We are inching closer and closer to when pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training and there are only a couple of items left to pick up on Mike Rizzo's offseason shopping list, including a catcher, another big bat, and maybe an infielder or two.

Before we get to the holes that still need to be filled, let's do a quick review of what's been done so far this offseason.

Washington truly kicked off their offseason acquisitions the day before Christmas by trading away right-handed pitchers Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean to the Pittsburgh Pirates for 2019 all-star infielder Josh Bell. This trade gave the Nationals their new first baseman and added a power bat to the middle of the order that was sorely missed during the 2020 season.

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Rizzo's next move was signing former Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber to a one year $10 million deal on January 9. Adding Schwarber gave Washington another home-run threat in its lineup, who also has a good on-base percentage and an adequate glove in left field. With this move, the Nationals are planning to move Juan Soto to right field.

In addition to the Schwarber and Bell signings, Rizzo made a great deal with fan-favorite and "Captain" of the Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman. Zimmerman will return to the Nationals on a one-year $1 million contract. With a career .917 OPS against southpaws, Zimmerman will likely get the starts at first base against left handed pitchers and be called upon to pinch hit.  If MLB ever announces their decision about the universal DH, we could also see Zimmerman occupy that spot in the lineup.

After addressing the infield and the outfield, Rizzo's attention moved towards his favorite position: Pitching. A week after signing one former Chicago Cub, Rizzo signed Jon Lester to a one year deal for $2 million. The veteran left hander will be placed into the fourth spot in the pitching rotation behind Scherzer, Strasburg, and Corbin and will give the Nationals a consistent veteran  pitcher every fourth game.

On January 24, Rizzo addressed the bullpen and found his next closer to pair with Daniel Hudson by signing Brad Hand to a one-year $10.5 million contract. Although the Nats have two left-handed starters in Patrick Corbin and Jon Lester, Hand is the only veteran southpaw reliever on the roster. During Spring Training next month, prospects Sam Clay, Seth Romero, and Ben Braymer could all be competing with non-roster invitees for a left-handed spot in Washington's bullpen.

As of now, here is an idea of what the Washington Nationals Lineup could look like WITHOUT the DH

Turner, SS
Soto, RF
Bell, 1B
Schwarber, LF
Castro, 2B
Gomes, C
Robles CF
Kieboom, 3B
Starting Pitcher, P

Here is an idea of what a Nationals lineup could look like WITH the DH

Turner, SS
Soto, RF
Bell, 1B
Zimmerman, DH
Schwarber, LF
Castro, 2B
Gomes, C
Robles CF
Kieboom, 3B

What's Next?

Now that we have done a quick review of what's been done, it's time to focus on what still needs to be done, and that's still a lot. According to the most recent numbers, Washington has approximately $16 million left to spend to stay under the CBT for the season.

Let's start behind the plate with another Catcher.

With Kurt Suzuki signing with the Los Angeles Angels, the Nats need another veteran catcher to pair with Yan Gomes. During an end of the year press conference, Manager Dave Martinez talked about this very need. With Washington's recent signings, one has to believe that the Nationals are out of the running to sign high-priced, free-agent catcher JT Realmuto, so the next tier of catchers could very well be in play. However, besides free agents, there is another option for Washington to add a catcher and we at the Nats Report love the idea of trading for Chicago Cubs backstop Willson Contreras. Some free agent possibilities could include:

  • former Washington Nationals Catcher Wilson Ramos
  • former Atlanta Braves catcher Tyler Flowers

To name a few...

Infield To-Do List

In terms of the additional infielders, there are many free agents on the market that would be a great addition to the team. One free agent that was already suggested here on the Nats Report is Cesar Hernandez. From the article: "His six defensive runs saved last season would easily improve our infield defense, which did not look pretty in 2020." Additionally, "But even if he isn't leading off you can put Hernandez virtually anywhere in the lineup and expect him to be a reliable hitter. At .352, his career OBP is well over league average, he steals an average of 15 bags per season, and has the power to hit over 20 doubles and 10-15 home runs. Most importantly though, Hernandez would give the Nats the professional depth in their lineup that is missing outside of their usual 1 through 5."

Conclusion

The Washington Nationals have approximately 16 million left to spend to stay under the CBT for the season and still have a few holes to fill. Hopefully, between now and when Spring Training officially starts, the Nationals will be all set and ready for the 2021 season.

(Article edited by: Jonathan)

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