Nationals owner Mark Lerner made some telling statements about the future of the team
Nationals owner Mark Lerner went one on one with Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. The whole article is linked here, but there were some important nuggets that tell a big story about the future of the franchise. Mark Lerner is a relatively private man, so any big interview he does is major news.
Lerner made it clear that his family is going to own the team moving forward. After putting the team on the market in 2022, they took it off a year ago today after not getting the bids they wanted. Lerner made it clear that he is not planning to sell any time soon.
With the sale off the table, and the rebuild dragging on, there is now more pressure on ownership to spend money. With the teams payroll firmly in the bottom 10, fans are starting to get fed up.
Lerner’s explanation to this is the most eye opening part of the story to me. He believes that the teams core is not ready yet and needs more time to show their worth. This is very different from the 2010 offseason, where the Nats were in a similar spot but splashed the cash on veterans like Jayson Werth and Adam Laroche. The Nationals of Mark Lerner have not committed more than $15 million to a new player since 2020.
Is Mark Lerner serious about committing money to the team once the core shows more at the big league level, or is he just kicking the can down the road? This is a serious question because the ownership behavior has changed since patriarch Ted Lerner got his championship and started to fade into the background prior to his death. With the Mets, Phillies and Braves all in the top 10 in payroll, does Mark Lerner have the minerals to spend to the level needed to compete?
If he does, and feels the team is ready next offseason, there are a lot of interesting options on the table. A name that really stands out is Dylan Cease of the Padres. We know he enjoys pitching at Nationals Park, throwing a no hitter in DC last season. He is also similar to Max Scherzer hitting free agency in some ways. While he is already an elite pitcher, it feels like he still has a lot to give and may even have some untapped potential. Cease has massive strikeout stuff and can be utterly dominant at his best.
If Mark Lerner doesn’t spend next offseason, we will have a serious problem. Him not spending this offseason was already a big mistake for me and a red flag, but it can kind of be explained away. However, this is the last year there is any excuse at all. If he does not spend next offseason, and comes out with more excuses, Nationals fans should not put up with it. As flawed as Ted Leonsis is, he would be a savior at that point.
Mark Lerner is on the hot seat, and giving this interview shows he understands this. It was a disappointing offseason, but if Mark really believes what he said in that interview, he will make up for it going forward. As 2019 drifts further and further in the rearview mirror, Nationals fans desire for the next great team only increases. Flags fly forever, but you need to be trying to go after the next one. Will Mark Lerner do what it takes to put the team back in the position to compete?