OK, maybe this hasn’t been as great a year as many probably hoped it would be. There’s still plenty to be thankful for today, though, right?
Of course there is. Even as it pertains to baseball, which may not be back to the level we’d all prefer but undoubtedly is trending in the right direction at last, with the ultimate payoff perhaps not as far off as you’d think.
So before you put the turkey in the oven and sit down to watch what on paper looks like three pretty blah football games, let’s run through everything the Nationals are thankful for on this day …
KEIBERT RUIZ
The opportunity to bounce back from a poor season that in some circumstances could have cost him his job, but won’t here because of the contract extension he signed in 2023.
LUIS GARCIA JR.
Just enough of a display of faith from his manager and general manager to get one last shot to realize his potential this year, which he most definitely did.
CJ ABRAMS
An offseason to clear the mind, make some important life decisions and then return next spring with the full support of this organization to prove his All-Star first half can be the norm, not the exception.
JAMES WOOD
A fine opening three months to his big league career, with the promise of really big things to come in 2025 and beyond.
JACOB YOUNG
The good fortune to have arrived in D.C. before any of the organization’s other outfield prospects, which allowed him to show off his Gold Glove skills and potentially hold off those bigger names coming for his job.
DYLAN CREWS
A cool-as-a-cucumber mindset that allowed him to make his major league debut barely one year after getting drafted, against the Yankees, and not be fazed much by the circumstances as he now settles in for a long, accomplished career.
MACKENZIE GORE
A dynamite closing stretch to a season that briefly looked like it was going off the rails, re-establishing his credentials as the potential ace of this rotation.
JAKE IRVIN
Good health and a good maintenance regimen that allowed him to make a league leading 33 starts while totaling 187 2/3 innings, establishing himself as the workhorse of this rotation.
DJ HERZ
The ability on any given fifth day to absolutely dominate an opposing lineup, and the hope he can at least hold his own on those days when he doesn’t have his best stuff.
MITCHELL PARKER
Four-plus months without having to field a comebacker before the inevitable crash course in PFPs arrives in February.
DEREK LAW
The incredible durability to make 75 appearances and pitch 90 innings out of the bullpen. And the modest salary to not even give club officials any reason to consider not bringing him back next season.
ROBERT GARCIA AND JOSE A. FERRER
The ability to throw a baseball 95-plus mph with their left hand, and the countless opportunities that will be available as a result.
DAVEY MARTINEZ
The chance to manage a completely overhauled roster in search of a postseason berth six years after leading the last group through October. Few in his position ever have that chance.
MIKE RIZZO
The chance to complete a second rebuild in a dozen years with the same franchise. Few in his position ever have that chance.
MARK ZUCKERMAN
Twenty seasons covering the same team with a loyal and astute fan base, and the opportunity to return for a 21st season. I don’t take that for granted.