The base truth is the Nats need help. They need help starting and they need help relieving the starters who will start. Anywhere you can put a decent pitcher will help the team. Trevor Williams was a good pitcher last year.
In his career Williams started out as a nice rotation guy, not a 1 or 2 but a guy you could throw in at 3 or 4. He never struck out enough, but he didn't walk too many and kept the ball down, meaning fewer homers and hits. But that skill set went away in 2019 and it didn't come back until the Mets made him a reliever in 2021.
But Williams doesn't want to relieve he wants to start and a team like the Nats - who are not looking to win right now and are completely ok with letting a guy work out kinks for a couple months - is an ideal landing spot for him. If they promise he will start (barring being terrible) they can get him and they did!
I don't think this is ideal. I think having a good reliever that can go multiple innings several times a week will be crucial to team whose rotation might not have anyone average 5 innings a start next year.
BUT saying that a good pitcher pitching anywhere is helpful and one thing Williams can do being under a 2 year cheap deal. If he can pitch well as a starter he can be traded for something. Not something great - that's not how things work anymore for a journeyman starter. But something more than nothing. Something interesting as opposed to fake interesting.
The Nats also grabbed AJ Alexy from the Rangers and let DFA'd Lucius "vomited on the field" Fox. AJ Alexy strikes out a bunch of guys but is wild as anyone. That's wild in terms of throwing balls in the strike zone and wild in not just leaving meatballs down the middle. In 30 IP in the majors he's given up 5 homers and 27 in 110 IP in AAA. At 25 he's a guy you just throw out there in the minors and see if you get lucky. Fox... he's never been good so goodbye. Glad you got your cup of coffee.
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The overall vibe in the team is getting better. Last year, all we had were worn-out replacement types. This year, Rizzo has a small group of young potential studs --- and he's reaching out for players with real potential to have a makeover. Not replacement. Candelario, Williams, even Adams. Of course most will fall flat. But if one or two has a come back year (Strasberg looking at you) the team looks to be much more competitive and fun. Not just a retirement home for AAAA types.
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