After their first losing season since 2011, the Nationals made several short-term additions to reload the roster for another shot at contention.
Major League Signings
- Brad Hand, RP: One year, $10.5MM ($6.5MM is deferred, to be paid out from 2022-24)
- Kyle Schwarber, OF: One year, $10MM (includes $3MM buyout of $11.5MM mutual option for 2022)
- Jon Lester, SP: One year, $5MM
- Alex Avila, C: One year, $1.5MM
- Josh Harrison, IF/OF: One year, $1MM
- Ryan Zimmerman, 1B: One year, $1MM
- Sam Clay, RP: One year, $575K
- Total spend: $29.575MM
Trades & Claims
- Acquired 1B Josh Bell from the Pirates for RHPs Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean
- Claimed SP Rogelio Armenteros off waivers from the Diamondbacks
Notable Minor League Signings
- Gerardo Parra, Javy Guerra , Jordy Mercer, Luis Avilan, T.J. McFarland, Welington Castillo, Hernan Perez, Yasmany Tomas, Justin Miller, Blake Swihart, Humberto Arteaga, Aaron Barrett, Jefry Rodriguez, Ramon Flores, Sean Nolin
Notable Losses
- Adam Eaton, Sean Doolittle, Michael A. Taylor, Kurt Suzuki, Asdrubal Cabrera, Eric Thames, Brock Holt, Roenis Elias, Howie Kendrick (retired), Anibal Sanchez (unsigned), Sam Freeman (unsigned)
General manager Mike Rizzo is no stranger to generating winter headlines, but there were no true blockbuster additions to the Washington roster this offseason, as the Nats (like most teams around baseball) took a more measured approach to spending in response to the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. This doesn’t mean Rizzo took it easy, however — the Nationals were one of the offseason’s busier teams, considering the sheer volume of familiar names added on both one-year MLB contracts and minor league deals.
The Nationals waited until late December to make a truly noteworthy transaction, picking up Josh Bell in a trade that sent young right-handers Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean to the Pirates. This was one of Washington’s few moves made with an eye beyond just 2021, as Bell has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining before he qualifies for free agency after the 2022 season. Earning $6.3MM this coming, Bell will be a pretty cost-effective piece for D.C. even if he has a good enough season to merit a big arbitration raise next winter, and naturally the club wouldn’t mind such an expenditure if it meant Bell was back to his old self.
The switch-hitting slugger batted just .226/.305/.364 in 223 plate appearances last year, with Bell also posting the highest strikeout rate and lowest walk rates of his five-year MLB career. That performance surely lowered the Pirates’ asking price in trade talks, and the Nationals must feel they’ve bought low on a player who was an All-Star in 2019. Crowe and Yean are prospects of some note, but not blue-chippers in a Washington farm system that is already pretty deep in pitching.
The Bell trade broke the seal on the Nats’ winter business to some extent, as the team soon thereafter moved on another power bat by bringing Kyle Schwarber to the District. The Cubs (as part of their own payroll crunch) non-tendered Schwarber after he hit .188/.308/.393 with 11 homers in 224 PA, a big step backwards from the above-average production Schwarber delivered in his previous five years in Wrigleyville.
Adding Bell and Schwarber probably won’t do much to help a Nationals defense that struggled badly in 2020. What the two sluggers can bring, the Nats hope, is suitable lineup protection hitting behind Trea Turner and Juan Soto. There is some risk involved if either of the two new faces continue to hit at their 2020 levels, but at least the risk is minimized to just the 2021 season, since D.C. can walk away from either Bell or Schwarber next offseason if things don’t work out.
This type of strategy informed the Nationals’ entire winter, as the team is rolling the dice on a number of bounce-back candidates in hope of landing at least a few bargain scores. While Washington has shown a willingness to exceed the luxury tax threshold (if only by a bit) in the past, the club would surely like to avoid another tax payment if possible, and the Nats are estimated to sit roughly $13.25MM below the $210MM Competitive Balance Tax limit. It leaves the team with a bit of breathing room for midseason additions, though the Nationals’ number will escalate depending on how many of their minor league signings make the roster and lock in guaranteed salaries.
Washington could have saved itself $500K if the team had just claimed Brad Hand on waivers last October, as Hand’s $10MM club option (that was eventually declined by the Indians) was less than the $10.5MM deal that Hand signed with D.C. in January. Still, the Nats weren’t alone in passing on Hand at that time, quite possibly because they and other clubs didn’t have their 2021 budgets planned at that point in the offseason.
An “extra” $500K also isn’t exactly a big price to pay for a former three-time All-Star. Though Hand’s velocity and strikeout numbers dropped a bit in 2020, he still posted some very strong numbers as Cleveland’s closer. Hand is an easy replacement for Sean Doolittle (who struggled last year and left for the Reds in free agency) and his addition could help stabilize a Nationals relief corps that has been a weak spot for years.
Unfortunately, as is often the case with the Washington bullpen, new problems emerge as quickly as old problems are corrected. Will Harris’ status is in question due to a blood clot in his right arm, while Tanner Rainey has yet to pitch this spring due to a muscle strain near his collarbone. This opens the door for one of many relievers in camp on minor league deals (such as Javy Guerra, T.J. McFarland, Luis Avilan, Aaron Barrett, and more) to win jobs, or the Nationals could fill at least one bullpen role with one of the pitchers who doesn’t win the fifth spot in the rotation.
Joe Ross, Erick Fedde, and Austin Voth are all out of options, so the Nats will have to figure out a way to keep them on the big league roster unless they want to risk losing any of the hurlers on a waiver placement. D.C. can ill-afford losing a starter-capable arm for nothing, both because innings will be harder to fill this season, and because there is a fair amount of injury risk within the veteran top four of Washington’s rotation.
Stephen Strasburg tops this list, as the right-hander has been slowed by a calf injury this spring after missing all but two starts of 2020 due to carpal tunnel syndrome. Between Strasburg, Max Scherzer, and Patrick Corbin, the Nationals reinforced this experienced group with an even older pitcher in 37-year-old Jon Lester. It has been some time since Lester was a true top-of-the-rotation force, and his 5.16 ERA in 2020 (albeit over only 61 innings) was the worst of his career. While the Nats obviously think Lester can improve on that statistic in a more normal season, Lester’s primary function will be to act as a durable innings-eater.
Returning to the position-player side, the Nationals said goodbye to several regulars from their World Series team, as Adam Eaton (White Sox), Michael A. Taylor (Royals), Kurt Suzuki (Angels), and Asdrubal Cabrera (Diamondbacks) all left the District as free agents and Howie Kendrick decided to retire. Some familiar faces were retained, however, as the Nats worked out a new contract with longtime franchise stalwart Ryan Zimmerman, and utilityman Josh Harrison was re-signed for a second season with the club.
Zimmerman will serve as Bell’s backup, while Harrison could end up in a more significant role given the unsettled state of the D.C. infield. On paper, Harrison will play much everywhere on the diamond in a super-utility capacity. In practice, however, Harrison might end up getting more regular work in the infield since Carter Kieboom has followed up a rough 2020 season with a lack of production in Spring Training. (Kieboom was also mentioned in trade rumors over the winter.) It is possible the Nationals could end up using Starlin Castro at third base and Luis Garcia as the regular second baseman, but since Garcia is also inexperienced, having a versatile veteran like Harrison on hand becomes even more important.
The Nationals did at least consider making a much bigger splash to their everyday lineup, as such free agents and trade targets as D.J. LeMahieu, J.T. Realmuto, Carlos Santana, Eugenio Suarez, and Kris Bryant were all reportedly considered at different points in the offseason. While Harrison, Alex Avila or (“Baby Shark” sing-alongs notwithstanding) Gerardo Parra don’t have the same cache as those star names, it seems like Washington is opting to wait until next winter to start considering more big-ticket additions.
Only three players are on guaranteed contracts for the 2022 season, though the trio of Corbin, Harris, and Strasburg accounts for $67MM in payroll (roughly $11.5MM of Strasburg’s salary is deferred). As well, the Nationals are surely hoping that some of their payroll space will be taken up by long-term extensions with Soto and Turner. A Soto extension might well be the priciest contract in baseball history, while Turner is more of an immediately pressing concern, since Soto is controlled through the 2024 season and Turner only through 2022. Scherzer is also entering his final year under contract, and it’s probably safe to assume the Nats will have some talks about another deal for their longtime ace.
It makes for an interesting dynamic heading into 2021, as the Nationals will challenge for a return to the playoffs, but they are also well-positioned to pivot into being deadline sellers should they fall out of contention. The 2022 Nationals may look quite different, but there is still enough of the old championship core remaining this year for Washington to make a proper 162-game defense of the 2019 World Series title.
How would you grade the Nationals’ offseason? (Poll link for app users)
Which addition turns out better, shwarber or bell?
Bell will hit better imo. But his defense is so bad. Should be 60+ hr so they aren’t bad additions. Plus I would say the Nats had a weak lineup last year so this should help. Still have 3 teams in the division with way better lineups but they should be a good team. I’m also worried about their back end of the rotation. They could finish anywhere from 1-5 with 3-4 being the most likely.
I have to say…pretty fair assessment.
Castro 11 seasons 1633 hits .280 age 30
But his defense is very bad
I will take the “under” on the combined 60 HRs.
Depends on Bell. Schwarber will hit 30 or more.
Ladies & gentlemen please welcome your 2021 NL East champions, the Washington Nationals!
Who’s todays opponent will be the 2021 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS ATLANTA BRAVES!
Very sorry to see what is happening to the Nationals.
A big fan of theirs. Gave me hundreds of hours of enjoyment watching them on and off the past 5 years. But here’s the thing…..
They have 5 cornerstones – Max, Strasburg, Corbin, Soto, and Turner.
Max is fighting father time. Strasburg is a very good #2 – at times unbeatable, at other times he turns inconsistent. Corbin is solid, but not overpowering. Soto and Turner are 2 of the 10 most valuable position players in MLB today.
But starters can only throw 100 pitches every 5 games. Position players can only bat once every nine batters and only field if the ball is hit or thrown to them (although Turner is one of the few MLB players today that can change a game as a baserunner).
The rest of the ML roster is full of younger players that can’t seem to break through to being impact players, and veterans who are no longer getting better; rather are slowly regressing (throw Hand on the pile with Castro, Schwarber, Josh Harrison, Alex Avila, Ryan Zimmerman, and others…….Ryan Zimmerman?)
Maybe the Nationals have a group of prospects about to come up that can radically improve the team. Rizzo and his staff know. But the Nats are becoming the classic annual contender that needs to take a few steps back and do a quick rebuild on the fly – else a longer term rebuild will be needed within a few years.
I look for them to finish 4th or 5th in the NLE this year. Am sorry to see it. But it’s been a great run.
I had to go with F. I really don’t think the Nats main weaknesses in the pen or their IF defense was addressed. Instead, the defense now seems awful (on paper).I think they could benefit most from another top of the order player with speed to make a one-two speed threat with Trea Turner and score more runs. Dee Gordon or Kolten Wong perhaps. Kyle Schwarber it is.
They had to protect Soto, though, so Bell and Schwarber were crucial.
How would Dee Gordon score runs? He can’t get on base anymore, not that he ever was good at it anyway. He should be out of baseball soon.
Nationals live and die by their starting rotation. If Strasburg, Scherzer and Corbin are all healthy and performing then this team can fill in its missing pieces midseason. If not, it won’t really matter whether their 3B has a .450 OPS or .950 OPS.
Josh Bell really hasn’t been any good since the 2019 all-star break. And last year was more of the same of his 2019 second half. Thus I’m not expecting the come back that others seem so confident about.
The top three in the rotation are as good, if not better, than their NL East rivals (Sorry, Mets fans.). I like the Hand signing. With Hudson, Harris and Rainey in set-up roles, that’s a pretty good bullpen.
JMHO, but I wouldn’t count on Kieboom going Boom! any time soon. Guy looks totally overmatched at the plate. I’d play the underappreciated Starlin Castro at 3B and Josh Harrison at 2B. Luis Garcia needs about 150-250 AAA at bats. Nats rushed Kieboom to the majors before he was ready. Should not make the same mistake with Garcia. He could be the Nats everyday 2B for the next decade.
Key for the offense is what we get out of Robles. For all the hoopla surrounding him over the past three years, the end results haven’t warranted it. A good player? Yes, but probably gonna far less than predicted.
Lastly, I’m hoping this is the year Stevenson gets 300 or more at bats. He has talent that’s been stifled by an overcrowded outfield situation. Won’t be the case this year. He’s firmly entrenched as our fourth OF right now and he won’t embarrass himself if called upon to play some 1B in the pinch.
Nats are the NL East champs in 2021? Nah, I don’t think so. If their porous defense doesn’t do them in, the Mets look like the NL East’s best team. I give them the edge over the Braves because their bullpen is way better.
Schwarber is going to be a steal at that price. No longer batting leadoff, he’s going to shine
228 lifetime hitter ?to shine ?????,disaster defense…to SHINE ????
I think I’m taking the Phillies first but it could go to any team in the NLE. However, I think the Nats will be dead last. They have too many injuries to the RPs already. I hope I’m wrong.
They had to protect Soto, though, so Bell and Schwarber were crucial.
The Phillies will not finish first with THAT rotation. No chance.
Looks bleek
The NL East will likely be decided by what happens on July 31 (or August 2 this year, I think). What are the likelihoods of positive moves?
(1) MIA: Doubt that Jeter/Ng interrupt “the plan” with any huge moves.
(2) ATL: How much wiggle room does AA have? He’s usually right more than he’s wrong, but does he have the leverage?
(3) WASH: Rizzo’s also is very good; again, more right than wrong. And at some point they get the MASN windfall from the O’s. And they may want to take maximum advantage of what they have this year.
(4) PHL: Well, we KNOW what DD will do; trade his firstborn for a chance at the trophy. I say that with no criticism; flags fly forever.
(5) NYM: Most likely big movers. Cohen wants to make it happen, they’ll get Thor back, they have the prospect capital (IMHO, Matt Allen and PCA are HUGE prospects). I can see a real plunge here.
Re the MASN deal, Thomas Boswell summarizes the current situation very well in this column. As an indicator of what the Angelos family is doing, they dropped Gary Thorne from MASN. It appears they see the writing on the wall and will have to pay the Nats eventually since they are running out of legal roadblocks.
washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/03/19/masn-orioles-…
The compensation is tough to evaluate because other teams that own their RSN-s lie like a rug in terms of what they’re worth. Doing so allows them to significantly cut their contributions to Revenue Sharing. In that sense, owning the RSN almost pays for itself.
Getting rid of Thorne is a sacrilege. He was the only reason I’d peek into O’s telecasts. I’m sure he’ll do OK, especially with ESPN getting hockey back; but the guy does his homework AND has that great voice. He’ll be missed by any MLB fan.
Gary Thorne is one of the great voices in broadcasting now. He will definitely get some nice offers. Plus he has a great sense of humor.
What always got me about Thorne was not only that voice (which, to a point, is God-given). But he was always so prepared. Nowadays it’s easier; you’ve got assistants and the laptop in front of you. But in days past, you had to dig out info on (especially) new players from the other team, and Thorne always knew everything about everybody.
I get he’s a smart guy; a lawyer by trade and all that. But that type of work is unique. Scully had it obviously; Vin would tell you about the player’s parents, his grand-mother, and the last time he took a poop. And you ALWAYS knew what the score was, and how many were on base, etc. But Thorne has similar, if not equal, abilities.
And ya, he ain’t getting any younger; who is? Just a pleasant guy to listen to.
I think his age helps with the stats, stories, perspective. Guys like Thorne have a wealth of memories to draw from. They aren’t tied to the stat book like the younger announcers. He makes the game real. I don’t personally give a flip about launch angle and exit velocity. I can see the ball fly. Listening to a lot of these broadcasters is like being in algebra class.
The starting rotation, bullpen, and infield have been upgraded. As has the outfield: whatever you think of Schwarber, he’s at least a minor upgrade over the oft-injured Eaton. A solid B grade and no less. With Rizzo having close to $100 million in cap space for the ’22 season to try to extend Soto and/or Turner, and pursue FA’s.