The Washington Nationals return a good chunk of their core from 2016 this season, but as always, there are new additions to the roster. Meet the new guys who will sport the Curly W on Opening Day.
WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals return a good chunk of their core from 2016 this season, but as always, there are new additions to the roster. Meet the new guys who will sport the Curly W on Opening Day.
Joe Blanton — RHP
Blanton’s undergone a fascinating career renaissance as a reliever after a decade as a big league starter. Originally a first-round selection from the University of Kentucky in the famous Oakland A’s Moneyball draft class of 2002, he won 10 or more games five times before a 2-14 season with the Angels in 2013 looked like the end. But Blanton’s pitched to a sparkling 2.65 ERA over the past two seasons as a reliever, posting a 1.06 WHIP and striking out better than a batter an inning while bringing his home run rate to career lows.
The Nats got a good look at Blanton in last year’s NLDS, where he appeared in four of the five games and tossed five innings of scoreless, one-hit ball. Now 36 years old, Blanton is one of a few veterans in the Washington bullpen and will be looked to as a key cog to bridge the gap between the rotation and the closer, whomever that turns out to be. He’s signed to a single-year, $4 million deal.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
Adam Eaton — OF
The prized acquisition of the club’s offseason, Eaton is expected to play center field every day and hit at or near the top of the lineup. While his traditional statistics don’t stand out — Eaton has averaged 10 home runs and 16 stolen bases over the past three seasons in Chicago — his advanced stats tell a better story. Eaton’s 15.4 WAR over that same three-year span ranks 15th in Major League Baseball, just below Manny Machado and Buster Posey.
At just 5-foot-8, Eaton’s nickname is “Spanky,” though he’s also been called Mighty Mouse. His reputation is that of a grinder, but his career .357 on-base percentage suggests an above-average eye at the plate. At 28 years old, Eaton should be entering the prime of his career, and he is under contract with the Nats for at least the next three seasons, with team options for two more years.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File
Adam Lind — IF
The Nats added Lind to bolster their bench production. A left-handed batter capable of playing first base or left field in a pinch, Lind slashed .291/.364/.478 and hit 20-plus home runs twice over three seasons from 2013-15 before a down year last season in Seattle. He has always hit right-handed pitching well, with 164 of his 186 career home runs and an .849 career OPS against righties.
While Lind will initially come off the bench, it will be interesting to see how much action he gets against right-handed starters if Jayson Werth and Ryan Zimmerman can’t improve upon last year’s production, when each batted in the .220s against righties.
(AP Photo/John Bazemore)
AP Photo/John Bazemore
Enny Romero — LHP
Romero was acquired just before Spring Training in a trade with Tampa Bay for minor league pitcher Jeffrey Rosa. Romero’s pure stuff has impressed in camp, where he’s tossed 7.2 scoreless innings. But the 26-year-old has yet to harness his control in big league work, where he’s walked 45 batters in 80.1 Major League innings. But he looks like a solid bet to have a chance to prove himself in Washington as the lone lefty other than Sammy Solis.
The 26-year-old won’t be arbitration eligible until 2019 and is under team control through the 2021 season.
(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
AP Photo/Chris O’Meara
Matt Wieters — C
The Nats had appeared to have addressed the vacancy left by Wilson Ramos’ departure by reacquiring Derek Norris, but made a more solid upgrade by securing Wieters, the former Oriole. The fifth overall pick a decade ago, Wieters made his fourth All-Star team last year, when he played more than 100 games for the first time since 2013.
When healthy, Wieters has been good for 15-20 home runs and appears to have regained his arm strength behind the plate (he had Tommy John surgery in 2014), throwing out nearly 35 percent of would-be base-stealers last season. He’ll make $10.5 million this year and next, unless he opts out at the end of the season.
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
