The Washington Nationals’ Internal Arms Race

Spring training is winding down and it’s time for the Washington Nationals to make their long awaited homecoming from Viera, Fl. The biggest question mark coming out of Nats camp has been: Who will take the mound for the home opener against the New York Mets on April 6, 2015? The club announced Monday morning that the newly acquired $210 million dollar man, Max Scherzer, would take to the hill against New York.

In a dominant outing today against the St. Louis Cardinals, Scherzer racked up nine K’s and allowed three hits in six shutout innings. This impressive stat line included the pitcher wiggling his way out of a jam in the fifth inning. With two runners in scoring position and one out, Scherzer mowed down the Cardinals’ baseman Kolton Wong and pitcher Michael Wacha to escape the inning unscathed.

With a bevy of talent on the rubber, Washington was spoiled with the available choices on Opening Day. But this was just one game in a long 162-game season. The next big decision for Washington Manager Matt Williams is going to be where the next four guys fall in the rotation.

Pitchers Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark all wait to find out how they will fair in Williams’ rotation. With the acquisition of Scherzer to bolster the already flourishing rotation, the Nats have effectively given themselves too many options on the mound. This, however, is a good problem to have.

So let’s get to it… who will be the next four in Washington’s starting five?

Strasburg first, Zimmerman next, then Fister and then Gonzalez is how the pieces should fall if spring training and last season are the measuring sticks being used.

Even with a tweaked ankle, Strasburg is not expected to miss any time during the regular season, though he was scratched from his start against the Tigers on Sunday. Since the pull during a conditioning session last week, Strasburg has been feeling good, throwing in the bullpen to work out the kinks. He has not really made any steadfast declarations during spring training as to why he should be the number two, but he’s been the Nats’ guy on opening day the last three years. It only seems fair to give him the benefit of the doubt early on that he is second-in-command… that is until one of the others challenges for the spot.

Zimmermann, coming off of an outstanding 2014, is positioned to be the third guy in Washington’s rotation. During his last start against the Miami Marlins, he allowed just one run on eight hits and fanned four batters in five innings of work. That’s a solid day for Zimm, but he was displeased by the amount of hits he gave up. The adept control exhibited by Zimmermann will bode well going in to 2015 as he prepares to improve on last season’s numbers.

The fourth and fifth spots in the Nationals’ rotation are a little harder to differentiate. Fister and Gonzalez have had subpar spring training stints, both unable to register a win through seven combined starts. While this year’s trip to Florida will likely be one to forget for Gio and Doug, they would both gladly like to expunge their 4.15 and 4.97 ERAs, respectively.

Roark, who is a proven starter in his own right, with 15 wins with a 2.85 ERA last season, is likely to come out of the bullpen early-on during the 2015 season.

Two thirds of the way through their Grapefruit League campaign, Washington finds themselves 9-10-3. The Nationals will look to finish strong in Viera before returning home to Washington, D.C.