The 24 best players in Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals history

The Expos chosen Gary Carter within the third spherical of the 1972 draft and briefly order the child from Culver Metropolis, Calif. would turn into probably the most prolific catcher within the group’s historical past. In a dozen seasons with Montreal, Carter slashed .269/.342/.454 with 220 homers, 823 RBI, 274 doubles, 24 triples, and 34 stolen bases. He was an All-Star seven instances, earned three Gold Gloves, received three Silver Sluggers, and was the runner up within the NL MVP voting in 1980. Carter was traded to the Mets in 1984 and would go on to assist New York win the World Sequence in ’86. He was inducted into the Corridor of Fame in 2003 and the Expos retired his quantity 8 in 1993. 

Change-hitting outfielder Tim Raines was quietly among the best two-way gamers within the Nationwide League for over a decade, and for the whole thing of the Nineteen Eighties the Expos have been thrilled to have him carrying their colours. In 1,452 video games with Montreal, Raines slashed .301/.391/.437 with 459 extra-base hits, 556 RBI, and most impressively, a franchise-record 635 stolen bases. He represented the Expos in seven straight Midsummer Classics from ’81-’87, led the league in steals 4 straight instances from ”81-’84, and swiped 70 or extra bases in six consecutive seasons. Raines received the batting title in 1986 by hitting .334, led the Majors in runs twice, and completed within the high 10 of the NL MVP voting 3 times. He’d go on to play for 5 different groups after leaving Montreal, however Raines is emphatically remembered as an Expo, and the membership retired his quantity 30 in 2004. He was ushered into Cooperstown in 2017. 

Proper-handed slugger Andre Dawson was a teammate of each Carter and Raines for a number of seasons, and it is fairly shocking the Expos did not get pleasure from extra success within the ’80s whereas they employed three future Corridor of Famers. Dawson starred in Montreal for 11 seasons and managed to place collectively a very spectacular resume. For starters, in his first full big-league marketing campaign he hit .282 with 19 homers and 26 doubles and was named NL Rookie of the 12 months. In 1,443 complete video games with the Expos the Miami, Florida native slashed .280/.326/.476 with 225 lengthy balls, 838 RBI, 295 doubles, 67 triples, and 253 stolen bases. He wore an Expos cap in three All-Star video games, received six Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers whereas with Montreal, and led the league in hits and complete bases in 1983. Dawson in the end received an MVP award whereas with the Cubs, however twice with the Expos he completed 2nd within the voting. Montreal retired his quantity 10 in 1997 and he punched his ticket to Cooperstown in 2010. 

Montreal made Steve Rogers the fourth total decide within the 1971 draft popping out of the College of Tulsa, and the righty in the end developed into arguably probably the most distinguished hurler within the historical past of the franchise’s Expos period. In 13 seasons with the membership, he earned 158 victories and put up a robust 3.17 ERA in 2,837.2 innings. Rogers was an All-Star 5 instances, received the ERA title with a dominant 2.40 mark in 1982, and completed within the high 5 of the NL Cy Younger voting 3 times. Maybe most significantly, he gave Montreal over 200 innings in 9 out of ten seasons from 1974-1983, and his consistency and sturdiness have been a godsend on this pitching employees for nicely over a decade. 

Proper-hander Max Scherzer has been a dynamic drive for 5 completely different main league organizations, however I believe it is an apparent assumption that when he is in the end enshrined in Cooperstown it will likely be with a Nationals hat atop his head. The 38-year-old signed a profitable excessive profile free-agent contract with Washington forward of the 2015 season, and the seven years he spent in D.C. have been past spectacular. In 189 begins Scherzer received 92 video games and posted a 2.80 ERA with an 0.96 WHIP. He struck out an eye fixed opening 1,610 hitters in 1,229 innings, and fired 11 full video games — including a pair of no-hitters. Scherzer represented Washington in six All-Star video games, received back-to-back Cy Younger awards in ’16 and ’17, and led the league in strikeouts in three consecutive seasons. This group’s historical past e-book is slightly staggered, and for no matter purpose the Nationals are inclined to not acknowledge the accolades of former Expos gamers as a lot as they need to. However Scherzer is actually the best beginning pitcher to ever put on a Nationals uniform, and he very nicely could be the most impactful pitcher in franchise historical past. 

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman is usually known as Mr. Nationwide as a result of he was the first-ever Washington Nationals draft decide in 2005 popping out of the College of Virginia. To place it frivolously, Washington nailed the choice. Zimmerman performed all 1,799 of his main league video games with D.C., slashing .277/.341/.475 with 284 dwelling runs, 1,061 RBI, 417 doubles, 22 triples, and 43 stolen bases. He participated in two All-Star video games, received two Silver Sluggers, earned a Gold Glove in 2009 and, most significantly, helped Washington win the World Sequence in 2019. Zimmerman grew to become the primary participant to have his quantity retired by the Nationals in 2022 after they took his patented 11 out of circulation. 

Proper-handed swinging Tim Wallach manned the new nook for Montreal for 13 seasons, and although he was typically overshadowed by a number of the different third basemen of his period, he offered the Expos with a gradual and reliable presence of their on a regular basis lineup for over a decade. In 1,767 video games with the membership Wallach slashed .259/.317/.418 with 204 dwelling runs, 905 RBI, 360 doubles, 31 triples, and 50 stolen bases. He was an All-Star 5 instances, received three Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, and twice led the Nationwide League in doubles. 

Lengthy earlier than Vladimir Guerrero Jr. burst onto the scene as an influence hitting sensation with the Blue Jays, his father, Vlad Sr, was the largest star enjoying main league baseball north of the border. The elder Guerrero spent the primary eight years of his profession in Montreal with the Expos, and on a staff that most of the time wasn’t superb, he was the largest draw. In simply over 1,000 video games with the staff, Guerrero slashed a dominant .323/.390/.588 with 234 dwelling runs, 702 RBI, 226 doubles, 34 triples,  and 123 stolen bases. He represented the Expos in 4 All-Star video games, earned three Silver Sluggers, and persistently offered Montreal with one of many recreation’s elite run producers. Guerrero drove in over 100 runs for the Expos in 5 consecutive seasons from ’98-’02, and homered greater than 34 instances in every of these seasons as nicely. In 2002 he completed only one lengthy ball shy of an elusive 40/40 season, one thing that is solely been achieved 4 instances within the sport’s historical past. Following the 2003 season, Guerrero signed a free-agent contract with the Angels, and also you’d need to assume the uncertainty surrounding the Expos (they’d transfer to Washington two years later) performed an infinite function in his determination to depart. 

When the Nationals chosen flame-throwing Stephen Strasburg first total popping out of Arizona State in 2009, the right-hander was already being mentioned as a generational expertise. And followers in D.C. did not have to attend lengthy in any respect to see their prodigy on a giant league mound. After simply 11 minor league begins, Strasburg was within the majors, debuting in June 2010, and he immediately regarded just like the star everybody presumed he’d turn into. In 12 rookie begins he put up a 2.91 ERA in 68 frames and his profession was off and working. The veteran has now made 247 profession big-league begins, and is firmly on the Mount Rushmore of Nationals’ hurlers. He is earned 113 wins, owns a lifetime 3.24 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP, and has punched out 1,723 hitters in 1,470 innings. Strasburg has represented Washington in three All-Star video games, led the league in strikeouts and innings as soon as every, however his Nationals legacy will all the time be tied to 2019. That yr, he led the NL with 18 wins and was merely unstoppable within the postseason, serving to Washington win the World Sequence and taking dwelling WS MVP honors within the course of. Sadly, myriad arm accidents have utterly derailed and even threatened his profession since that season, and he is made solely eight ineffective main league appearances since.

Third baseman Anthony Rendon was additionally on the Nationals’ World Sequence-winning squad in 2019, and for a lot of his tenure in D.C. the Rice College product was one of many elite offensive gamers within the recreation. Rendon spent his first seven seasons with Washington, slashing .290/.369/.490 with 136 homers, 546 RBI, 245 doubles, 15 triples, and 45 stolen bases. He drove in over 100 runs for the Nats twice (together with an MLB-high 126 in 2019), led the league in doubles twice and runs as soon as, was awarded a pair of Silver Sluggers, and wore a Washington hat in his solely profession All-Star look. Rendon completed within the high six of the NL MVP voting 3 times whereas he was in D.C., and whereas his profession has stalled considerably in Anaheim, he’ll all the time be thought-about royalty in our nation’s capital. 

Righty Dennis Martinez was a middling beginning pitcher in Baltimore when the Expos acquired him in a deadline take care of the O’s in 1986, however one thing modified in a giant method as soon as he obtained to Montreal. In seven and a half years north of the border, Martinez went 100-72 with a 3.06 ERA–over a full run higher than the mark he’d pitched to in over 300 outings with the Orioles. He represented the Expos in three straight All-Star video games from 1990-1992 and received the Nationwide League ERA title in ’91 — the identical season he additionally led the league in each full video games and shutouts. Martinez gave Montreal 200+ innings six straight instances from ’88-’93, and whereas he completed his profession with stops in Cleveland, Seattle, and Atlanta, by a large margin his finest days got here in an Expos uniform. 

The yr after the Nationals chosen right-hander Stephen Strasburg with the highest total decide within the draft, in 2010 they landed one other blue-chip prospect first total in left-handed slugger Bryce Harper. The Las Vegas, Nev. native was within the massive leagues lower than two years later as a 19-year-old, and immediately tantalized D.C. followers along with his immense potential. Harper crushed 22 homers and added 35 different extra-base hits en path to profitable NL Rookie of the 12 months honors, and it was solely up from there. Within the 927 video games he ended up enjoying with Washington, Harper slashed .279/.388/.512 with 184 dwelling runs, 521 RBI, 183 doubles, 18 triples, and 75 stolen bases. He was a member of the Nationwide League All-Star staff in all however considered one of his seven seasons in D.C., received a Silver Slugger, and was named NL MVP in 2015 when he led the league in homers, OBP, SLG %, OPS, and runs. When you have been to stroll round Washington at this time you’d undoubtedly discover Nationals followers who nonetheless do not forgive the membership for letting Harper stroll as a free agent in 2019, notably after he landed within the ready arms of the Nats’ fierce division rival in Philly. 

As if watching considered one of their former franchise gamers star with the Phillies wasn’t sufficient, Nationals followers are actually compelled to look at Trea Turner do it as nicely, after Washington’s longtime shortstop inked a free-agent pact to hitch Harper in Philly this previous low season. The speedy Turner spent his first seven big-league seasons in D.C., and by the point the Nationals traded him to the Dodgers halfway by the 2021 marketing campaign he’d blossomed into one of the full gamers within the recreation. In 637 video games with the Nats, Turner slashed .300/.356/.486 with 93 homers, 306 RBI, 135 doubles, 32 triples, and 192 stolen bases. He stunningly solely certified for one All-Star recreation throughout that timeframe — in 2021 — the identical season he’d in the end win the Nationwide League batting title. The Boynton Seaside, Fla. native led the senior circuit in hits and steals twice and triples as soon as, and is a heady participant with only a few flaws in his total recreation. The spotlight of his Washington tenure was undoubtedly the function he performed in bringing a World Sequence title to D.C. in 2019. 

A big contingent of Nationals followers — and truthfully baseball followers as an entire — are nonetheless utterly flabbergasted that outfielder Juan Soto is not calling D.C. dwelling. The younger left-handed swinging famous person was within the prime of his profession and simply 23 years outdated when Washington made him obtainable by way of commerce final summer time, and seeing him in a Padres uniform continues to be taking some getting used to. Within the 565 video games he did play with the Nationals, Soto was merely particular. He slashed an eye fixed popping .291/.427/.538 with 119 dwelling runs, 358 RBI, 108 doubles, and 38 steals. The Dominican Republic-born slugger certified for a pair of All-Star groups, received the 2020 batting title, led the NL in walks and OBP twice, earned three Silver Sluggers, and received the 2022 House Run Derby simply earlier than he was traded. He performed a starring function in Washington’s 2019 World Sequence championship run, and followers in D.C. need to dream about an alternate actuality the place he, Turner, and Harper all nonetheless name Washington dwelling. 

Canadian-born Larry Walker debuted with the Expos as a 22-year-old in 1989, and whereas he’d ultimately go on to turn into one of many largest stars within the recreation as a member of the Rockies, the left-handed slugger first minimize his tooth in Montreal. In six seasons with the Expos, Walker slashed a formidable .281/.357/.483 with 99 homers, 384 RBI, 147 doubles, and 98 stolen bases. He wore a Montreal cap within the 1992 All-Star Recreation, received his first two Gold Gloves and his first Silver Slugger north of the border, and led the Nationwide League with 44 doubles within the strike-shortened 1994 marketing campaign. He signed in Colorado as a free agent the next spring and the remaining is historical past. Walker was inducted into the Corridor of Fame in 2020. 

Jordan Zimmermann spent the primary seven seasons of his profession with Washington earlier than heading to Detroit as a free agent previous to the 2016 marketing campaign, and with hindsight being 20/20, it is turn into evident the Nationals minimize bait at simply the suitable time. Within the 178 outings Zimmermann made for Washington, he was persistently a dependable and sturdy middle-of-the-rotation starter for the membership. He earned 70 victories, pitched to a good 3.32 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP, and struck out 903 hitters in 1,094 innings. The righty earned journeys to 2 All-Star video games, and in 2013 even led the Nationwide League with 19 wins. As soon as he left, although, it grew to become clear fairly rapidly that the Tigers weren’t getting the pitcher they thought they have been. In 99 video games with Detroit, Zimmermann put up an ERA over two full runs greater than his Washington mark. 

Middle fielder Marquis Grissom performed for six completely different MLB groups throughout his profession, however a robust argument will be made that his finest days got here in a Montreal Expos uniform. Within the six seasons he performed with the Expos the Atlanta, Ga. native slashed .279/.331/.405 with 207 extra-base hits, 276 RBI, and an eye-opening 266 stolen bases. He was chosen to characterize the Expos in a pair of All-Star video games, received the primary two of what would turn into 4 consecutive Gold Glove awards whereas carrying a Montreal uniform, and led the majors in stolen bases in each ’91 and ’92. 

Puerto Rican-born right-hander Javier Vazquez spent the primary six seasons of his profession in Montreal, and for many of that point was the highest beginning pitcher within the Expos rotation. Vazquez took the mound 192 instances for Montreal and earned 64 wins whereas posting a 4.16 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP in 1,229.1 innings. He fired greater than 200 innings for the Expos in 4 straight years from 2000-2003 earlier than being traded to the Yankees on the winter conferences in December of ’03. 

Proper-hander Livan Hernandez was a little bit of a journeyman, pitching for 9 big-league groups throughout his 17-year profession, however that is to not say he was a middling beginning pitcher. For lots of his profession Hernandez was a legit top-of-the-rotation starter, and he delivered some good seasons for this franchise each in Montreal and D.C. In 197 complete begins for the staff break up between two completely different stints, Hernandez earned 70 victories and put up a good 3.98 ERA in 1,317 innings. He was an All-Star for this group twice (as soon as in Montreal and as soon as in Washington), led the NL in innings pitched 3 times, and tossed over 200 frames for the membership 4 completely different instances. Hernandez delivered 23 full video games — together with a serious league-high 9 in 2004, and was persistently a sturdy and dependable beginning pitcher for this franchise. 

The Expos chosen outfielder Rondell White within the first spherical of the 1990 draft popping out of Jones County Excessive Faculty in Grey, Ga., and whereas it took a while for him to achieve the game’s highest stage, he did develop right into a productive common for this staff. In 742 video games with Montreal, White slashed a robust .293/.348/.480 with 289 extra-base hits, 384 RBI, and 88 stolen bases. He by no means certified for the All-Star staff whereas with the Expos, however White was a constant drive within the Montreal lineup, racking up 20 or extra doubles 5 instances and all the time ending in double digits in each homers and steals mixed.

Southpaw Gio Gonzalez had already established himself as a strong main league beginning pitcher in Oakland earlier than a commerce landed him in D.C. in 2012, and he actually took his recreation to the following stage as a member of the Nationals. In seven seasons with Washington the Hialeah, Fla. native delivered a 3.62 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and 1,215 strikeouts in 1,253.1 innings. He was chosen to characterize the Nats within the ’12 All-Star Recreation — the identical yr he’d ultimately end with a MLB-leading 21 victories — and he revamped 27 begins for Washington in yearly he was with the staff. That stage of consistency and sturdiness is difficult to seek out in at this time’s beginning pitchers, and the Nationals have been actually joyful to have Gonzalez in the course of their rotation for so long as they did. 

In all probability the very best commerce the Montreal Expos ever made was pulling the set off on a take care of the Dodgers that despatched second baseman Delino DeShields to L.A. and landed righty Pedro Martinez in Canada. The Dodgers liked Martinez’ arm however believed his slender body would stop him from holding up over the course of a full six-month season. The Expos didn’t share these considerations and have been those that reaped the advantages of his immense expertise. In 4 seasons in Montreal, Martinez received 55 video games and delivered a 3.06 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. He blew away 843 hitters in 797.1 innings, fired 20 full video games — together with eight shutouts — and even earned a save in his solely look for Montreal that did not come as a starter. The Dominican Republic-born hurler represented the Expos in two All-Star video games, received an ERA title and the NL Cy Younger award in 1997, and gave Montreal over 200 innings in two of his 4 years with the staff. Previous to the ’98 season, the Expos traded Martinez to Boston, the place he would solely additional cement his standing because the premier starter in baseball. 

Left-handed swinging Rusty Staub was not in Montreal for very lengthy, however throughout two quick stints with the Expos he certain left his mark. In 518 video games with the staff Staub slashed .295/.402/.497 with 81 homers, 284 RBI, 86 doubles, 18 triples, and 24 stolen bases. He represented Montreal in three All-Star video games, drove in over 90 runs for the Expos twice, and was billed as Montreal’s first star after becoming a member of the enlargement Expos for his or her inaugural season. He immediately grew to become a fan favourite after going to nice lengths to be taught to talk French, and was famend for his dedication to creating a constructive affect locally. Regardless of his comparatively quick stick with the staff, the Expos selected to retire Staub’s quantity 10 in 1993 — although they did so retroactively, because the quantity can be retired in honor of Andre Dawson. 

Proper-handed swinging Bob Bailey spent seven years with the Expos in the course of his profession, and offered the membership with a productive middle-of-the-lineup risk. In 951 video games with Montreal, Bailey slashed .264/.368/.437 with 118 dwelling runs, 466 RBI, 116 doubles, 23 triples, and 40 stolen bases. He belted over 20 homers for the Expos in three separate seasons, drove in 80 or extra runs 3 times, and was a succesful defender at each third base and left discipline.