WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 11: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Nationals Park on May 11, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Opening Day of Major League Baseball will be here before you know it! This is a good time to look at each’s team’s prognosis heading into the 2021 season after the 60-game abbreviated 2020 season.
The Washington Nationals had a disappointing 2020 season, following an outstanding World Series win in 2019. In 2020, the Nationals fell into fourth place in the National League East and missed the postseason. Washington also took a step back in standings that were representative of their decline. The team came in 25th in ERA, posting a 5.09 ERA, and 22nd in homers with 66 home runs. The Nationals have the right core to head off into the postseason, but the NL East is competitive, and at this point, any team could come out on top.
Here are Washington’s projected starters.
The Nationals’ biggest move this offseason was trading for first baseman Josh Bell and sending starters Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean to the Pirates. Additionally, the Nationals signed former Chicago Cubs Kyle Schwarber, Jon Lester, Alex Avila, and closer Brad Hand. With these additions came the losses of third baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, reliever Sean Doolittle, and outfielder Adam Eaton.
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If outfielder Victor Robles and third baseman Carter Kieboom can prove themselves worthy bats, Washington’s offense will be elite. The bullpen is in better shape with new acquisition Brad Hand, but the bullpen is still not over the moon. Regarding the starting rotation, the Nationals do have three aces, but the rotation’s back end will need retooling for the team to make the postseason. Yes, the NL East will be fun to watch, but the Nationals will need to rebound after a disappointing 2020 to make the postseason.
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