Nationals open spring training amid uncertainty over roster — and ownership

The Washington Nationals open spring training Wednesday with manager Dave Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo in the final year of their contracts. And for most teams, the duo’s lack of long-term job security would be glaring. 

But for the Nationals, that level of uncertainty has become par for the course. 

As pitchers and catchers report to Washington’s facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, the direction of the franchise couldn’t be more muddled —  with major questions looming about the roster, management and ownership. The death of owner Ted Lerner on Sunday underscored the uncertainty of Washington’s future. It has been less than a year since the Lerner family said they were exploring a sale of the franchise, and there seems to be no final deal in the works.

The Lerner family has reportedly run into obstacles selling the team because of the problems surrounding its local broadcast rights, which are controlled by the Baltimore Orioles. The Washington Post reported last month that the Lerners could look to take on a minority partner in the coming months, with a full sale of the team now less likely. 

With the process in limbo, that leaves the Lerners to focus on the baseball team they own. And in that area, the Nationals conducted their offseason very much like a franchise in a holding pattern. 

According to Spotrac, a website that focuses on sports contracts, the Nationals spent $36 million on players that were either re-signed, free agents or avoided arbitration. That’s the sixth-lowest amount in all of MLB — and the Nationals are projected to have a payroll of $77 million, the eighth-lowest. 

Washington’s offseason moves included bringing in low-priced veterans like outfielder Corey Dickerson (one year, $2.25 million), first baseman Dominic Smith (one year, $2 million plus incentives), third baseman Jeimer Candelario (one year, $5 million) and right-hander Trevor Williams (two years, $13 million). 

Part of that may be by design. As cloudy as Washington’s future is on the business side, the Nationals are in the midst of a full-scale rebuild that saw the team lose a league-worst 107 games and trade superstar Juan Soto last season. The Soto trade, in particular, helped the Nationals re-stock its farm system — now ranked No. 11 by The Athletic’s Keith Law after ranking dead last a year ago. 

Washington has pivoted to a youth movement that features shortstop C.J. Abrams (22), catcher Keibert Ruiz (24) and a trio of starting pitchers in Josiah Gray (25), Cade Cavalli (24),and MacKenzie Gore. Hitters such as outfielders Elijah Green (19), James Wood (20) and Robert Hassell (21) remain the Nationals’ best prospects in the minors. The latter two were acquired in the Soto trade. 

But plenty of questions about the Nationals’ roster remain. Will 34-year-old Stephen Strasburg — making $35 million in 2023 as he tries to return from thoracic outlet syndrome — ever play again? Does Patrick Corbin ($24 million) have anything left after being one of the worst pitchers in baseball over the last two years?  Washington’s pitchers, as a whole, had the league’s second-worst ERA last season. 

The Nationals may very well be headed for another 100-loss season: Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA projections pegged Washington to again finish as the league’s worst team with a 61-101 record.

And if the Nationals are that bad again, what does that mean for Martinez and Rizzo? The two may be used to being put on hold by now. After all, the pair went through almost half of last season waiting to see if ownership would pick up their contract options for 2023. Those options were ultimately exercised last July — giving Martinez and Rizzo a small sense of security. 

But now they’re in store for another season of uncertainty. Them and the rest of the Nationals.