Washington Nationals 2018 Season Review
By David Hill
Washington Nationals additions and subtractions
Key additions: Matt Adams, Miguel Montero
Newcomer to watch: Miguel Montero. The duo of Matt Wieters and Jose Lobaton were not exactly what anyone would refer to as offensive threats last season. Nationals catchers produced a combined 208/.275/.319 batting line with 14 homers. Their .594 OPS was the worst in baseball. It was plainly obvious that Washington needed an upgrade behind the plate.
While they have reportedly been interested in acquiring J.T. Realmuto from the Marlins, that has yet to come to fruition. Instead, the Nationals have looked to upgrade that position in the lineup by bringing in Miguel Montero, another catcher coming off of a down season in 2018.
Once a solid power threat behind the plate, Montero has struggled in the past two years. Last season, split between the Cubs and Blue Jays, he produced a meager .216/.310/.346 batting line with only six homers. And yet, that production was better than what the Nationals got from the catcher spot last year. Until they find a more permanent solution, Miguel Montero may play a significant role in the Nationals lineup this year.
Biggest losses: Matt Albers, Adam Lind
Biggest loss: Matt Albers. The Nationals have a solid trio to close out games with Sean Doolittle, Brandon Kintzler, and Ryan Madson. However, it was Matt Albers who may have been their best reliever last season.
A relatively solid middle relief option, Albers emerged as the primary setup man in Washington last season. In his 63 appearances spanning 61 innings, he notched a 1.62 ERA and a 0.862 WHiP, striking out 63 batters with just 17 walks. Even though he was not typically used to close out games, Albers even picked up the first two saves of his major league career last season.
Chances are, Matt Albers is not someone that would immediately come to mind as being vital to the Washington Nationals success last season. However, on a team that had a few question marks in the bullpen, he proved to be a valuable contributor, someone that solidified the relief corps. His departure could prove more costly than it would appear.