With the signing of fourth-year veteran Sam Howell, Dallas made things more competitive for Joe Milton III and upgraded the room from Will Grier. Howell started all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023, so at least brings a wealth of experience compared to Milton.
On that day, Washington officially announced the signing of Max Scherzer to a seven-year, $210 million contract. At the time, it marked the largest deal ever given to a right-handed pitcher and a clear signal that the Nationals were serious about winning. Scherzer arrived in Washington from the Detroit Tigers. Already an established ace, he still exceeded expectations. From 2015 to 2021, he posted a 2.80 ERA across 189 appearances and struck out 1,610 batters.
The meetings were still interesting, but several teams, including the Cubs, didn't end up finalizing any large transactions. Kyle Schwarber, Edwin Díaz, and Pete Alonso were the trio of stars to ink contracts during the three-day conference. Kyle Finnegan, Gregory Soto, and Michael Soroka each found new homes as well, though their deals paled in comparison to the previous three.
Making the playoffs is as common as putting the puck into the net. However, one year after winning the President's Trophy as the team with the most points at the end of the regular season, they would miss the playoffs. Everything went wrong and they could not find their game quickly enough to turn it around. Star players did not produce and teams above them did not hit any skids.
