The 2021 trade deadline signaled the beginning to the first rebuild in Mike Rizzo’s tenure as President of Baseball Operations and General Manager of the Washington Nationals. He recently said that, “You can see the light at the end of the tunnel.” While his team was no-hit today, that might dissuade you from believing the end of the rebuild is near — but it certainly felt that way after the Nats swept the Reds last weekend. It will feel that way again.
In case you need a history lesson, the previous rebuild that began in 2006 when MLB owned the team, was being overseen by ex-General Manager Jim Bowden. Rizzo joined the Lerner ownership group in the mid-season in 2006. When Bowden parted ways with the Nats in 2009, the team President was Stan Kasten. He left the team after the 2010 season. At that point, Rizzo was the man in-charge along with principal owner, Ted Lerner, who passed away in February 2023.
While Rizzo and the Lerner ownership group have been the constant since the mid-season of 2006, the rebuild should be over when the team brings in substantial free agents to add to their roster. The hope is that gets done after this season, much like the team did after the 2010 season by signing Jayson Werth.
The Draft
This year’s draft brought in three players with first round buzz that included middle infielder Seaver King from Wake Forest, top catcher Caleb Lomavita from Cal Berkeley, and middle infielder Luke Dickerson from the high school level. King and Lomavita were consensus first rounders, and Dickerson had some evaluators talking about first round potential after his scouting combine numbers was the talk of the combines. The Nats have already inked 19 drafted players in the 20 rounds, and that is great news.
Most likely, the Nationals will enter the draft lottery with no restrictions for next year’s draft and that could hopefully mirror what happened after the 2010 season when the Nats drafted Anthony Rendon in 2011. Remember, that team was teetering close to the .500 mark, and the following season in 2012, the Nats won the NL East pennant.
The Trade Deadline
Just five days from today at 6 pm EDT, the trade deadline will be over. When the dust settles, this Washington Nationals team will look different most likely. The team already traded reliever Hunter Harvey, and the most mentioned names in trade talks are closer Kyle Finnegan, reliever Dylan Floro, outfielder Lane Thomas, and DH Jesse Winker.
As you trade players, there could be more prospects that are added back to the farm system. That becomes the circular nature of a rebuilding baseball team. That is how the Nats got Thomas in a trade that few saw coming when Rizzo flipped Jon Lester to the Cardinals for Thomas on July 30, 2021.
Maybe there will be a trade in the next few days that nobody else saw coming.
The near-future
The components to the near-future is the trade deadline, the drafted players moving into the development system, and the post-tradeline roster. Additionally, the team becomes a try-out for next year, and especially for players like Juan Yepez, and pitchers such as Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz.
What you learn is this team needs that player like Werth to add to the roster on a long-term deal that can be the veteran leader. That player has to be a star who can lead by example also. In addition, it became crystal clear that this team needs an ace at the front of the rotation. Patrick Corbin‘s tenure is going to end 59-games from now. This team needs that veteran ace pitcher.
Other than that is get top prospects James Wood and Dylan Crews improving and ready for the 2025 season. That part of the future is now. The other holes will be on the corner infield, and at some point, Brady House will take over at third base, and the team will be in search of a first baseman of the future.
” … the payroll flexibility — you have to be enthusiastic about where this franchise is going in the future.”
— Mike Rizzo said two weeks ago on the Sports Junkies radio show
That payroll flexibility is the key to filling in the voids in this roster, and completing this rebuild sooner than later. For a while there, it looked like when this 2024 Nats’ team was above .500 that they were ready to surprise the baseball world. That was just a tease. A glimpse into the future on what should be the norm.
Have faith that Rizzo knows what he is doing, and with a little luck, the suffering of Washington Nationals fans will turn to more celebrations on Half Street into Pennsylvania Avenue.
