Washington Nationals need to rally in month of May
Let’s see, it was only 2013 when most odds makers figured the Toronto Blue Jays should be World Series favorites. The Jays started out the season going 10-17 in April en route to an overall record of 74-88. Playoffs? No sir. World Series contenders? Not a chance.
In 2014, Vegas liked the Los Angeles Dodgers above all other clubs to win it all. While they fought off the jinx to more avail than did the Blue Jays by winning 94 games, Clayton Kershaw again imploded in the postseason and the St. Louis Cardinals easily disposed of the Dodgers in the NLDS in four games.
Now in 2015, the Washington Nationals are doing their best representation at attempting to go from worst to first. The Nats are 7-13 in baseball’s opening month and find themselves at last place in the National League East division. They’re already eight games back of the first place New York Mets, the second biggest gap of any first and last place team in a division.
After acquiring the coveted Max Scherzer in free agency, the Nats were supposed to dominate the competition with their starting rotation and provide ample run support to those pitchers with the likes of position playing All-Stars Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth and their 2014 breakout player, Anthony Rendon.
Rendon is yet to play this season and could be the spark plug they are missing on offense to ignite a winning mentality in May. On the disabled list since Opening Day with a sprained left MCL in his knee, the sooner their third baseman gets healthy, the better. The Nationals rank second last in the league in team batting average with a .215 mark. They’re in the bottom half of the league in runs scored as well.
Even from a pitching standpoint, Washington’s ‘dream’ rotation is having a number of hiccups. Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann and Gio Gonzalez all host ERAs well north of 4.50 after four starts apiece. Reliever Aaron Barrett is the only player on the staff with more than a single victory — or with a winning percentage of .500 or better, for that matter.
Scherzer had been pitching very well for his new ball club, but is dealing with a finger strain and has been scratched from his Tuesday start. Instead of giving Tanner Roark — who went 15-10 with a 2.85 ERA in 31 starts last season — the spot start, management has elected to call up 23-year-old prospect A.J. Cole.
It’s a puzzling move, no doubt. Any club would love to have someone with Roark’s talent and versatility as their long relief pitcher capable of being called upon from the bullpen or on days when a starter needs a break. It’s little wonder why Washington is struggling as they are if the organization thinks Cole has a better chance at seizing a win and getting the club rolling in the right direction.
The Washington Nationals cannot have a mediocre May. Hovering around .500 will do them no good, not with the way the Mets and Atlanta Braves are playing right now. Last May, the club had their worst month of 2014 going 11-15. This time around, the luxury of regression won’t be afforded to the Nationals. April showers need to bring with it May powers for the boys from D.C., or Vegas will again have the last laugh.