Washington Nationals Named Best Fit for Reunion With Former Cy Young Winner
After a slow start to the winter, things have really picked up lately for the Washington Nationals as they look to fill out their roster.
The Nationals have been in a rebuild for quite some time since winning the World Series in 2019. After winning 71 games the last two years, Washington certainly wants to see an improvement in that area this coming season.
So far this winter, the Nationals haven’t made a big splash, but have added some nice veterans to support the young core. Washington seemingly wants to let their young players continue to develop another year before making long-term commitments to free agents, and that certainly makes sense.
One area that could still use some improvements is their starting rotation.
While the Nationals have plenty of pitchers who could potentially start, there are some question marks and unproven young arms in the mix.
Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com recently spoke about the Nationals being a great fit for a reunion with starting pitcher Max Scherzer. He highlighted that, while Washington might not be a contender, they are on the way up, which could be appealing for the veteran right-hander.
“The club is back on the way up now, but lacks proven arms at the top of its rotation. Scherzer could be a valuable addition in more ways than one, bolstering the Nationals’ staff and helping to mentor their young starters.”
A potential reunion with Scherzer does make sense for the Nationals.
The 40-year-old battled injuries in 2024, resulting in him making just nine starts. However, he pitched quite well when he was able to be on the mound.
With the Texas Rangers last year, Scherzer totaled a 3.95 ERA, which would be solid for a Nationals’ rotation that, for the most part, struggled in 2024.
Going back to 2023 with the New York Mets and Rangers, Scherzer proved he could still be an effective pitcher.
The right-hander pitched excellently for Washington when he came over in 2015.
The future Hall of Famer won two Cy Young awards and a World Series with the Nationals. In a day and age when big-money long-term deals don’t always work out, Scherzer was worth every penny.
At this stage in his career, Scherzer would likely want to be on a contender, but true contenders usually don’t have starting spots in their rotations readily available at this stage in the offseason.
Even though the Nationals likely won’t be competing for a championship, coming back to a team where he had so much success could be appealing.
The young core of Washington is quite good, and the 40-year-old might be an excellent leader in the clubhouse for the franchise.
