Extreme Gore

 

I don't think it's completely unexpected that the numerous dynasty-breaking-up deals have resulted in trusted pieces for the Nationals. This was sort of the point. The Dodgers and Padres needed to deliver some of their future if it was gonna be Juan Soto instead, the Nats wanted big piece, if this didn't happen then that's shady GM practice. Josiah Gray and MacKenzie Gore both succeeding for the Nats right now is a best case scenario in a sense. 

Y'know, cause if those two were still messing up, the rotation would be down to Patrick Corbin and that...would not be preferable.

Gray, as discussed, is having an ASG-caliber year with a 2.73 ERA and 45 Ks. Gore, meanwhile, has struck out 58 in 9 games, has a 3.69 ERA and an 11.3 SO/9. If Strasburg's gonna sit out the rest of his contract doing a tour of the many hospitals of the DC area, Gore will be a serviceable replacement as far as strikeout artists go. Hell, they're honestly pretty similar when you really think about it- first overall pick, shat away the majority of their early 20s, strikes everybody out. Hope Gore stays healthy, though.

As far as the 'other people's prospects' era of National baseball goes, this is at least a somewhat promising year, at least compared to past failures. Alex Call has become a favorite, he's got 17 RBIs, as does Jeimer Candelario, who's one of the offensive standouts this year so far. Candelario is not only a Cubs product, but he's a product of the Tigers' development. Both have...sort of primed him for this moment, and he's at least got 12 doubles 5 homers right now. Granted, some of these guys, like Lane Thomas and Keibert Ruiz, aren't performing quite as well as they should given their places on this team. C.J. Abrams is also a bit further out than he should be, even if he does currently lead the team in RBIs [which surprised me]. Otherwise it's just odds and ends of other farm systems. Ildemaro Vargas, Riley Adams, Michael Chavis. All sort of doing their thing, honestly. Stone Garrett might end up being a fan-favorite as a Nat, which I wouldn't have predicted.

I'm still frustrated that the Nats don't, and won't for a while, have much to really call theirs. It's really just Jake Irvin right now that's truly a Nats product, worth talking about and he's just starting out anyhow. More will probably follow at this rate, especially as the big Soto pieces start coming up. 

Coming Tonight: It's still odd to me that this guy's just a full-on power hitter now.