8. Nationals going all in
We go from the team that lost the 2016 NLCS to the team it beat to get there.
In 2012, the Washington Nationals looked like a budding dynasty. Led by Rookie of the Year Bryce Harper, Washington had baseball’s best record at 98-64. Sure, that season ended in disappointment, but a decade’s worth of deep playoff wins were in this team’s future, right?
It hasn’t worked out that way.
Washington has made it to the playoffs twice since 2012. But both times, the season ended in the division series. The Nats enter 2017 with a sense of urgency. Harper will be a free agent following the 2018 season. Daniel Murphy will, as well.
As if that wasn’t enough, Washington also parted ways with two star prospects (Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez) to land Adam Eaton in the offseason. Make no mistake, Eaton is a good, young player. But trading two prospects like to get him was a “win now” move.
The good for the Nationals is that they certainly have talent. The bad news is that this team’s once limitless potential has been all too limited. And now, this run has a potential end in sight.
The 2017 season is a pivotal one for this franchise.