The Washington Nationals 2015 season has been a major disappointment and things have spiraled out of control a bit down the stretch with Bryce Harper and Jonathan Papelbon getting into a dugout fight. The Nats have not played up to expectations and manager Matt Williams could end up getting fired over it if the franchise opts to make a change.
Apart from the fight between Papelbon and Harper, this season still has been a major letdown for the Nats, as they were considered a World Series favorite for 2015. Many writers and media members pegged the Nationals as a definite playoff team in the NL East and many also projected that the team would make (and likely win) the World Series. Clearly that has not happened this season and heading into 2016, the Nats could undergo some major changes.
The team has a number of free agents with Ian Desmond, Denard Span, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister hitting the market and there is a chance all of those players leave. Drew Storen (or Papelbon) could get moved and if the team loses those free agents, players from the farm system could be looked at to take over. The team still will have a very talented roster next season even if all the free agents leave, as players like Harper, Jayson Werth, Wilson Ramos, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg will still be around along with Yunel Escobar and Anthony Rendon.
The Nationals have had strong regular seasons in the past, but then faltered in the playoffs, which happened in 2012 and 2014. The team had true championship aspirations for this season and they even have an MVP player in Harper, but they have been eliminated and will not even play in the postseason. Scherzer at least looks to be worth the money after the way he has pitched and Harper is proving that he is a superstar and could have more to come after what he did this year.
The team dealt with various injuries throughout the season and while they held close in the division for a while, the Nats were never true contenders. The team may end up firing Williams, but he may not be the main problem with what happened with the bullpen and some of the pitching down the stretch. Rizzo will have some major decisions to make and the fight with Harper and Papelbon put an ugly picture together for the end of a disappointing season.