Washington Nationals: Finding options at catcher for the stretch run

The Washington Nationals are in the thick of the Wild Card hunt. While they could use some help in other places, the catcher position may be their biggest black hole in the lineup.

This year has been a bit of a disappointment for the Washington Nationals. In some ways, it has felt like a last stand, especially with Bryce Harper potentially becoming a free agent after the season. However, at this point, making the postseason is not enough.

At this point, the Nationals have made the playoffs in four of the last six seasons. In that time frame, they have yet to advance beyond the first round, falling short of their desired championship goal. Although they struggled at the beginning of the 2018 campaign, the goal remains the same in Washington – to advance in the postseason and bring the first championship in franchise history to the nation’s capital.

To get there, the Nationals need to fill several holes on their roster. They have already begun to make moves, adding Kelvin Herrera from the Royals to bolster their bullpen. Now, it is a matter of fortifying the lineup, to fix those black holes.

At this point, the Nationals biggest need is the catcher position. Heading into Sunday’s action, Nationals catchers have produced a woeful .555 OPS, the worst in baseball. Miguel Montero lasted 13 plate appearances before being released. Matt Wieters is still on the disabled list, and has struggled in each of the past couple of years. Meanwhile, Pedro Severino and Spencer Kieboom have hardly looked like viable starters behind the plate.

The Washington Nationals need help at catcher. Fortunately, there are a few options that could be available for the right price.