The Washington Nationals have not received much production from Wilmer Difo in Trea Turner’s absence. It may be time to give top prospect Carter Kieboom a shot.
Trea Turner appeared in all 162 games for the Washington Nationals last season, but his hopes to repeat the feat were dashed after just four games in 2019. After getting off to a hot start to the new campaign, Turner broke his finger in a bunt attempt gone awry.
Turner is only expected to miss four to six weeks, which is much better than what was initially reported, but that could be the deciding factor in what is shaping up to be a tight division race. He is a valuable table setter for the Nats, and their offense has not been the same in his absence.
Wilmer Difo is the only shortstop currently on the roster, with third baseman Anthony Rendon serving as the emergency backup, but Difo has been rather uninspiring. In 13 games, Difo is slashing .214/.283/.310 with several mistakes on the basepaths and in the field.
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Meanwhile, top prospect Carter Kieboom is tearing up Triple-A pitching, to the tune of a .381/.490/.667 slash line. The 21-year-old infielder impressed at the plate in his first major league spring training, but struggled while attempting to transition from shortstop to second base. However, since Turner has been on the injured list, Kieboom has been playing shortstop for the Fresno Grizzlies.
Kieboom’s move back to his natural position would point to the Nats grooming him to fill in for Turner sooner rather than later, but he has not yet received the call.
Mike Rizzo and co. have not been afraid to promote young players when they seem ready, as they did with Turner, Juan Soto, and Victor Robles, among others, meaning Kieboom could be on the way to DC soon. They have also bucked the trend of service time manipulation, but Kieboom’s deadline has already passed anyways, so there is nothing holding them back.
The Nats’ offense has been missing a spark in Turner’s absence, scoring three runs in each of their last four games and falling below .500, but Kieboom could give them a much-needed jolt. Soto’s arrival energized the team last year, and Kieboom’s hot bat could make a similar impact. Kieboom should not be expected to produce like Soto did last year, but he is as hot as anyone in the league right now.
If you take away his 0-for-5 on Opening Day, Kieboom is hitting .432 with two homers, 12 RBI, and a stolen base. His defense is a bit raw, but his offensive production would certainly indicate that he is ready for the next level. If he proves to be a defensive liability, Difo could always relieve him as a defensive replacement late in games.
The Washington Nationals have gotten off to a decent start in 2019, held back mostly by a shaky bullpen. Shortstop is not an enormous need, but promoting Carter Kieboom could help the team get back on track.