If the Nationals don't end up trading away any of their key contributors this offseason, their roster in 2015 could very well look quite similar to how it did in 2014.
After all, the Nats only currently have five players who are free agents this winter. Two of them were starting position players down the stretch and in the postseason (Adam LaRoche and Asdrubal Cabrera), one of them was the closer for the bulk of the season but was demoted to a lower-leverage role in September (Rafael Soriano) and two were bench players (Scott Hairston and Nate Schierholtz).
Outside of those five, we could see the bulk of the 2014 Nats back in their same roles next season.
The starting rotation appears to be set to return all five guys in Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark. The outfield is accounted for, with Bryce Harper, Denard Span and Jayson Werth all returning. Wilson Ramos and Jose Lobaton will again serve as the catching duo. Ryan Zimmerman will now slide over and play first base, but Anthony Rendon and Ian Desmond will likely stick in their same spots in 2015.
The bullpen should largely look the same next season, minus Soriano. And we'll likely see a few of the same bench players return, with Lobaton, Kevin Frandsen and Danny Espinosa all eligible for arbitration.
Of course, things can change quickly. As we've discussed, with Zimmermann, Fister and Desmond all going into the final years of their respective contracts, the Nats might need to make some very tough decisions before opening day 2015.
If general manager Mike Rizzo gets a feeling that he won't be able to re-sign one or more of those three players, given the contract discussions he'll have with their representatives, he could look to trade Zimmermann, Fister or Desmond away in an effort to get something in return before the player(s) depart via free agency. Such a deal could create a new area of need on the 2015 roster that would have to be addressed.
But all we can do right now is look at the roster as it's currently constructed and discuss what area is most in need of an upgrade.
The Nats will certainly look to acquire an infielder this offseason, one who can slot in either at second or third base, with Rendon playing the other position. Bench help will be needed, given Hairston's likely departure and Schierholtz heading for free agency. You can never have too many arms, and so bullpen help and possible added starting pitching depth could be targeted, as well.
Of those areas, what do you think should be the biggest focus for the Nationals this offseason?
Is finding a proven infielder tops on your list? How about another late-inning reliever, given how effective we've seen some teams be in the postseason with a lockdown back of the bullpen?
More specifically, is there a particular type of player you would like to see the Nats target? They'll miss LaRoche's power from the left side and now have just two left-handed hitters slotted in their hypothetical lineup - Harper and Span. Do you want another lefty? What about a particular type of bench player?
I'm interested to see what you all think.
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