No one loves a good debate quite like baseball fans, and with that in mind, we asked each of our beat reporters to rank the top five players by position in the history of their franchise, based on their career while playing for that club.
Here is Jessica Camerato’s ranking of the top five second basemen in Nationals/Expos franchise history.
These rankings are for fun and debate purposes only.
1. Jose Vidro, Expos/Nationals (1997-2006)
Key fact: Vidro has the third-highest batting average in franchise history.
The switch-hitting Vidro donned Expos and Nationals uniforms for 10 of his 12 Major League seasons. He slashed .301/.363/.459 with an .821 OPS, 1,280 hits, 550 RBIs and 115 home runs during his tenure.
As an Expo, Vidro earned three All-Star selections (2000, '02, '03) and a Silver Slugger Award ('03). Among National League players, he finished in the top 3 in hits in 2000 and '02, and for doubles in 1999, '00 and '02.
Defensively, Vidro led the NL in assists as a second baseman in 2000 and '02, and he had the most putouts at his position in '02. His fielding percentage at second landed him in the top 5 in the NL for the '00, '02 and '03 seasons.
2. Howie Kendrick, Nationals (2017-2020)
Key fact: Kendrick is the first player to hit more than one go-ahead home run in the seventh inning or later in deciding games in the span of a single postseason.
When the Nationals needed a hero, Kendrick answered the call -- twice.
Kendrick’s go-ahead home run off the right-field foul pole in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series against the Astros became one of the most iconic moments for the Nats, as it sent them on their way to their first championship. Weeks earlier he had provided another clutch performance with a 10th-inning grand slam to lift the Nats over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NL Division Series and into the NL Championship Series. He earned Most Valuable Player Award honors in that NLCS against the Cardinals; he totaled 12 RBIs over the entire postseason.
During his 15-year career, Kendrick slashed .294/.337/.430. He offered versatility with the ability to play second base, third base, outfield and designated hitter.
3. Daniel Murphy, Nationals (2016-18)
Key fact: Murphy finished .001 points shy of the 2016 overall batting title.
Murphy's two-plus seasons in Washington were filled with accolades.
He earned consecutive Silver Slugger Awards and All-Star selections in 2016 and 2017. He finished second in National League Most Valuable Player Award voting following a '16 campaign in which he hit .347/.390/.595 with a .985 OPS. That year, his batting average was just .001 short of tying DJ LeMahieu's for highest in the Major Leagues. (Murphy ranked second in the NL in that category the following season, too.) He also led the NL in slugging percentage and OPS in ’16.
Murphy slashed .329/.380/.550 with a .930 OPS for Washington. Although he appeared in just 342 games, he hit 54 home runs and 226 RBIs during that time.
4. Danny Espinosa, Nationals (2010-16)
Key fact: Espinosa was the first Nationals player to hit a home run (one of which was a grand slam) from both sides of the plate in a game.
Espinosa was drafted by the Nationals in the third round in 2008, and he played seven of his eight Major League seasons with Washington. He appeared in 512 of his 779 games with the Nats at second base before moving to shortstop for the 2016 season.
In 2011, Espinosa finished second among Major League second basemen with 464 assists, trailing league leader Omar Infante by only two. He also finished third in MLB in double plays at the position (101), behind just Neil Walker (108) and Ian Kinsler (103).
As a second baseman, Espinosa hit 58 home runs, trailing only Vidro. He led the National League in hit by pitches in 2011 (19), and he ranked in the top 10 in the category in '12, '14 and '16.
5. Luis García Jr., Nationals (2020-26)
Key fact: García was the first Major League player born in 2000 to hit a home run
From one of the youngest players on a veteran team to the longest-tenured on a young team, García played six-plus seasons with the Nationals. He signed with the organization in 2016 for a $1.3 million bonus at just 16 years old.
García had a career-best 2026 season, during which he hit 23 home runs before the Trade Deadline. That performance drew attention around the league, and he was traded to the Yankees as a first baseman.
In 708 games with the Nationals, García slashed .268/.301/.431 with a .732 OPS.