Why it's smart for Mike Rizzo to wait to fill final roster spots

Unlike other teams in the major leagues, the Nationals did a bulk of their heavy offseason lifting before the Winter Meetings convened in Las Vegas. They bolstered the bullpen with the additions of right-handers Kyle Barraclough and Trevor Rosenthal. They remade their catching corps, signing free agent Kurt Suzuki for another tour of duty and trading for Yan Gomes. And they spent big on starter Patrick Corbin, giving the left-hander a six-year, $140 million contract that represents the largest outlay for a free agent so far this offseason.

Since the Winter Meetings ended, they've replaced the departed Tanner Roark in the rotation with Aníbal Sánchez, signing their longtime tormentor to a two-year, $19 million deal that could net the veteran right-hander up to $29 million if his 2021 option is picked up. Matt Adams returned on a one-year, $4 million pact with a $4 million mutual option.

Bryce Harper? Nobody knows exactly where the free agent slugger will wind up in 2019, but he's sure to snag a contract that approaches a record haul. For now, general manager Mike Rizzo is saying all the right things about Harper, just to keep the Nats in the mix (despite Mark Lerner's comments from a few weeks ago).

Rizzo has been extremely busy, but there are still holes to fill for a team that expects to contend for the National League East title. The Nats could use a fifth starter, someone with some experience to push Erick Fedde and Joe Ross in spring training. Second base continues to be a subject of conversation, and as long as the free agent market is flush with intriguing possibilities, no one is going to guarantee that the duo of Wilmer Difo and Howie Kendrick will be sharing the keystone. And even though Rizzo and manager Davey Martinez are professing confidence that enigmatic Sammy Solís will return to form, there's a good chance the Nats will seek another southpaw for the bullpen in case he doesn't.

So why isn't Rizzo busy making moves to address those needs?

Because right now, he doesn't need to. In fact, he's doing the prudent thing by slow-playing the market and waiting for things to shake out in the weeks between now and the start of spring camp in mid-February.

Aside from the Nationals' flurry of activity, there has been precious little movement from the rest of Major League Baseball. Sure, a free agent has signed here and there, and a few trades have been consummated. But there are almost 200 free agents still unsigned - and a lot of teams with a lot of holes to fill and a lot of money to spend. When perennial big spenders such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels and Cubs are holding on to their dollars like Scrooge McDuck, you know there's a financial windfall just waiting to happen.

The logjam will probably be broken sometime early in the new year, which is good timing for players curious about where they'll be reporting in a few weeks for camp and whose wives are wondering where they'll be spending the summer. It only takes a couple of key signings to set off a tidal wave of activity, and until then, Rizzo is going to sit patiently while the market comes to him.

There are a few factors in the Nationals' favor at this point, not the least of which is the notion that players want to play for a contender. The moves the Nationals have made to this point prove they are serious about doing better than last season's 82-80 record in Martinez's rookie season at the helm. Instead of talking about windows closing, Rizzo has rewritten the narrative to the Nats retooling for another run at October baseball.

After spending big, Rizzo can afford to wait and see what happens. There are always bargains to be had in spring training, role-players who will sign for a fraction of what they were expecting to be paid a few months earlier.

Last spring, the Nats waited until March 17 to sign righty Jeremy Hellickson to be their fifth starter, a minor league deal that cost them $2 million. Two years ago, veteran reliever Joe Blanton signed a one-year, $4 million deal just as Grapefruit League games began - and a week after the Nats gambled $21 million over two years on catcher Matt Wieters.

Especially with a slow-developing market, Rizzo knows there will be good deals still out there. And with a team perilously close to the luxury tax threshold, waiting and paying less for established talent seems like a shrewd move.

Don't be surprised if the Nationals go most of the way through their spring training schedule before the bullpen lefty is addressed. Teams always cut players in early March to save on salary, and even experienced players get caught in numbers-crunches as 25-man rosters are finalized before opening day. Rizzo will scour the waiver wires and pay close attention to players he thinks could help the Nats but are destined to finish as runners-up in camp battles.

As reporting dates draw closer, a veteran hoping to make an impression who is willing to sign a one-year deal could worm his way into the Nats' second base plans. If the Nats are serious about trying prospect Carter Kieboom at the keystone sooner rather than later, they don't want to clog up his path with a multi-year contract with somebody else. And, frankly, their bench may be stronger with both Difo and Kendrick.

Similarly, a veteran starting pitcher could find himself out of work in early February and weighing contract offers. But does he go for the money and security of a two-year deal with a rebuilding club or opt for a one-year contract and less money to pitch for a legitimate contender? The lure of pitching in the playoffs and/or World Series can be a huge factor in a player's decision-making process. That's a perk the Nats can offer that some teams cannot.

Don't fret if Rizzo is quiet for a few weeks. That doesn't mean he's not working hard. It only means he's waiting for the market to re-set itself and for bargains that weren't apparent when the offseason began to become more viable alternatives.