4 reasons for Washington Nationals to get out of bed today

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 12: Dusty Baker #12 of the Washington Nationals looks on against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning in game five of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park on October 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) /

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WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 12: Michael Taylor #3 of the Washington Nationals rounds the bases after hitting a three run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning in game five of the National League Division Series at Nationals Park on October 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

2. Michael A’s taters

The Nationals have tried their best since the 2015 offseason to mess up Michael A. Taylor’s career, but try as they might (by making big contract offers to Yoenis Cespedes, Justin Upton and Jason Heyward, dangling him as trade bait in a quest to land a closer and then deciding to blow up their farm system for Adam Eaton), Taylor remained a National.

Seems the Nats bad luck with free agents and the trade market might actually have paid off.

In Games 6 and 7 of this year’s NLDS, Taylor became the first player in MLB history to drive in seven runs across back-to-back at-bats after hitting a grand slam in Game 6 and a three-run bomb in Game 7. Washington has their replacement in house for next season with Jayson Werth’s contract finally running out.

Taylor was forced into duty this year after Eaton tore his ACL in the early going and finally put it all together at the MLB level. He hit .271/.320/.486 in 118 games with 23 doubles, 19 home runs and 17 stolen bases. There are still some flaws in his approach at the plate to be worked out, but Taylor no longer looks overmatched at the plate like he did during his rookie year when he struck out 158 times in 138 games and had a .640 OPS.

With Werth coming off the books, the Nationals will need a new primary left fielder for the first time in seven seasons. It’s Taylor’s job to lose, and he is finally starting to deliver on the immense promise he showed coming up through the farm system.

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