Major League Baseball

Three reasons to watch the Nationals in 2015

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:39 p.m. ET

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Speaking quite frankly, the Washington Nationals might run away with the National League East this season. It’s not likely that they’ll have an eight- or nine-game lead at the All-Star break, but then again it wouldn’t be shocking. That’s because the Nationals look like the best team in the entire league, while nobody else in their division seems like a good bet to win 85 games. So why bother watching the Nationals before October? Because, baseball! And also because really good teams have really good players, and really good players are fun to watch. To wit, three good reasons to watch the Nationals in 2015 ...

1. Uh, so who’s the ace around here?
So you know you’ve got a pretty good rotation when Gio Gonzalez, a two-time All-Star who went 21-8 just a few seasons ago, isn’t one of three legitimate candidates for staff ace. In fact, you could make the argument – maybe not a great argument, but still an argument – that Gonzalez doesn’t belong in the Nationals’ rotation at all; isn’t one of the top three, sure, but also should rank behind Doug Fister and Tanner Roark on the depth chart.

Really, it doesn’t matter whether or not Gonzalez starts, as the Nationals essentially have three No. 3 starters. Of course what’s more impressive is that they’ve essentially got three No. 1 starters: Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Jordan Zimmermann.

Right now, how many National League teams wouldn’t welcome any of the Nationals’ three aces as their No. 1 starter? I count two or three: the Dodgers (Kershaw), the Cubs (Lester) and the Cardinals (Wainwright).  Well, and the Giants because they probably think Madison Bumgarner has become as good as any of the non-Kershaws (and of course they might be right).

This is the biggest reason for the Nationals’ status as National League frontrunners: three games out of five, you have to face a Cy Young candidate ... and the other two times, you’re probably going to lose, too.

So it’ll be interesting to see which of Washington’s outstanding starters wins the most games, sports the lowest ERA, etc.

2. Is this finally Bryce Harper’s BIG YEAR?
The good news for the Nationals? Bryce Harper doesn’t have to be an MVP candidate for them to win 95 games and destroy the rest of the National League East. But just think how good the Nationals could be if Harper does become the sort of player we’ve been expecting?

Every time I write something like this, someone gets upset with me. But here are some facts. Harper’s never hit more than 22 home runs in one season. He’s never driven in more than 59 runs. He did score 98 runs in 2012, when he was also Rookie of the Year. In 2014, he scored 41 runs and stole two bases.

Yes, Harper’s got a great excuse: He’s been hurt. Which is sort of the point. Harper turned just 22 last fall, and we’re already wondering if he’s ever going to be healthy for more than a few months at a time.

The Nationals should be fine, either way. They’re just that good. But if Bryce Harper doesn’t stay healthy and hit 40 homers one of these years, we’re going to feel a little cheated. And if one of these years isn’t this year, it’ll seem just a little less likely.

3. While you’re weren’t watching...
Meanwhile, there’s Anthony Rendon. The Nationals took a small risk when they drafted him with the sixth overall pick in 2011. He’d not been healthy, which helps explain why Gerrit Cole, Danny Hultzen, Trevor Bauer, Dylan Bundy – granted, all of them pitchers – and Bubba Starling (!) were all chosen before Rendon. But Rendon’s easily been the best hitter in that draft so far, and almost completely on the strength of his surprising 2014, for which he finished fifth in MVP balloting.

It really was a great season, but it was also largely under the radar (N.L. MVP voters notwithstanding). Rendon’s probably due for some slight regression, but a) even with regression, he’s still a fine young player, and b) there’s of course the chance that he’ll be even better this season, and establish himself as the superstar that Harper was (still is?) supposed to be.

Hey, maybe they’ll both be superstars this year. Now that would be something to watch.

Washington Nationals
2014 record: 96-66
Playoffs: Lost to San Francisco Giants (3-1) in NLDS
Projected 2015 record: 93-69*
Key additions: SP Max Scherzer, SS Yunel Escobar
Key subtractions: 1B Adam LaRoche, RHP Rafael Soriano, RHP Tyler Clippard

*Projected records courtesy of FanGraphs

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