Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals All-Time Team
Introduction
The Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals have seen many great players play for them in their 52-year franchise history. In their 36 years in Montreal, they were often seen as a small-market team. Many of their great players spent the beginning of their careers with the Expos before leaving through Free Agency. While there were plenty of great players, the team only made the playoffs once in 36 seasons. Eventually, the team left for Washington (DC) after the 2004 season.
Although they have only been in Washington for 16 seasons, the Nationals have seen a number of good players come in Free Agency, like Max Scherzer. After a few years of rebuilding, the Nationals were a dominant team in the 2010s and ended it by winning the World Series in 2019, the first in Washington since 1924.
When it comes to selecting an all-time team, the best players are chosen based on position. The list contains 17 players (nine in the line-up, one starting pitcher, three relief pitchers, and four honorable mentions). In this list of 17 players, there are six Hall of Famers and at least one future Hall of Famer in Max Scherzer.
Starting Lineup
Gary Carter — Catcher (1974–1984, 1992)
He is one of the best catchers of all time and spent the majority of his career with the Montreal Expos. Gary Carter was an Expo from 1974 until 1984. He also ended his career with Montreal in 1992. In his 12 seasons with the Montreal Expos, he hit .269/.342/.454 with 220 home runs and 823 RBI. During his time with Montreal, Carter became a seven-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and three-time Gold Glove winner. Carter is the first Hall of Famer to go in as a Montreal Expo after his induction in 2003. He also had his number 8 retired by Montreal.
Ryan Zimmerman — First Base (2005–Present)
There is nobody who embraces the Washington Nationals identity better than Ryan Zimmerman. As a native of Virginia, Zimmerman was the first player to be selected by the Washington Nationals in 2005. In his 16 years with the Nationals, he hit .277/.341/.475 including 284 home runs and 1061 RBI. Mr. National is a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, Gold Glove Winner, and a World Series champion in 2019.
Jose Vidro — Second Base (1997–2006)
This franchise has played in two different cities, and Jose Vidro is the only player on this list to play for both of them. The Puerto Rican-born second baseman played eight seasons with the Montreal Expos and two seasons with the Washington Nationals. During his time with the franchise, he hit .301/.363/.459 with 115 Home Runs and 550 RBI. Another option for this position could have been Daniel Murphy. Ultimately, we chose Vidro because he played with this franchise longer and has better defensive numbers.
Anthony Rendon — Third Base (2013–2019)
Anthony Rendon was one of the key pieces of the 2019 World Series Champions. During his seven seasons with the Nationals, he was the team’s starting third baseman. In 916 games with Washington, he hit .290/.369/.490 with 136 Home Runs and 546 RBI. In the process, Rendon was a two-time Silver Slugger and was within the top five of the NL MVP voting twice. Rendon also led the National League in doubles twice and fielding percentage at third base three times. He has been given the nickname “Tony Two Bags” for his ability to turn double plays like no one else. Rendon led the National League in putouts at third base in 2014 and 2016.
Trea Turner — Shortstop (2015–2021)
It’s hard to imagine making an all-time team without Trea Turner. In his seven seasons with the Nationals, Turner hit .300/.356/.492 with 93 Home Runs and 306 RBI. During his time with Washington, Turner led the National League in hits twice, stolen bases twice, total bases, a 2021 All-Star selection, and winner of the 2021 batting title. Trea Turner is not a power hitter but is known for his contact-hitting skills and speed. His speed is something that sets him apart, as he stole 192 bases while with the Nationals. Turner was a key contributor to the 2019 World Series team.
Vladimir Guerrero — Designated Hitter (1996–2003)
When discussing the greatest Montreal Expos, it’s hard not to include Vladimir Guerrero. Vlad spent eight seasons of his Hall of Fame career in la belle province. During this time, he was a four-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger. Despite being a consistent 40 home run hitter, Vlad had a career batting average of .323 with the Expos. Guerrero is on this list because he truly is one of the greatest hitters this franchise has seen.
Tim Raines — LF (1979–1990, 2001)
In his career, Tim Raines played for six different teams. However, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, he became the third person to be inducted as a Montreal Expo. During his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Raines was a seven-time All-Star, led the NL in stolen bases four years in a row, and won the batting title in 1986. Raines hit .301/.391/.437 with 96 Home Runs and 556 RBI in 6256 plate appearances.
Andre Dawson — CF (1976–1986)
Andre Dawson is another example of a Hall of Fame outfielder who played for the Montreal Expos. While Dawson was a three-time Silver Slugger in his time in Montreal, fans may better know him for his defensive prowess as he won six Gold Gloves with the Expos. Dawson was named the 1977 NL Rookie of the year, the first in franchise history. During his 11 seasons with Montreal, Dawson was a three-time All-Star and was a part of the 1981 team who won the NL East title.
Larry Walker — RF (1989–1994)
Since this franchise spent thirty-six seasons in Canada, it’s only fair to include a Canadian on this roster. As a native of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, the Hall of Famer made his debut with Montreal in 1989. During his time with the Expos, Larry Walker won two Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and an All-Star selection in 1992. In his six seasons with the Expos, Walker hit .281/.357/.483 with 99 home runs and 384 RBI. Walker was also a member of the ill-fated 1994 Montreal Expos team, the best team in franchise history.
Starting Pitcher
Max Scherzer (2015–2021)
There have been a lot of great starting pitchers that have played in this franchise, but none have been better than Max Scherzer. In seven seasons for the Nationals, Scherzer was a six-time All-Star and a two-time Cy Young winner. He also led the league in innings pitched twice, strikeouts three times, and WHIP four times as well. Scherzer keeps batters guessing as he has five pitches in his repertoire and an effective spin rate to strike out the greatest of hitters.
Relievers
John Wetteland (1992–1994)
It would be hard to leave John Wetteland off this list of relief pitchers. In 189 games with the Expos, the closer had an ERA of 2.32, 280 strikeouts, and 105 saves. The Expos traded for Wetteland ahead of the 1992 season. As the team’s closer, he ensured that the team would hold the lead. His dominance in the ninth would help the team rise in the National League East in the mid-1990s.
Drew Storen (2010–2015)
Drew Storen was an effective relief pitcher in his time with Washington. During his 334 innings with Washington, Storen had an ERA of 3.02, 321 strikeouts, and 95 saves. After being drafted by the Nationals in 2009, Storen made the majors within one year. While he was not always the Nationals’ closer, Storen was trusted in holding the lead late in games.
Jeff Reardon (1981–1986)
Jeff Reardon was the closer for the Montreal Expos during the 1980s. In six seasons with Montreal, Reardon had an Earned Run Average of 2.84, 398 strikeouts, and 152 saves. Reardon also earned two All-Star selections in 1985 and 1986. In 1985, Reardon led the National League in saves with 41.
Honorable Mentions
Juan Soto (2018–Present)
Although he has only played four seasons of Major League Baseball, it would be hard to construct this list without Juan Soto. The Dominican-born player is already an All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, 2020 Batting Title winner, and World Series Champion. The 23-year-old has a career hitting record of .301/.432/.550 with 98 Home Runs and 312 RBI. Currently, Soto is a significant part of the Nationals’ next rebuild hoping to win a second World Series Championship.
Steve Rogers (1973–1985)
In 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Steve Rogers won 158 games, with a 3.17 ERA and a five-time All-Star. Rogers was a consistent workhorse for the Montreal Expos as he threw over 200 innings in 9 of his 13 seasons, with the most being 301 2/3 in 1977. He even won the ERA title in 1982 with a 2.40 ERA. Rogers is one of the few players on this list, to play their entire career with the Montreal Expos.
Bryce Harper (2012–2018)
Bryce Harper was the first superstar to play for the franchise since their move to Washington. After being drafted 1st overall in the 2010 MLB draft, Harper made his debut for the Nationals in April 2012. In his seven seasons with Washington, he was a six-time All-Star, 2012 National League Rookie of the Year, and 2015 National League MVP. For some fans, he was considered the face of the franchise and a resurgence of Washington baseball. Ironically, the Nationals won their only World Series the year after his departure.
Pedro Martinez (1994–1997)
Pedro Martinez is known as one of the best pitchers of his era, but it was Montreal where he became a breakout star. In four seasons with the Expos, Pedro had a 3.06 Earned Run Average. Martinez was a four-time All-Star and the 1997 National League Cy Young award winner. Unfortunately, after the 1997 season, the Expos decided to trade Pedro Martinez to the Boston Red Sox. As a result, attendance in Montreal dropped significantly in 1998 and every season following until the team’s departure in 2004.
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Main Photo
Players mentioned:
Max Scherzer, Gary Carter, Ryan Zimmerman, Jose Vidro, Daniel Murphy, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Vladimir Guerrero, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Larry Walker, John Wetteland, Drew Storen, Jeff Reardon, Juan Soto, Steve Rogers, Bryce Harper, Pedro Martinez
