The Washington Nationals put together an impressive season in 2017 but came up short once again in the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs. It was a series that the Nationals felt they should have won, but they were unable to make the necessary plays to move on to the NLCS. Now, they are looking to bring in some talent in free agency to get over the hump.
Dusty Baker was a quick casualty following the Nationals’ season-ending loss to the Cubs. Washington went out and brought in Cubs’ bench coach Dave Martinez to be their new manager. There is a chance that the Nationals could look to bring in other former Cubs pieces as well.
According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Nationals are interested in signing Wade Davis. He was one of the best closers in baseball last season and helped the Cubs make their postseason run.
Davis would make perfect sense for the Nationals, and they must prioritize signing him above anything else. There is plenty of interest in Davis, and Washington cannot afford to let this opportunity get past them.
Last season with the Cubs, Davis put together a 2.30 ERA to go along with 32 saves. He only blew one save all season long and would be a massive upgrade at the back of the Nationals’ bullpen.
Nationals Interested In Wade Davis, Weren't In On Bryan Shaw https://t.co/89Aw44rwcl #nationals #mlb
— Tim Dierkes (@mlbtrnationals) December 13, 2017
If the Nationals want to sign Davis, they are going to have to come up with a very lucrative contract offer. Davis is one of the top pitchers available on the market and deserves to be paid like it. Washington can’t afford to lowball Davis because other teams like the Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals won’t.
Washington proved last season that they are just a piece or two away from competing for a World Series appearance. Adding a talent like Davis could be one of the pieces that powers them through the rest of the National League.
Needless to say, it will be interesting to see what kind of offer the Nationals bring to the table. Davis is seeing his market heat up, and Washington appears to be one of the top teams interested in signing him.
Looking ahead to the 2018 season, the Nationals will once again have one of the best rotations in baseball. Their bullpen, however, could have some major issues. Washington could lose a good portion of their quality bullpen arms.
Brandon Kintzler is a free agent and is very coveted around the league. He could end up returning, but that is far from a sure thing. In fact, the Cubs have shown interest in Kintzler this offseason.
Matt Albers is also a free agent, and the Nationals may not be able to bring him back. He finished the 2017 season with a 1.62 ERA in 61 innings pitched.
All of that being said, the Nationals must be aggressive in their pursuit of Davis. He is a perfect fit for the closer role and would be a huge addition for Martinez and the Nationals’ pitching staff.
Expect to hear more news about Davis in the near future. He could end up signing soon, and it seems like the Nationals are one of his top suitors. Don’t be shocked if the Nationals hone in on Davis and do everything they can to sign him.