For The Nats, A Decade That Began, And Ends, With Strasburg
The Most Anticipated Team of the 2010’s Celebrates their First Title
Ivan Rodriguez caught many great pitchers in his day: Nolan Ryan, Goose Gossage, Kenny Rogers, Justin Verlander, Josh Beckett, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Mike Mussina. His legacy stretched from some of the best talent of the 1980s into the 2010s. In June 2010, Rodriguez would add another pitcher to the list: 2009 first overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg. By the time Strasburg’s start was slated, Rodriguez had been injured, and Strasburg eagerly stayed updated with the future Hall of Famer’s health, hoping he would be his battery-mate for the debut. Rodriguez was ready to go for the June 8th start, and it would be a moment that bookended the great catcher’s career.
Strasburg, one of the most anticipated players in recent memory, did not disappoint in his debut. The right hander hit 97 MPH on his first pitch to the Pirates not-yet well-known Andrew McCutchen. He dazzled through the rest of his debut, striking out 14 through seven innings, without any walks and his two runs allowed erased by the Nationals offense as Strasburg earned his first win (5–2).
Strasburg’s next two starts were just as big, striking out 32 batters in his first three games. Strasburg was shut down by the end of August with a need to get Tommy John surgery for a torn ulnar collateral ligament. The end of the 2010 season brought more excitement for the Nationals, with the struggling franchise picking up super-hyped hitter Bryce Harper with the first overall pick in the 2010 draft. Things were starting to look up in Washington, as they appeared to be on the verge of being a powerhouse in the near future.
By 2011, I was personally predicting the Nationals as a definite World Series champion within five years. With Harper of age, Strasburg back, and other stars blooming, the Nationals won the NL East by four games in 2012. After being an All-Star for the first time, Strasburg would dominate the conversation in the playoffs, having been shut down earlier in the season to prevent injury. The Nationals lost the Division Series in five games to the Cardinals, which many attributed to the lack of use of Strasburg by Manager of the Year Davey Johnson.
The Nats continued to be pre-season playoff favorites, winning the NL East again in 2014. Bryce Harper won the National League Most Valuable Player in 2015, and Strasburg bounced back with All-Star appearances in 2016 and 2017 as Washington won the division two more times. These years, both ending in Division Series loses, were highlighted by Harper’s stardom and the dominance of Max Scherzer, who was becoming the most dominant pitcher in baseball for the back half of the decade. Despite the stars of Harper, Strasburg, Scherzer, Daniel Murphy, and Ian Desmond, the Nationals, who continued to be a consistent playoff team, were unable to produce the franchise’s first championship.
Washington finished the 2018 season in second place, missing the playoffs. They said goodbye to superstar Bryce Harper, who’s send-off was best exhibited in a home run derby spectacular in Washington. Harper said goodbye to Washington that season, choosing to sign with the division rival Phillies for what was at the time a record contract deal.
The Nationals started the 2019 season with losing records in March, April, and May. An 18–8 June and 15–10 July allowed them to finish 47–42 in the first half of the season. The Nationals finished with a second half winning percentage of .630, including a 19–7 August. The mid-season course correction wasn’t enough to win the division, but the Nationals were able to take the top Wild Card spot in the National League. They came from behind to beat Milwaukee in the Wild Card, a performance that made me realize they were hot enough with enough momentum to win the title. In five games, they took down the two-time defending NL champ Dodgers, who were widely expected to cruise to another pennant. They swept the struggling Cardinals and entered the World Series as the clear underdogs to the dominant Houston Astros.
The rest is, well, recent history. Strasburg and Scherzer, with the help of veterans Howie Kendrick, Ryan Zimmerman, and Anthony Rendon, showed a new level of clutch throughout the playoffs. In the face of some of the best pitching the MLB has to offer, the aforementioned players gave Washington D.C. its first World Series championship since 1924.
Strasburg won five of his six playoff appearances this year, including two wins against the Astros in Houston and a relief appearance win against the Brewers in the Wild Card. He allowed 8 runs over the five starts he made, holding one of the lowest playoff ERA’s of all time. Going 2–0 with 14 strikeouts and a 2.51 World Series ERA, Strasburg deservedly took home Series MVP honors after Game 7 in Houston.
The team that won for Washington was full of great stories like Strasburg. Anthony Rendon led a strong MVP campaign through the season and starred with his defense and offense in the postseason. Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez won their first championship, after coming close to winning together with Detroit towards the beginning of the decade a couple times. Ryan Zimmerman, the first person ever drafted by the Nationals, after 15 years with the same team, also came through in the clutch and cemented a D.C. legacy. Longtime veteran Howie Kenrick hit a massive Division Series grand slam, and never looked back. Flashy young sophomore Juan Soto provided the flair and fun for the Nationals, and produced in the clutch consistently, proving to be one of the most difficult outs in the playoffs. His first legal drink was a beer in the visitor clubhouse in Houston after Game 7.
For the first time in baseball history, a first overall draft pick won World Series MVP with the team that drafted him. For the first time in their history, the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals got a championship. And finally, the one team I expected to win a 2010’s championship came through.
- M.J. Benenati; Sports Throne Contributor
