How Did This Get Cade?

 

Well, the Nats got what they wanted. This is a team where C.J. Abrams, James Wood, Keibert Ruiz, Luis Garcia, Cade Cavalli, Dylan Crews and Jacob Young are all playing crucial roles. There's still no certainty that it'll last longer than next week, but it's happening.

Wood and Abrams are genuinely two of the best hitters in baseball, and I couldn't be more here for it. Wood has a .949 OPS, which leads the league, plus 30 home runs and 72 RBIs. No more 'good for the Nats', this is good for the whole league. Same with Abrams, who's only continued his spectacular Washington run, hitting .289 with a league-leading 84 RBIs [well it WAS league-leading before Sal Stewart went on a tear], plus 28 home runs and 19 steals. The Nats might trade Abrams, and they'd do so during his best season to date, where he's at his peak [at least to date] and has the most value. If the Nats feel like they will continue to have value with him, they might hold back, but considering that Foster Griffin is on the table, Abrams might still be leaving. 

And then look at Cade Cavalli. Missed a ton of time with injuries, returned valiantly last year with a comeback performance, and here he's doing what he should have been doing all along, with a 3.50 ERA, an 8-4 record and 130 Ks. Standard staff ace performance through 23 starts, meaning if Griffin gets dealt, which is still possible, they won't lose much of their footing as they probably aren't dealing Cavalli. Though I really wish some of the rotation depth that was teased years ago [whatever happened to D.J. Herz??] comes true going forward, because it is still DIRE. Carson Palmquist and Miles Mikolas are getting starts, it's not pretty at all. 

What kept the Nats going this year, and what will potentially save them from dealing too much of their core, is their offense, which will only get stronger as Crews and House develop, and with the eventual promotion [maybe next year] of Eli Willits. Even at a noncompetitive form, the Nats have three solid home run hitters, not to mention triples machine Daylen Lile and power-hitter-in-training Dylan Crews. I think that this can still develop with or without Abrams, and the existence of Eli Willits leads me to believe that Abrams is gonna walk at some point anyhow. 

Whatever happens, the Nats are still relatively close to where they should be. They have an identity, they have a future, and they have James Wood. They'll be alright.

Coming Tomorrow- An infielder who was supposed to be a part of something big a few years ago and is now...in last, supposedly on the other end of it.