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Washington Nationals 2015 MLB season preview and predictions

By Brad Rowland

Washington Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (34) signs autographs before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper (34) signs autographs before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) throws against the New York Mets at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) throws against the New York Mets at Tradition Field. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /

3 Keys to Success

  1. Can the rotation live up to the billing? – Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez form the best rotation in baseball. Each of the five pitchers could make a legitimate claim to stardom at some point in the recent past, and the top three are pitching at that level as we speak. Strasburg presents the highest upside, with a career strikeout rate of more than 10 batters per 9 innings, but it is usually the “safe” options that make or break a high-end rotation, and Zimmermann and Fister fit that bill. Quite honestly, there isn’t a lot to dislike here, and the Nationals should feel extremely comfortable in the area of starting pitching.
  2. Health – The Nationals battled injury issues, most notably to Bryce Harper, Wilson Ramos and Ryan Zimmerman, last season and they are already worried about two starters. Denard Span is scheduled to begin the season on the DL, and budding mega-star Anthony Rendon is facing knee issues that have some in the organization worried. On the bright side, the lineup has the potential to be terrifying, but things could go sideways in a hurry if a handful of players miss extended time with some worrisome depth behind them.
  3. Bridging the gap – Drew Storen should be in the closer role, but what about the rest of the bullpen? Tyler Clippard appeared in 70 games or more over five straight seasons and Rafael Soriano is also gone. Names like Craig Stammen (a solid control option) and Jerry Blevins (10.36 K/9 in 2014) are just fine in the middle of the bullpen, but if Casey Janssen can’t stay on the field, there is nothing in the way of security in the 7th and 8th inning. Bullpen deployment is (rightly) a hot-button issue across Major League Baseball, and managers must do a better job of maximizing their talent, but in the same breath, Washington may not have the horses to get the ball to the ninth inning.

Next: 2015 Season Predictions

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