In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, watching the Washington Commanders win their first playoff game in 19 years got me thinking about the Nationals’ rebuilding progress. It’s starting to feel like 2019 was a long time ago, and the Nats haven’t had a winning season since.
It’s much easier to move quickly in the NFL than in the MLB for a variety of reasons, but watching the Commanders made me yearn for the return of playoff baseball at Nationals Park. I hope the Lerner family felt the same way if they had watched last night’s game.
Even though the Nationals’ rebuild has produced some quality talent, it’s hard to say that the process is ahead of schedule. The rebuild will begin in mid-2021, with the team blew it up At the trade deadline. Mike Rizzo on the other hand The process was called retooling. At the time, he should have understood deep down that it was a full-fledged rebuild. Never lose more than 90 games 4 consecutive seasons With retooling.
Fans were hoping this offseason would see the Nats spend money and declare to the league that the rebuild was complete. But the Nationals haven’t really done that. Yes, they made some quality additions, particularly in the trade for first baseman Nathaniel Rowe. They haven’t decided to put their chips in the middle of the standings yet and have decided to go all-in on top-tier free agents.
There are good reasons to take the process slowly. Most of the Nationals’ young core players are still in their early 20s and have a lot to prove. But the seeming lack of ambition is frustrating. It’s especially stomach-churning when you juxtapose the Nationals’ lack of urgency with the ambition and spirit displayed by the new coaching ownership group.
There was a time when the Nationals had very ambitious leadership and made headlines. But since 2019, the Nationals have been resting on their laurels a bit. The owners don’t seem to have the same desperation to win that they once showed.
Of course, there’s still plenty of time to rewrite this book. 2025 could be a season of progression for the Nationals, just as 2024 was for the Commanders. That could set off a chain reaction that would send the Lerner family back to their previous, more liberal spending methods. But that’s hope, not hope, for now.
A year ago, there were hopes that the Nationals might win. The first DC team to emerge from a rebuild.but that didn’t happen with the rise of the Commander and the return of the Capital. Both the Caps and Commanders had very ambitious offseasons that helped them get back on the right track. This is something the Nationals will have to do at some point. If it’s not this offseason, you’ll have to go next season because there’s no shortage of excuses.
The fan base has been very patient through this process, but we’re only now seeing an improvement in the win-loss record. No one expects a World Series to happen in 2025, but fans want to see a step in the right direction. There are only so many seasons below .500 before the fan base begins to question what’s going on at the top.
The team has had the same owner, GM and manager trio since the start of the rebuild. If we see more stagnation this season, we should see further warming in all three of these numbers. Between James Wood, Dylan Cruz, Mackenzie Gore, and all the other young talent, a lot of the pieces are in place. But we need to start making sure that all of our young talent leads to more wins.
The hope for this season is not a World Series or even a playoff appearance, but rather a step towards a .500 batting average. As young players begin to become major league stars, there should be pressure on owners to give Mike Rizzo the tools he needs to complete his rebuild. But if there is stagnation, Rizzo and Martinez’s jobs should be in jeopardy.
As I looked at the leaders, I saw a team full of excitement and a leadership group that was willing to do whatever it took to win. It reminded me of the 2012 Nationals. I just want to see the Nationals’ leadership show the same spirit and urgency. It’s time to bring back the atmosphere of Nationals baseball.
2025 will be a key year in determining whether the Nationals’ rebuild goes as planned. Answers many questions about the future of the franchise. By this time next year, we’ll have a better idea of whether the Nationals are an up-and-coming team on the rise or an organization that remains in neutral.
