Mike Rizzo needs to prioritize power bats
The Washington Nationals lack of home run power was a glaring weakness last season. Their 135 home runs ranked second to last in baseball, only two ahead of the historically bad Chicago White Sox. If the Nationals want to take a step in their march back towards contention, they need to add more thump to the lineup, and management knows this.
Rizzo’s Comments
General Manager Mike Rizzo is well aware of the problem. During his interview with MLB Network during the Winter Meetings, he cited the fact the Nats were second to last in home runs. It was the first thing he mentioned when he was asked about the offseason plans. There is no question that the Nationals will bring in a power bat, the question is the caliber of player.
That will depend on the kind of money ownership is willing to spend. With nobody on the active roster scheduled to make more than 5.4 million dollars, there is no reason not to spend big. However, that is no guarantee given the Nationals history since Mark Lerner took over the team from his father.
Potential Targets
The two easiest places to upgrade are at first base and DH. Right now, the Nats are projected to have Juan Yepez and Andres Chaparro fill those positions. The two have a combined 0 bWAR in their MLB careers, making them replacement level. The Nationals need to upgrade one or both of those spots.
One intriguing target that has been linked to the Nationals is Christian Walker. He has hit at least 25 home runs each of the past three years, a level of consistency the Nationals desperately need. Walker is consistently above average hitter, who combines good power with a very good approach. An added bonus Walker would provide is gold glove level defense at first base. He has won three gold gloves in a row, and would massively help the Nationals young infielders. Walker should be a top priority for the Nationals. His price point should be a three year deal at between 20 and 25 million dollars a year.
While the Nationals have not been linked with him, Joc Pederson, he checks a lot of boxes for the team. He is a veteran power hitter, who can provide home runs and experience. Joc is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, where he posted a .908 OPS. As a platoon option, he pairs nicely with Chaparro or Yepez, who both mash left handed pitching. With Walker at first, and a DH platoon of Pederson and Yepez/Chaparro, the Nationals lineup would look much more dangerous.
Internal Improvements
The Nationals are also relying on their young players to take the next step this season. For the Nationals to take a leap, James Wood and Dylan Crews will have to be consistent power threats. They both have loads of ability, but need to make some adjustments to tap into their power.
Wood is a particularly interesting case. There are very few players in the league that can hit the ball as hard he can. However, that did not translate into home runs. His nine homers in 295 at bats are underwhelming for a player with as much raw power as him. Wood’s issue is that he hits the ball on the ground too much, and rarely pulls the ball in the air. His 55.6 GB% is over 10 points above MLB average. He also did not pull a flyball for the first two months of his career. When he finally did, he did damage. Wood has the potential to be the true 40 home run bat the Nationals desperately need. However, as is the case with most of the Nationals youngsters, there is still plenty of room to develop. For the Nationals to exceed .500, they need to add power, both in free agency and through internal improvement.