Washington Nationals Listed as Potential Fit for World Series Champion
The Washington Nationals have entered the offseason with a lot of hope for the future and needs to improve upon.
The 2024 season can be characterized as a step in the right direction for the Nationals. Even though they won the same number of games as they did the year prior, Washington did it with a lot of the young players that they hope will be the next core of the team.
While the Nationals have a plethora of young talent, they do have some glaring needs that should be addressed this offseason. One of which is to improve their starting rotation.
The unit was one of the worst in baseball last year, and Washington needs to improve it. With money to spend in free agency, they could certainly look to target some help in the rotation.
Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report updated his rankings for the top free agents still available with a couple of players coming off the board already. Jack Flaherty was ranked in the 10th spot, with Washington seen as a potential fit for the World Series champion.
“Flaherty is more of a mid-rotation type than a No. 1, and even that is assuming good health. To this end, his track record is iffy. And even if they didn't cost him substantial time on the injured list, the issues he had with his back this year are worth worrying about. Even still, there's a real chance of Flaherty parlaying the one-year, $14 million deal he took last winter into a nine-figure contract.”
Targeting Flaherty makes a lot of sense for the Nationals, as he figures to be exactly what they are looking for in the rotation. While he might not be the caliber of pitcher as a Corbin Burnes, he could come to Washington for half the price.
After some struggles in 2023, the right-hander bounced back with an excellent season for the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Overall, the 29-year-old totaled a 13-7 record, 3.17 ERA, 3.48 FIP, and 3.1 WAR.
While Flaherty hasn’t been the most consistent throughout his career, he has the ability to be a front-end starting pitcher. Also, at 29 years old compared to a veteran that might be in his 30s, he fits in nicely with the projected timeline for the Nationals’ plans.
Furthermore, the talented right-hander makes a lot of sense for Washington if the price is right, as he would really be a big boost to the starting rotation.
