Plenty to look forward to in 2024

Happy New Year to everybody out there. With 2023 officially behind us, it’s time to look ahead to 2024. (My references to “last season” and “this season” will officially change as well.)

It was an encouraging year in many ways for the Nationals, though not nearly enough ways to leave everyone satisfied. The good news: There’s plenty to hope for in the new year, with a lot of potentially positive developments on the horizon.

With that in mind, let’s run through some reasonably optimistic outlooks for 2024 for the following notable parties …

KEIBERT RUIZ: A continuation of what he did in the second half at the plate, and some major improvement behind the plate.

JOEY MENESES: A chance to play first base on a regular basis and – with a healthy knee – a return of the power stroke he showed off during his out-of-nowhere rookie season.

LUIS GARCIA: More athleticism at second base, more patience at the plate and no reason to make the Nats think about someone else taking over his position.

CJ ABRAMS: A .330 on-base percentage, .450 slugging percentage, 60 stolen bases and a nomination for the Gold Glove Award at shortstop. Oh, and a long-term extension.

NICK SENZEL: A fresh start in D.C., a bounce-back season and good times playing on the same team as best friend Lane Thomas for the first time since they were kids in Knoxville.

STONE GARRETT: A rousing ovation when he makes his return from a gruesome leg injury, and a chance to prove his performance prior to that injury wasn’t a fluke.

VICTOR ROBLES: One last chance to prove himself before the cavalry arrives from Harrisburg and Rochester.

LANE THOMAS: Thirty homers, 100 RBIs and an All-Star selection.

JOSIAH GRAY: A long-awaited reduction in walks, combined with the reduction in homers he already experienced, producing an ERA in the low-to-mid 3.00s.

MACKENZIE GORE: Ten dominant starts, 15 average starts and only five duds, producing a sub-4.00 ERA and nearly 200 strikeouts.

CADE CAVALLI: A hiccup-free return from Tommy John surgery and 15-to-20 big-league starts that show his true promise.

PATRICK CORBIN: A respectable performance during the final season of a tumultuous career in Washington.

JAKE IRVIN: A permanent spot in the rotation, with more consistent performance in his second year.

TREVOR WILLIAMS: A good enough showing to keep the Nats from moving him to the bullpen.

KYLE FINNEGAN: More days off, allowing him to stay strong through September and finish with 30-plus saves and a sub-3.00 ERA.

HUNTER HARVEY: A full big-league season with zero trips to the IL.

DYLAN FLORO: A bounce-back season in his D.C. debut, making him an attractive trade piece come July.

TANNER RAINEY: A healthy season that re-establishes him as a trusted late-inning arm.

STEPHEN STRASBURG: Closure and peace of mind.

DYLAN CREWS: A big-league debut sometime during the summer and zero trips back to the minors.

JAMES WOOD: A big-league debut sometime during the summer and zero trips back to the minors.

BRADY HOUSE: A big-league debut before season’s end and zero trips back to the minors.

DAVEY MARTINEZ: A chance to manage some meaningful games again in the near future.

MIKE RIZZO: A power-hitting left fielder before the first day of spring training.

MARK LERNER: A commitment to spending like a big-market franchise again next winter, and a commitment to providing Nats fans with a quality product and ballpark experience again.

NATS FANS: A summer spent dreaming of an unlikely wild card bid, then a winter spent expecting a real contender in 2025.