No-name Nationals, 5 seasons removed from World Series glory, open another rebuilding season

The first game of the season for Washington Nationals fans often felt like Christmas morning — especially when stars such as Max Scherzer, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman trotted onto the field. These days, those big names are gone.

When the team begins the 2024 campaign against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, even the most dedicated fan will likely need a program to know who’s who on the Nationals’ roster.

Only one player from the 2019 World Series champions, pitcher Patrick Corbin, remains in the clubhouse as the team’s rebuilding years continue.

The Capitals are still drawing crowds with aging superstar Alex Ovechkin, but the Nationals, the Commanders and the Wizards are selling the future — touting promising young players and asking fans to have faith in the process.

“We’ve been saying it. Good things are going to happen,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters at spring training. “I’m really excited about the future here, I really am. Things are looking bright.”

The team brought in a haul of prospects in return for trading away stars in recent years.

Now, after finishing as the cellar dwellers of the National League East for four consecutive seasons, General manager Mike Rizzo and Martinez are optimistic that fans will see some of those young players fulfill their promise.

The organization boasts three top players in Major League Baseball’s prospect rankings. Outfielder James Wood and 2023 No. 2 overall pick Dylan Crews are expected to make their major league debuts.

“They have absolutely no panic in their system at all. There’s nothing too big for them,” Rizzo said. He compared Wood and Crews to previous stars Zimmerman and Anthony Rendon. “No matter how fast the game gets, these guys seem to slow the game down, and I think that they possess that gene.”

Even the team’s marketing is aimed at persuading fans to focus on the long haul. “The future starts here,” one slogan says.

Posters around Nationals Park show Josiah Gray, outfielder Lane Thomas and pitcher Mackenzie Gore. Exhibits recall the performances of the since-departed Scherzer and Juan Soto.

Though Stephen Strasburg is technically still under contract, the team does not expect him to pitch because of nerve damage in his arm.

The former ace has not officially retired. Nationals executives wanted him to mentor younger players at spring training, but the 2009 No. 1 overall pick was nowhere to be seen.

Two role players from the 2019 championship team rejoined the organization this offseason. Sean Doolittle, a fan favorite who pitched in relief throughout the World Series run, joined the franchise as a pitching strategist in January. The two-time All-Star will link pitchers with analytics staff and assist with mental preparation and mechanics, the team said.

Gerardo Parra became a fan favorite after choosing “Baby Shark” as his walk-up song in the 2019 World Series season and joined the staff as a first-base coach. He has worked in the team’s front office since his playing career ended in 2021.

The emphasis on rebuilding has made for some lean years. The Lerner family, which owns the franchise, has been noncommittal about plans. Before the 2022 season, the family said it would consider selling the franchise.

This spring, the Lerners took the team off the market and told The Washington Post: “We’ve just decided that it’s not the time or the place for it.”

Though Mark Lerner said he knew for “a while” that he would not sell the team, Rizzo has been mostly inactive in free agency. The organization focused instead on current prospects and improvements at Nationals Park. Events DC gave the team $20 million for upgrades.

The stadium boasts a fresh scoreboard, new digital signage and redesigned LED field lights for the 2024 season. New speakers are also on the way.

Nationals fans saw the improvements and top prospects for the first time Tuesday at the team’s inaugural “Futures Game.” The final exhibition of the spring pitted big leaguers against the organization’s top players in the farm system.

The major league roster dominated the game in a 13-1 win. Wood and Crews got their first hits at Nationals Park, and fans could see that the franchise’s success depends on their development.