Washington Nationals All-Stars: Building the Best Nationals All-Time Lineup
One franchise, two countries. The story of the Nationals can only be told through their Montreal Expos roots. Whether in D.C. or Montreal, this team has always had its share of standout players. Still, let’s push for the return of that iconic Expos look.
Manager: Felipe Alou
Alou, who played for Montreal in 1973, became the franchise’s manager during the 1992 season, marking arguably the best period the Expos ever experienced, with a record of 238-163 from 1992-1994 under his leadership. Although the Expos never made the playoffs during Alou’s tenure and struggled towards the end of his 10-year run (1992-2001), his 691 career managerial wins still place him at the top in Expos/Nationals history. The 1994 season, in which the team was 74-40 before the season abruptly ended, remains the biggest what-if in Expos history, and Alou was honored as the National League Manager of the Year that year.
Starting Pitcher: Stephen Strasburg
The No. 1 pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, Strasburg lived up to the hype with the Nationals, overcoming Tommy John surgery in 2010. A three-time All-Star, he was one of the finest starting pitchers of the last decade, boasting a combined 3.24 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 247 career starts. Strasburg also excelled in postseason play, with a 1 phwin. net.46 postseason ERA through nine appearances, including eight starts, and earned the 2019 World Series MVP title for the Nationals bingo online game gcash. Despite making only eight starts after 2019 due to various injuries, he remains first in franchise history with 1,723 strikeouts, second with 113 wins, and third among pitchers with a 31.0 WAR in 1,470.0 innings pitched.
Reliever/Closer: Jeff Reardon
Montreal acquired Reardon during the 1981 season, and he was just the relief pitcher they needed. Over his six seasons with the Expos (1981-1986), he averaged 25.3 saves per season, recorded a combined 2.84 ERA, and led MLB with 41 saves in 1985. His 152 saves are the most in franchise history. Two of Reardon’s four All-Star selections came while he was with the Expos.
Catcher: Gary Carter
Considered one of the best catchers in MLB history, Carter spent the bulk of his career in Montreal from 1974 to 1984. A seven-time All-Star with the Expos, he was integral to the 1981 Montreal team that made it to the NL Championship Series, hitting safely in all ten of their postseason games with an outstanding .429/.488/.714 slash line. Carter, who won all three of his Gold Gloves and three of his five Silver Slugger awards with the Expos, leads the franchise with a 55.8 WAR and ranks fourth with 220 home runs and 823 RBIs.
First Base: Andres Galarraga
Galarraga played the first seven seasons of his MLB career in Montreal (1985-1991) and consistently provided power for the team. From 1987 to 1990, he averaged 21 home runs and 89 RBIs per season, with a combined .280/.337/.462 slash line. He earned two Gold Gloves, one Silver Slugger award, and one All-Star selection while with the Expos and placed 10th in franchise history with 473 RBIs, tying for 10th with 115 home runs.
Second Base: Jose Vidro
Vidro is one of the few players who donned both an Expos jersey (1997-2004) and a Nationals jersey (2005-2006). He was known as one of the best contact hitters of his time, batting over .300 for five straight seasons (1999-2003) and earning three All-Star honors. He ranks tied for second in franchise history with a .301 batting average, is third with 304 doubles, and has stats of 1,280 hits and 4,257 at-bats, along with 550 RBIs and 614 runs scored.
Third Base: Ryan Zimmerman
The first-ever pick in the Nationals franchise’s history (No. 8k8 casino slot log in 4 overall in the 2005 MLB Draft), Zimmerman spent his entire career with the team (2005-2021, excluding 2020) and is one of its all-time greats. A two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner, he was regarded as one of the best third basemen before transitioning to first base in 2015. Zimmerman holds franchise records with 1,846 hits, 284 home runs, 1,061 RBIs, and 417 doubles.
Shortstop: Trea Turner
Turner became a full-time player for the Nationals in 2016, making an immediate impact. yg777. After batting .342 and stealing 33 bases in just 73 regular season games, he established himself as one of the league’s top shortstops. A key player on Washington’s 2019 championship team, he ranks fourth in franchise history with a .300 batting average, 32 triples, and 192 stolen bases.
Outfielder: Andre Dawson
For the first 11 seasons of his MLB career (1976-1986), Dawson played for the Expos and was a dominant force at the plate. His most productive season occurred in 1983, when he hit 32 home runs and drove in 113 RBIs. Dawson ranks second in franchise history with 67 triples and third with 225 home runs, excelling throughout his Montreal tenure.
Outfielder: Tim Raines
Spending the first 12 seasons of his career with the Expos (1979-1990), Raines was one of the best all-around hitters, winning the 1986 batting title and reaching .300 in five different seasons. He led the NL in stolen bases for four consecutive years (1981-1984) and ranks first in franchise history with 635 stolen bases.
Outfielder: Vladimir Guerrero
Guerrero, known as one of the most intimidating hitters in MLB history, began his career in Montreal, playing there for the first eight seasons (1996-2003). He recorded over 100 RBIs in five consecutive seasons and was a three-time Silver Slugger with the Expos, ranking first in franchise history with a .323 batting average and second with 234 home runs.
Designated Hitter: Bryce Harper
The Nationals selected Harper as the No. 1 pick in the 2010 MLB Draft. Making his major league debut at just 19, Harper quickly became the face of the franchise, winning the NL MVP in 2015. During his seven seasons in D. okebet login sign upC. (2012-2018), he averaged 26 home runs per season, earning six All-Star selections and ranking third in franchise history with a .512 slugging percentage.
Honorable Mentions:
- Dave Martinez (manager)
- Max Scherzer (starting pitcher)
- Gio Gonzalez (starting pitcher)
- Pedro Martinez (starting pitcher)
- Patrick Corbin (starting pitcher)
- Jordan Zimmerman (starting pitcher)
- Tim Burke (reliever/closer)
- Chad Cordero (reliever/closer)
- Drew Storen (reliever/closer)
- Wilson Ramos (catcher)
- Kurt Suzuki (catcher)
- Adam LaRoche (1B)
- Howie Kendrick (2B)
- Daniel Murphy (2B)
- Ronnie Belliard (2B)
- Danny Espinosa (2B)
- Anthony Rendon (3B)
- Ian Desmond (SS)
- Juan Soto (OF)
- Alfonso Soriano (OF)
- Marquis Grissom (OF)
- Jayson Werth (OF)
- Michael Taylor (OF)
- Jose Guillen (OF)
- Moises Alou (OF)
- Adam Dunn (1B/DH)
- Josh Willingham (OF/DH)
What do you think of this all-time Nationals lineup?