Washington Nationals should take cautious approach with injured stars

The Washington Nationals have several key players on the disabled list. In order to ensure everyone is at full strength for the postseason, they should proceed with caution.

The Washington Nationals have always been an injury-plagued bunch. Stephen Strasburg tore his UCL shortly into his major league career, setting him back quite a bit, which seems to have set the tone for the franchise.

Since then, the Nats seemingly have several key players on the disabled list at all times. They currently have Daniel Murphy, Adam Eaton, Ryan Zimmerman, Matt Wieters, Brian Goodwin, Matt Grace, and Koda Glover, among others on the disabled list. Those seven players alone account for over a fifth of the major league roster.

Unfortunately, the Nats were relying on a few of their injured players to make a significant impact. They have four former All-Stars on the disabled list, along with other impactful players.

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Despite suffering from a plethora of injuries, the Nats have continued to play well. They have won eight of their last 10 games, including a four-game sweep of the surging Arizona Diamondbacks.

Max Scherzer, Anthony Rendon, and Trea Turner are among the bonafide starters that have played well, but the Nats have benefitted from strong showings from under-the-radar players as well.

Matt Adams has been far and away the most notable bench player to step up. He has slashed .274/.389/.642 in 35 games, and his 10 homers are just three short of the major league lead.

He began the year as Zimmerman’s backup, but his hot start has forced Dave Martinez to play him in left field as well.

Adams has been an impressive revelation, and the Nats would not be where they are without him.

Along with Adams, Howie Kendrick has done a terrific job. Like Adams, Kendrick was a projected bench player that has received an extended opportunity to prove himself.

The bulk of Kendrick’s playing time has come at second base, where he is filling in for Murphy, but he has also seen time in left field and at first base. His versatility is valuable, but his bat has not been bad either. He has hit .299 in 38 games, good for 14th in the National League. He also leads the NL in doubles, with 13.

Finally, Pedro Severino and Andrew Stevenson have played well, despite beginning the year in the minors.

Severino received an opportunity in the season’s first week, when Wieters was on the disabled list, and Miguel Montero was on paternity leave. He made the most of his sudden opportunity and has continued to impress as the Nats’ everyday catcher.

With Wieters on the disabled list yet again and Montero no longer with the team, Severino is the Nats’ primary catcher for the time being. The pitching staff raves about his defensive skillset and energy, while he has also hit .268 in 24 games.

In the outfield, Stevenson has done an admirable job. He is a defense-first player at this stage in his career, but he has produced at the plate as well. His .263 batting average is nothing to be scoffed at, and he has played lockdown defense in the outfield.

Stevenson has not stolen a base yet, but his blazing speed has the potential to impact any game.

It is also worth noting that Mark Reynolds got off to an unbelievable start with the Nats. After hitting 30 home runs in 2017, he did not receive a major league offer this offseason. He eventually settled for a minor league deal with the Nats and finally made his season debut on Sunday night in Arizona.

Reynolds went 3-for-4 with two homers in his first game, including a go-ahead home run in the eighth. It is a minimal sample size, but the Nats could not have asked for a better debut.

Although the Nats miss their injured stars, they have continued to play well in their absence. As long as the supposed bench players continue to play well, the Nats should take a cautious approach with their injured stars.

Next: Adam Eaton's latest setback a tolerable blow

After all, the division appears to be the Washington Nationals’ to lose, and they will need everyone at full strength come October.