Scherzer’s first two Nationals years are exceptional

WASHINGTON — When the Nationals shocked the baseball world by signing Max Scherzer two offseasons ago, they did so without an obvious need for starting pitching, aiming to fortify their rotation with an ace for years to come.

And after the first two seasons of that seven-year, $210 million contract — the biggest in team history — the Nationals could not have asked for more.

Scherzer has put together perhaps the two best seasons ever by a Nats pitcher; he posted 7.1 wins above replacement in 2015 and 6.2 in 2016, according to Baseball-Reference, the two highest totals for any Nationals pitcher (2005-present). During the past two seasons, he has gone 34-19 with a 2.88 ERA, and only the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw has posted a higher pitchers’ WAR, more strikeouts per nine innings and a lower WHIP.

Scherzer has started on Opening Day for the Nationals for two consecutive seasons. He’s taken a no-hitter into the sixth inning in nine of his 67 career starts with Washington, or 13.4 percent of the time, and completed two of …

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