The Nationals are navigating a full-scale rebuild just years removed from their 2019 World Series triumph
After defying the odds and winning the World Series in 2019, the Washington Nationals have started a dreadful process for fans: a rebuild. Top-notch talent such as Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and Juan Soto were all traded within just three years of their World Series championship. Even though Washington gathered many young and exciting prospects, the rebuild has been stressful for Washington fans. However, with the recent call-up of Robert Hassell III, it feels like a great time to compare Washington’s rebuild to other long but successful rebuilds in recent history.
Rebuilds such as the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles have shown recent success, but they have turned successful through different avenues. Baltimore bottomed out for consecutive seasons, but Chicago slowly retooled when trading away aging talent.
Some fans would say Washington is in a great spot with young stars like CJ Abrams, James Wood, and MacKenzie Gore, while also possessing the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. However, some fans are disappointed because of the lack of spending money and urgency in speeding up the rebuild.
This article will compare timelines and strategies these teams took and how they compare the what Washington is currently doing.
WASHINGTONS TIMELINE
Washington’s rebuild started in July of 2021 when stars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner were dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a prospect package headlined by Keibert Ruiz and Josiah Gray. Both Ruiz and Gray have futures with Washington, as Gray was an All-Star in 2023 and Ruiz is quietly having a great season in 2025.
Juan Soto would be dealt with in 2022 in arguably one of the biggest trades in MLB history. Washington would receive a spectacular prospect haul, which included James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell III, and Jarlin Susana. Abrams and Gore have been with the big league team since being traded, but Wood, Hassell, and Susana have patiently been developing in the minors, with Wood becoming one of the young, bright stars in the MLB.
How does the Washington Nationals rebuild compare in terms of timeline and strategies to the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs?
WASHINGTON VS CHICAGO
The Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016, writing their names in the history books. With young talent scattered across the board, this team felt like a dynasty in the making. However, with injury and controversy, Chicago would ultimately never make it back to the World Series with the core they had. Kris Bryant, Jake Arrieta, Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Wilson Contreras were all let go or traded within six years, similar to the star core for Washington. However, Chicago never bottomed out like Washington, never winning fewer than seventy-one games (other than 2020).
Chicago is a big market and spends like one. Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki, and Shota Imanaga are the top players they have acquired either in trade or through free agency. With already one of the top farm systems in baseball, they have littered their young talent in their veteran-filled lineup, such as Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
Washington shipped all of their top talent away, receiving much-needed prospective talent. However, Chicago stayed competitive and showed their willingness to win at whatever cost, and their approach could be seen as the best blueprint to a rebuild while giving fans competitive baseball in the process. Chicago is currently 31-21 and has a great chance of winning the National League Central and potentially winning their first playoff game since 2018.
WASHINGTON VS BALTIMORE
Baltimore fans went through the worst of the worst. After a great stretch of Baltimore baseball from 2012-2016, the team decided enough was enough. From 2018-2021, Baltimore never surpassed sixty wins in a season, destroying what was a great fan base, but promising a bright future. Everything changed in 2022 when former No.1 overall pick Adley Rutschman made his debut. They would win eighty-three games in 2022, and in 2023, they would win 101 games and make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Baltimore created one of the best farm systems in MLB history, creating a lineup of top prospects. Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Adley Rutschman, Colton Cowser, Coby Mayo, and Jordan Westburg are some of the top prospects in Baltimore’s system who have made an impact throughout the past three years. With loads of young talent still in the minor leagues, Baltimore has scouted their way to having one of the best futures in baseball.
While Baltimore has prioritized their offensive star power, they have ignored their pitching staff as a whole. Greyson Rodriguez is a great future piece for Baltimore, but they have ignored the glaring issues with this team, leading them to early playoff exits. They made a big splash in 2024, trading for Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, just to ultimately not resign him after a great season.
This is where Washington and Baltimore have similarities in their rebuild. Washington has prioritized their lineup, and fans are excited for the young trio of James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Dylan Crews. With the lack of urgency within the pitching staff, Washington is seeing games slip away from them due to a lack of talent. MacKenzie Gore has carried the load for Washington since 2022, and nothing has changed.
The lack of pitching in Baltimore has taken a toll in 2025, resulting in regression, as they are 17-34 and dead last in the American League East.
CONCLUSION
Many teams have rebuilt before this season, and teams will rebuild after this season. There hasn’t been a clear blueprint for successfully turning a franchise around. Within the last six years, Washington has gone from winning a World Series to owning the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. I believe Washington should take some notes from the Chicago Cubs. Washington has the offensive talent to win games and should be taking advantage of their great, young talent being affordable and under team control.
What do you guys think Washington should do? Comment down below!