One of the highlights of the offseason is the Hall of Fame talk. Every year a new ballot comes out and voters decide who goes to Cooperstown. This year it will be very intriguing because there are no clear first ballot Hall of Famers. For my money, Andruw Jones is the most likely of the group to get into the Hall of Fame.
However, there is something else of interest for Nationals fans. Now that the franchise has been around for over two decades, many former Nats will appear on the Hall of Fame ballots. This year there will be three former Nats on the ballot. Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy and Gio Gonzalez all made the ballot this year.
None of these guys are likely to make it on the first ballot, but it’s still an honor just to be on the ballot. To make the list, you must have played in the league for more than ten years. Being in the league for so long means you have done a great job in the league.
While none of these guys will be Hall of Famers, all three had some big moments. Surprisingly, Howie Kendrick had by far the most WAR of the group with 35. The vast majority of that value came with the Angels, where he posted 28.5 WAR. However, his most memorable moments actually came in DC.
His home run in Game 7 of the World Series gave the Nats a lead they were not willing to relinquish. Kendrick also hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to get the Nats over the hump in the NLDS. That 2019 season of 35-year-old Kendrick was so memorable. Despite this, he still doesn’t make it into the Hall.
Although he had the least WAR of the three, Daniel Murphy had the best peak of the group. His first two seasons in DC were absolutely outstanding, especially his 2016 season. Murphy carries over his momentum from his 2015 playoff run with the Mets hit .347 with 25 home runs and a .985 OPS in 2016. He finished second in the MVP voting, behind only Kris Bryant.
Murphy was one of those great pure hitters who found a way to tap into the power in DC. It was so much fun to watch him hit. He was truly an artist on the board. I think Murphy would do a great job as a hitting coach if someone hired him.
Finally, Gio Gonzalez is also on the ballot. He spent the most time in DC of the trio. Although never the top of the staff, Gio was a great two- or three-starter for several years. Are best season came in 2012 when he won 21 games and posted a 2.89 ERA. Mike Rizzo has made many great trades over the years, but his acquisition of Gonzalez was one of his best.
Gio could be a frustrating pitcher at times due to his shaky control. Most of the time, however, he was in fact wild. He never went super deep in games, but he could usually give you five or six innings of quality pitching. Gio was never really elite outside of 2012, but he was a very good pitcher.
There will be more and more Nats on the ballot in the future. There will be a big name on the ballot next season. 2026 will be Ryan Zimmerman’s first year of eligibility. While it’s unlikely he makes it to Cooperstown, I wouldn’t be surprised if he stays on the ballot for more than a year.
Zimmerman posted 40.1 WAR, which is a very good number. If it weren’t for injuries, I really think Zimmerman would have had a chance in Cooperstown. He had just one 2 WAR season after turning 29. From 2014 to 2021, he posted just 6.4 WAR, which really put a dent in his Hall of Fame case.
Ryan Zimmerman is a Nationals legend, but his career still could have been better. It’s a real shame that his body broke down just a few years after the Nats began their league run. They could potentially have a different title if Zimmerman lasted longer. He had that great 2017 season, but outside of that, Zimmerman didn’t age very gracefully.
The first great National to actually make it into the Hall of Fame will be Max Scherzer. It appears he will play another season, but on the first ballot he will go straight to Cooperstown. Scherzer has over 75 WAR and is one of the best pitchers of his generation. Mad Max is absolutely no doubter for Cooperstown.
Then we’ll have to wait a little longer. Like Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg’s prime was too short for Cooperstown. If his body could have held on for a few more years, Strasburg would be an interesting case because of his dominance in the postseason. However, he didn’t do enough.
Bryce Harper and Juan Soto will likely become Hall of Famers one day, but at this rate they’ll be wearing a different uniform. That’s disappointing, especially in Soto’s case. The Nats’ collapse forced the team to trade away a generational talent to replenish their talent pool.
It will be interesting to follow this Hall of Fame cycle. I enjoy looking at all the ballots and thinking about how I would vote. One day I hope to get a Hall of Fame vote myself. Maybe by the time Juan Soto plays for Cooperstown. Either way, it’s very cool to see three great Nationals on such a prestigious ballot.
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