 OPS. He was also part of the 2019 title run, winning a World Series ring as the team’s starting center fielder. A second one in Seattle would be a remarkable turnaround for a player who’s fought to stay in the league.