The heart and soul of the Washington Nationals becomes a free agent at the end of 2018.
No, it is not Bryce Harper. Although he is the best slugger in franchise history, he is not the architect. That distinction belongs to Mike Rizzo, President of Baseball Operations.
When Rizzo arrived from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Nats were a cellar-dweller regular in the National League East. Yes, the team found success early after the move from Montreal, but Washington’s own identity remained elusive.
Enter Rizzo.
Under his regime, Washington drafted Harper and Stephen Strasburg with the number one pick.