It’s easy to forget that the Washington Nationals, the team that just got rid of star outfielder Juan Soto, won the World Series three years ago.
It was a special group.
Most of the players that lifted the roster to its first Fall Classic are now gone, with Soto being the latest.
Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick retired, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner (and now Soto) were traded, Patrick Corbin has gotten worse, and Stephen Strasburg has been hurt most of the time.
Sean Doolittle, one of the few survivors of the 2019 team, spoke about the Soto trade and how fans probably feel at the moment.
“Sean Doolittle, what would you say to sad Nationals fans? ‘I feel terrible for them. I feel their pain.’ He referenced the ‘special’ guys the Nats have had who are now wearing new uniforms. Then he paused and laughed. ‘I’m still here. I don’t know whether that helps,’” SI’s Stephanie Apstein tweeted, quoting Doolittle and his usual sense of humor.
Sean Doolittle, what would you say to sad Nationals fans?
“I feel terrible for them. I feel their pain.” He referenced the “special” guys the Nats have had who are now wearing new uniforms. Then he paused and laughed. “I’m still here. I don’t know whether that helps.”
— Stephanie Apstein (@stephapstein) August 2, 2022
The Nationals Will Be Bad For A While
Look at all the talent the Nationals have lost over the past two years.
They were supposed to be saving for a Soto extension, and just traded him away.
It’s hard to be a fan of a rebuilding team.
The Nats are the worst team in the National League with a 35-69 record.
They do have some good prospects, especially after the Soto (and Josh Bell) trade.
However, it’s hard to see them competing for at least three or four years; not with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves looking like sustainable powerhouses, and the Philadelphia Phillies making things interesting, too.
It’s a bummer.
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