Could lightning strike twice for Parra in D.C.?

As our offseason coverage kicks into high gear, we're going to review each significant player on the Nationals roster. We continue today with Gerardo Parra, whose mid-May acquisition didn't seem significant at the time but proved to be among the most important developments of the season.

PLAYER REVIEW: GERARDO PARRA

Age on opening day 2020: 32

How acquired: Signed as free agent, May 2019

MLB service time: 10 years, 145 days

2019 salary: $555,000 (Nats were responsible for $429,677)

Contract status: Free agent

2019 stats (w/SF and WSH): 119 G, 301 PA, 274 AB, 38 R, 64 H, 14 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 8 SB, 3 CS, 19 BB, 59 SO, .234 AVG, .293 OBP, .391 SLG, .684 OPS, 75 OPS+, 5 DRS, -0.2 fWAR, 0.5 bWAR

2019 postseason stats: 7 G, 7 PA, 6 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SO, .167 AVG, .286 OBP, .167 SLG, .452 OPS

Quotable: "He went through a stretch where he was 2-for-30-something. And I didn't see the energy that I was seeing when he was doing well and bringing it to the clubhouse. So I called him in one day, and I sat with him. I said: 'What's going on?' He said: 'I don't know. I'm not doing good.' And I go: 'And?' And he looked at me and said: 'What do you mean?' I said: 'Your job is to bring the energy every day. I don't care if you're 2-for-100. Bring the energy. Play that music, get loud and have fun. Have fun.' He said: 'You're right.' And he went back and started playing music, having fun. Lo and behold, he went on a tear again. And he comes back in my office, and he said: 'You know, I kind of forgot what it was like to just be myself.' And I said: 'Exactly.'" - Davey Martinez, on Parra

2019 analysis: The Nationals signed Gerardo Parra on May 9 out of desperation. They desperately needed a healthy left-handed bat after watching Juan Soto, Matt Adams and Andrew Stevenson all go on the injured list. Their expectations for the veteran outfielder, who had just been released by the Giants after hitting .198 in 30 games, were minimal. "He comes in here, he's just another outfielder," Martinez said after the signing was officially announced. The manager, though, did know Parra had real value beyond his playing skills: "He's a great guy to have. He's a great clubhouse guy. I've known him for a long time. He just gives us another veteran presence."

It would take only three days for Parra to make a major on-field contribution. His grand slam at Dodger Stadium lifted the struggling Nationals to a much-needed win. And it wouldn't take much longer for him to make a major off-field contribution as well. Always smiling, always dancing, always chatting up teammates, Parra was an instant hit in the clubhouse.

At the plate, he struggled through an 0-for-23 slump in June. But then he walked up to the plate on June 19 to "Baby Shark" for the first time, doubled in a run and later homered to lead the Nationals to a win over the Phillies, and an unlikely phenomenon was born. By season's end, Parra had become an indispensable part of a championship club, owner of a .375 batting average and 1.245 OPS with runners in scoring position and the first person in human history who could get 40,000 (mostly adult) fans to make a shark-chomping motion to the strains of a preschooler song.

2020 outlook: There's no questioning Parra's contributions to the Nationals' World Series title. There is, however, questioning his future with the organization. Now that he's a free agent, the club must decide whether to bring him back or not.

The issue won't be money; Parra won't cost much. The issue will be performance. Is he capable of delivering in the clutch like he did all season again? Common sense suggests the answer is no. He's a career .275 hitter with runners in scoring position, with a modest .760 OPS. And he actually was awfully streaky this season, either going on sustained tears or sustained slumps throughout his time in D.C.

Parra is a clubhouse inspiration, though, and his return would be welcomed by nearly every player on the roster. But would his off-field contributions outweigh whatever drop-off in on-field production is likely forthcoming? That's the real dilemma facing the Nats this winter.