Washington Nationals Grades for Every Player in May

May has come and gone, and the Washington Nationals are still struggling to stay above the .500 mark. At 27-27, it's time for Davey Johnson's club to step it up and play more consistent baseball.

A rash of injuries and poor play from key veterans has led to the Nationals' struggles. In April, poor play from Adam LaRoche and strong play from Bryce Harper were the main talking points. Both players swapped roles in May, as LaRoche was scorching hot and Harper had trouble staying healthy.

The Nationals' player grades for the month of May shouldn't be all that surprising. The grades are based solely off May statistics—not April's. Players who missed a lot of time in May—i.e., Harper—will have grades that reflect as such.

Because of the slew of injuries, the player grades for May will only be given to those players currently on the active roster.

Players who will not be receiving grades are Jayson Werth, Ross Detwiler, Ryan Mattheus and Wilson Ramos. Everybody else is fair game.

Catchers

Kurt Suzuki: C

Kurt Suzuki isn't expected to provide much offense, so a line of .242/.275/.258 can be dealt with (to some extent). The fact that he only one extra-base hit (a double) and drove in only three in 66 at-bats is concerning, however. The reason he doesn't receive a "D" is his handling of the pitching staff, though that may not be a great excuse for much longer.

Jhonatan Solano: N/A

Jhonatan Solano was called up to replace the injured Wilson Ramos, but he has received only eight at-bats in four games. He's recorded one hit and scored one run. It's too small a sample size to grade, though.

Infielders

Adam LaRoche: A+

Adam LaRoche hit a scorching .340/.422/.628 with seven home runs and 19 RBI in the month of May. His play was especially important given the struggles of Bryce Harper and the absence of Jayson Werth.

LaRoche was the team's MVP in May.

Tyler Moore: D

Tyler Moore hit two home runs while driving in eight, but he hit a lackluster .123/.183/.231 with 24 strikeouts. The reserve first baseman and corner outfielder has a ton of potential but has not capitalized at all this season.

As a key member of Davey Johnson's bench, Moore needs to find his swing—and fast. 

Chad Tracy: F

Poor, Johnson. His bench was a strength last season, but the terrible play of both Moore and Chad Tracy has been detrimental to the team. Tracy hit one home run, drove in one and put together a line of .150/.150/.300 in 20 at-bats this month.

It may be time to start examining the trade market.

Danny Espinosa: F

Danny Espinosa was extremely disappointing in May, just as he was in April. With just one home run and six RBI, he hasn't helped in the run production department. Throw in 25 strikeouts and a line of .149/.171/.224, and one can't help but wonder why he's still in the starting lineup.

Steve Lombardozzi: C-

Oh, I remember why Espinosa is still starting—it's because Steve Lombardozzi really hasn't been that much better. Lombo hit .229/.250/.300 with seven RBI in 25 games, supplying little power and an inconsistent stick in the process.

He may be the future starter at second base, but Espinosa is likely ahead of him now due to experience.

Ian Desmond: C+

Ian Desmond's numbers weren't great either—.219/.274/.365, three home runs, 12 RBI—but he gets the highest grade so far (outside of LaRoche) because of his ability to drive in runs. The team's shortstop can move runners along and drive them home even when struggling, and that's invaluable on a struggling team like Washington.

Ryan Zimmerman: A

Ryan Zimmerman had a monster month of May, falling just short of LaRoche in terms of the MVP of the month. Zimmerman hit .326/.410/.543 with five home runs, 17 RBI and three stolen bases. His veteran leadership (and overall good health) have been instrumental in the team being .500.

It's up to his teammates to step it up. 

Jeff Kobernus: N/A

Jeff Kobernus is a rookie in his first tour of the big leagues. He's received only one at-bat in two games, so it's obviously too early to give him a grade.

Outfielders

Bryce Harper: D

There's one thing—and one thing only—that has saved Harper from an "F" grade. The fact that he managed a .319 OBP on top of his putrid .193 average and 18 games played is impressive. He walked 11 times, compared to 14 strikeouts.

He needs to get healthy, though. Maybe a trip to the disabled list is the answer.

Denard Span: B-

Signed to be a catalyst at the top of the lineup, Denard Span has done pretty well. He hit two triples and stole two bases this month but walked only five times and struck out 16 times. He led the team with eight doubles and scored 12 times, though, so he deserves an average grade. 

Roger Bernadina: D

After an extremely slow start to the season, Roger Bernadina is at least sprinkling a few hits in here and there. He's still not where he should be, however. He cleared the fences twice in May, albeit with a line of .183/.246/.333.

Starting in place of Jayson Werth, Bernadina hasn't capitalized like Davey Johnson would have hoped.

Starting Pitchers

Stephen Strasburg: A

Stephen Strasburg was great in May (2-1, 1.95 ERA), but I still have a complaint.

He still doesn't give the Nationals a ton of length, evidenced by his 37.0 innings over six starts (just over six innings per start). Aces give seven or eight innings nearly every time they toe the rubber. Strasburg simply isn't there yet.

That's the only thing stopping him from earning a perfect "A+."

Dan Haren: C

The struggles continue. Dan Haren pitched to a 4.35 ERA in May, posting a 2-3 record along with it. He's been killed by the long ball—six in 39.1 innings—and it's obvious that his propensity to leave the ball up in the zone has been his downfall.

May was actually an improvement from April, but there's still much work to be done.

Gio Gonzalez: B+

Gio Gonzalez made huge strides from April to May, posting a 2.48 ERA in his five May starts. He too only averaged around six innings per start, though, so that absolutely factors into his grade. Regardless, Gonzalez pitched like he was expected to this month. He helped to keep Washington in games that the offense just wasn't capable of busting open.

Jordan Zimmermann: A-

Jordan Zimmermann has been a revelation in 2013. He led the team with four wins, 43.2 innings pitched and just three walks allowed in May. He's been the unquestioned ace thus far, and the Nationals have long awaited this type of performance.

There's no doubt in my mind that he can continue this pace over the entire season.

Nate Karns: N/A

Nate Karns was solid in his debut (three runs in 4.1 innings), but one start is not enough to give a monthly grade.

Bullpen

Craig Stammen: B+

Craig Stammen was a huge contributor out of the bullpen in May, tossing 15 innings of 2.40 ball. He walked just one and allowed just one home run.

The bullpen has been inconsistent this season, but Stammen has been very good.

Rafael Soriano: A-

With two blown saves this month, Rafael Soriano was far from perfect. That doesn't mean he wasn't very good, though. Soriano tallied eight saves with a 2.08 ERA. He issued only one free pass and allowed no home runs—exactly what you want to see from your closer.

Tyler Clippard: A

After a poor April, Tyler Clippard posted a great month of May. He was 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in 12.2 innings, striking out 17 and holding the opposition to a .178 batting average. 

Drew Storen: B-

Drew Storen wasn't great in May, but he wasn't really all that bad either. His 3.65 ERA is high for a reliever, but we've all seen much worse. His .304 batting average against and 1.54 WHIP were the main cause of the problem.

Storen was both very hittable and pretty wild (five walks in 12.1 innings) this month.

Henry Rodriguez: B

Henry Rodriguez was actually decent in May, but walks still proved to be an issue. His 3.38 ERA is inflated because of the five walks he issued in eight innings pitched. Surprisingly, he only struck out four batters.

Rodriguez is becoming more and more reliable, but he needs to limit the free passes.

Zach Duke: F

A 12.71 ERA in more than one appearance (he had three; 5.2 innings) is immediate grounds for an "F" grade. Zach Duke was terrible, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in May—enough said.

Fernando Abad: N/A

Despite four appearances, Fernando Abad has only totaled 2.1 innings pitched. He's yet to allow a run, but it's still too early to grade his play.