The Washington Nationals’ lack of home run power was a clear weakness last season. Their 135 home runs ranked second-last in baseball, just two behind the historically underperforming Chicago White Sox. If the Nationals want to take a step toward championship contention, they need to add more power to their lineup, and management knows that.
Lizzo’s comment
General manager Mike Rizzo is well aware of the problem. During an interview with MLB Network During the winter meetings, he cited the fact that the Nats were second from bottom in home runs. That was the first thing he said when asked about his offseason plans. There is no question that the Nationals will bring in a power bat, but the question is the quality of the players.
It depends on what kind of money the owner wants to spend. There’s no one on the active roster scheduled to make more than $5.4 million, so there’s no reason not to shell out big bucks. But given the Nationals’ history since Mark Lerner took over the team from his father, that’s not a guarantee.
potential target
The two easiest spots to upgrade are first base and DH. The current nuts are projected Juan Yepes and Andres Chaparro will fill those positions. Both have combined for 0bWAR in their MLB careers and are at a replacement level. The Nationals need to upgrade at one or both of these spots.
One interesting target is linked The Nationals have Christian Walker. He has hit at least 25 home runs in each of the last three years, a level of consistency the Nationals desperately need. Walker has always been an above-average hitter, combining good power with a very good approach. The added bonus that Walker provides is Gold Glove-level defense at first base. He has won three consecutive Gold Gloves and will be a huge help to the Nationals’ young infield. Walker should be a top priority for the Nationals. His price should be a three-year contract worth between $20 million and $25 million annually.
The Nationals have no connection to him, Joc Pederson, but he checks a lot of boxes for the team. He is a veteran power hitter who can provide home runs and experience. Njoku is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with a .908 OPS. As a platoon option, he pairs well with Chaparro or Yepez, who crush left-handed pitchers. With Walker up front and a DH platoon of Pederson and Yepes/Chaparro, the Nationals’ lineup will look more dangerous.
Internal improvements
The Nationals are also relying on young players to take the next step this season. For the Nationals to make the leap, James Wood and Dylan Cruz will have to become consistent power threats. They both have many abilities, but they must make some adjustments to utilize their powers.
Wood is a particularly interesting case. There are very few players in the league who can hit the ball like this. difficult He can do it. However, it didn’t lead to a home run. His nine home runs in 295 at-bats is not overwhelming for a player with his raw power. Wood’s problem is that he hits the ball too much on the ground and rarely gets it into the air. His 55.6GB% is more than 10 points above the MLB average. He also couldn’t hit a fly ball for the first two months of his career. When he finally did it, he did it. damage. Wood has the potential to be a true 40 home run hitter, something the Nationals desperately need. But like most of the Nationals’ young players, he still has a lot of room to grow. The Nationals need to add power through both free agency and internal improvement to get over .500.
