3 Players the Nationals Will Move on From After This Disappointing Season

Just two years removed from a World Series title, the Washington Nationals look on pace to finish their second straight season in the basement of the NL East division. Shockingly, Washington folded it in during the MLB Trade Deadline by dealing away stars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner.

It looks like all eyes are on the future in Washington and the Nationals will have some tough decisions to make in order to turn things around quickly. Check out three Nationals players that could be cut following the 2021 season.

1. Alex Avila, Catcher

There's no question that Alex Avila is past his prime. The Nationals dealt Yan Gomes at the trade deadline and it looked like Avila would see considerable more playing time. But, the emergence of Riley Adams and Avila's injury now call that into question. Washington has a plethora of young catchers and some highly-rated prospects (Keibert Ruiz), and it's time to give see which of these young backstops pans out as a franchise option. Avila is currently on the 10-day injured list and slashing just .167/.345/.288 in 24 games this season.

2. Jordy Mercer, Infielder

Similar to Avila, shortstop Jordy Mercer may find himself on the outside looking in next season, primarily thanks to his age. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2021 campaign and it's time for the franchise to get younger. Fellow infielder Alcides Escobar finds himself in the same boat, but he's the cheaper option and more productive hitter (.231/.279/.313). Mercer also sits on the Nationals' 10-day injured list. There's no concrete prospect options to take over shortstop, but the Nationals would be better served finding another cheap veteran who is less prone to injury.

3. Luis Avilan, Relief Pitcher

Luis Avilan has appeared in just 5.0 innings this season and has been rehabbing a left UCL that resulted in Tommy John surgery. At 32-years-old and on an expiring contract, there's no way that Avilan will be re-signed by the Nationals. Tommy John surgery recovery usually takes about a year or more, and the Nationals can't afford to take a chance on an aging reliever, who only pitches to a 3.43 ERA throughout his career.

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Adam Taylor McKillop is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Adam Taylor also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username atmckillop. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.