There are certain teams that have become synonymous with winning championships. The Yankees and Cardinals have been able to be contenders throughout much of their history, establishing their franchise identities. The Braves have done the same, especially since the beginning of the 1990s, even if the championships have not followed. Now the Washington Nationals are looking to do the same.
As their minor leaguers that are not on the 40 man roster come into spring training, the Nationals are looking to set a new tone. They have plenty of new instructors and are looking to establish the Nationals Way.
Washington Nationals looking to build their own culture of winning
If ever there was a time to change the way the Nationals have done things, it is now. Not only are all of those new instructors in camp, but they have begun an actual rebuild. There are plenty of young players vying for spots on the major league roster with the idea that they can be a part of the future core.
The Nationals have had success recently. They won the World Series in 2019 and had been a playoff contender in the years prior. It is not outside the realm of probability that they can return to those winning ways in the somewhat near future.
But that timeline is complicated by other factors. Juan Soto has just three more years of team control left and has rebuffed extension offers thus far. He has stated that he wants to see a commitment to winning from the Nationals, which presumably would involve adding pieces to improve the current roster.
This commitment to creating a Nationals Way is a way of fulfilling Soto’s request. It is a way to ensure that the team will look to compete and win going forward. But that takes time to establish, and time is not exactly on their side in that instance.
The Washington Nationals are looking to build a winning culture. That is going to start with the creation of the Nationals Way.