Washington Nationals must live in the present more, plan for the future less
The Washington Nationals are a team ready to win now. That is why they must live in the present and focus on winning in 2018.
Not much has gone right for the Washington Nationals in October. Although they reach the playoffs regularly, they have yet to go beyond the NLDS. For many reasons, the Nationals are stuck losing in the first round each time they make it to the postseason.
Hopefully, things change in 2018. Armed with even more desperation this year, the upcoming campaign is possibly their last chance at a championship.
A lot will change between 2018 and 2019. The huge expected payday for Bryce Harper will likely lead to the star outfielder parting ways with Washington. Daniel Murphy and Gio Gonzalez are also notable free agents next winter, leaving the Nationals with two other big holes to fill. It’s quite possible they take a step back in 2019, hopeful to rebound quickly and take advantage of still having a pretty good roster in place. However, they should accept a slight rebuild is needed.
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The 2018 Washington Nationals appear ready to open the year with another fantastic roster. Considering the turn the franchise could take, it’s necessary to live in the moment and not worry so much about the future.
The Nationals have been in a situation like this in the past. Back in 2012, an innings limit kept Stephen Strasburg from pitching in the postseason. As luck would have it, their first trip to the postseason in franchise history ended quickly. Had Strasburg been a part of the playoff roster, Washington may have gone further.
At the time, the Nationals were worried about Strasburg getting hurt and never reaching his potential. Unfortunately, he has gotten hurt many times since but seems to have also become a star. Regardless of both fortunes coming true, the Nationals are sans championship. Heck, they haven’t even played in the NLCS because of those worries about the future.
In 2018, the Nationals can go a different route. They can do this by trading the necessary prospects to help give them a better shot in the postseason.
If I was in the general manager’s seat, only Victor Robles is close to untouchable. It’s hard to label any minor league talent as such. Robles only gets this label because it’s doubtful any team would ever give the Nationals anything of disproportionate value in return. Anything less than Clayton Kershaw with half his contract paid by the Los Angeles Dodgers is too late.
Beyond Robles, everyone else is on the table. Some will say trading Juan Soto is a mistake. As tough as it would be to let the promising young outfielder go, he’s years away from contributing. If it means landing a missing piece then it’s worth dealing away the potential for a brighter today.
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The Washington Nationals are lucky to have such a near-complete team. Instead of wasting it by holding onto prospects who may never pan out, they must prioritize the upcoming season.