Washington Nationals Have $190 Million Worth Of Pitching Uncertainty

The Washington Nationals won the first and only World Series title in franchise history a little over three years ago. However, it seems more like three decades ago.

The Nationals finished last season with a 55-107 record, the worst in the major leagues. They don’t figure to be contenders anytime soon after trading almost all the key members of the 2019 championship team.

One of the few constants is manager Dave Martinez. He admits last season was difficult but refuses to lose his enthusiasm, which he has in bundles.

“I know that I have patience, but last year I learned a whole lot more patience,” Martinez said early this month at baseball’s Winter Meetings. “You know what, though? I sat back, and I often caught myself laughing at some of the things that we’ve done and the fact that I love the guys, the way they play, with the energy these guys had every day.

“So, I’m looking forward to watching these guys grow and mature, and it will be a lot of fun for all of us. It was trying. I’m not going to say. It wasn’t I’ve been on teams where we win quite a bit. Losing like that wasn’t fun. But I don’t think anybody had fun in that clubhouse.

“That’s one of the big takeaways I took at my exit meetings is all those guys were disappointed with losing so many games,” Martinez continued. “They want to get better. They want to compete.”

The Nationals’ chances of at least being competitive would improve if their two highest-paid players could get their careers back on track.

Right-hander Steven Strasburg has pitched just eight times in three seasons since signing a seven-year, $245-million contract. The Nationals gave Strasburg the big contract two months after he was MVP of the 2019 World Series.

Strasburg has four years and $130 million left on his deal. His future is uncertain as he recovers from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery.

Left-hander Patrick Corbin has two years and nearly $60 million remaining on the six-year, $140-million contract he signed as a free agent prior to the 2019 season. Corbin helped the Nationals win it all that year but has gone 17-42 with a 5.82 ERA in 73 starts over the last three years.

The Nationals have nearly $190 million still tied up in the duo.

The 34-year-old Strasburg was limited to one start and 4 2/3 innings in 2022.

“I’m not going to put any more pressure on Strasburg,” Martinez said. “I know he’s rehabbing right now. He’s progressing. When he’s ready and we deem he’s ready, it’s going to be awesome to see him out on that mound. I promise the fans that, when he does step on the mound, it will be at home. When he does that, we’ll start him at home.”

Starting Strasburg at Nationals Park would be a nice gesture. But when will it happen?

“He’s got to pitch,” Martinez said. “He’s got to get on the mound every five days consistently before we deem that he’s going to be — that he can help us. Honestly, it’s more for him than anything else.

“We want him to succeed regardless of what — you’ve got to remember, this guy for so many years, he’s one of the best in baseball, and he’s gone through some troubles because of injuries.”

Strasburg will obviously need multiple rehabilitation starts in the minor leagues before rejoining the big-league club.

“When he comes back, I want him to come back fully healthy,” Martinez said. “I want him to go down (to the minor leagues) and pitch as much as he needs to pitch, get back up here. I’m not going to say he’s going to be the guy that he was six, seven years ago, but Stephen Strasburg is a competitor. He’s going to compete. And that’s what he does really well.

“When we get him back, it will be like signing that free agent that we were looking to sign, and we’ll all be happy when he does come back.”

Corbin is fine from a physical standpoint but those around the Nationals believe he has lost confidence. Of course, that comes with the territory of having a 6-19 record and 6.31 ERA in 31 starts this year.

Martinez finds hope in the fact Corbin allowed two runs or few in five of his last seven starts, though his ERA was still 4.21 in that span.

“Look, this guy endured a lot last year, and the fact that he took the ball every five days, I talked to him a lot about doing different things with him, put him in the bullpen maybe, and he wanted the ball. And I appreciate that from him,” Martinez said. “Right now, he’s still our guy, and I expect him to come next year pitching the way he pitched the last month of the season, and because our defense got better, winning games for us.”