Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
As a disappointing season winds down for the Washington Nationals, these three players won’t be back next season.
The Washington Nationals were in a position they aren’t used to being in this July–a trade deadline seller. And sell they did, trading Max Scherzer, Trea Turner and Brad Hand. Since July 1, they have a 13-32 record. So they are playing out the string at 53-70 overall, with 90-plus losses in play and a practical lock.
Looking to next season, the Nationals could reload quickly around young star Juan Soto. Or they could play it a little slower, and build around Soto with the group of prospects they got in the aforementioned trades and some outside supplementary moves.
Regardless of what the plan is for 2022, there are some players who won’t be part of the start of the next phase for the Nationals. In particular, these three players won’t be back next season.
3 Washington Nationals players who won’t be back next season
3. C Alex Avila
Avila signed a one-year deal with the Nationals last offseason. Amid stints on the COVID-19 list and being on the IL with bilateral calf strains, he is hitting .167 in 24 games (66 at-bats) this season. When he’ll be healthy enough to return to action is unclear, and he’ll be buried on the depth chart.
At 35 years old by the time next Opening Day comes, Avila may be nearing the end of the line. It’s a foregone conclusion he won’t be back with the Nationals next season.