NL East: The sweet smell of succession

Washington Nationals

“I have this strange feeling that I'm not myself anymore. It's hard to put into words, but I guess it's like I was fast asleep, and someone came, disassembled me, and hurriedly put me back together again. That sort of feeling.”
― Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart

This disturbing feeling of existential reconstruction should be familiar to Nationals fans, although in their case the process has been less hurried and more deliberate. Still, the team sprouting in 2025 promises to be markedly more fragrant than recent plantings, with young talent ready to blossom like D.C.’s famous cherry trees. Yes, the sweet smell of progress is in the air all over the field—except for 3B. The hot corner in Washington has all...

Almost!

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