The Washington Nationals acquired a new first baseman after trading for Nathaniel Rowe. With the addition of a new face at the cold corner, it feels like a good time to remember some of the Nationals’ best first basemen. In their relatively short history, the Nats have had some great players at the position.
When the Nationals came to town, they had a young asset at first base in Nick Johnson. He was one of the best players on the team in 2005 and 2006. In my opinion, he had the second best eye in Nationals history behind Juan Soto. johnson walked More than 15% of the time in his career. In two full seasons with the Nationals, he Posted On-base percentages of .408 and .428. However, after an elite season in 2006 in which he posted a .948 OPS, his career was derailed by injuries. In what should have been his prime, Johnson’s stellar career was interrupted by injuries.
The next greatest Nats first baseman after Johnson was slugger Adam Dunn. Before the 2009 season, they signed Dunn signed a two-year contract worth $20 million. During the 2009 season, Dunn had one of the strangest seasons in MLB history. wonderful Video by Stupid Baseball. Dunn was an elite player at the plate, posting a .928 OPS and 38 home runs. However, his defense was very poor both in the outfield and at first base, and he negative war. It was the worst defensive season in MLB history.
In 2010, Dunn played full time as a first baseman, improving his defensive ability. It wasn’t great, but it was acceptable. That was all his bat needed. That 2010 season, Dunn again hit 38 home runs. Even with a poor OPS of .892, his improved defensive ability resulted in a WAR of 2.5.
It was clear that Mike Rizzo made first base defense a priority after Dunn left in free agency. he is grabbed Adam LaRoche, he had signed one of the best defensive first basemen in baseball. LaRoche is a player with whom I share a lot. similarities To Nathaniel Rowe. His first season was plagued by injuries, but he bounced back in 2012. LaRoche was a key cog on the 2012 team’s breakthrough. he won He won a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove that year and finished sixth in MVP voting. It was the best year of his career.
Although they had a down year in 2013, they bounced back in 2014 as the team as a whole improved. LaRoche hit 26 home runs and had an .817 OPS that season, his final year in DC. After he left for the White Sox, he strange retirementafter being asked to reduce the number of children in the clubhouse.
After LaRoche left, franchise icon Ryan Zimmerman moved from third base to first base. Zimmerman was a Gold Glove-caliber defender in the third field early in his career, but a shoulder injury hampered his ability to pitch. By 2015, he became a full-time first baseman. By this time Zimmerman’s body was weakening, but he still gave the Nats some great years. His 2017 season was particularly memorable. Z-man turned back the clock, hit He hit a career-high 36 home runs with a batting average of .303 and an OPS of .930. This was the last truly great season for Zimmerman, but he delivered solid results for the Nats from when he was healthy until his retirement. In 2019, his return and postseason shock for the Nats.
First base has been a bit of a black hole for the Nationals since Zimmerman left. Josh Bell had some moments, but struggled with inconsistency. Players like Joey Gallo, Joey Meneses and Dom Smith haven’t been able to produce at a high level. However, Nathaniel Rowe has risen to prominence and should be the next great first baseman for the Nats. Of the Nats’ first basemen, he most reminds me of LaRoche with his consistently above-average bat and Gold Glove-level defense.
