Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals went from winning the World Series in 2019 to finishing in the basement of the NL East in 2020.
It is easy to see why. Injuries decimated the pitching staff, and the bullpen was a mess once again. The departure of Anthony Rendon left a gaping hole at the hot corner, and most of the lineup was slapped with the regression stick. Carter Kieboom was a disaster, to the point where it may be fair to question if he will live up to his former top prospect stature.
DJ LeMahieu would fill a major hole in the Nationals’ lineup. If they were to plug him at second, Starlin Castro could slide to third, where he performed well during his time in Miami. Otherwise, LeMahieu could take over at third, while the Nationals see what they have in Luis Garcia at second, with Castro filling more of a utility role.
Not only do the Nationals have similar needs to the Blue Jays, but they had also been interested in LeMahieu in his prior sojourn into free agency. Once Washington had the sense that they were out of the running, they instead signed Brian Dozier to a one year deal.
The New York Yankees infielder is generating plenty of interest in free agency. These three teams may be the favorites for his services going forward.