The Nationals are wrapping up a fifth straight dropping season. They jumped the Marlins to get out of final place for the primary time since their 2019 World Sequence, however there’s nonetheless loads of work to be accomplished to tug out of the rebuild.
Longtime normal supervisor and baseball operations president Mike Rizzo chatted with MLB.com’s Invoice Ladson this week. In response to a query about pursuing first base assist in the offseason, the GM indicated he’d take a wider method to buying offensive influence.
“I wouldn’t keyhole us at first base,” Rizzo instructed Ladson. “We want some offense. We want a few bats that may hit in the course of the lineup and take the onus off a few of these good younger core gamers and help them within the run creation of our offense. We’ve got the core gamers to be middle-of-the-lineup hitters. If we add a bat or two into that group, it takes a bit little bit of stress off everyone and everyone can chill out a bit bit extra and become the gamers we expect they will be.”
Rizzo predictably didn’t establish particular targets, however mentioning a middle-of-the-order bat naturally results in hypothesis concerning the market’s prime free agent. Final week, MLBTR’s Steve Adams explored the notion of Washington making a run at bringing again Juan Soto. There’s sufficient long-term payroll flexibility to make {that a} chance, albeit a protracted shot. Having future payroll area doesn’t essentially imply possession desires to dole out a contract that would method or prime $600MM. Soto will even definitely have affords from groups which can be clearer contenders within the quick time period.
Soto is the crown jewel of the category however not the one participant who’d qualify as a middle-of-the-order bat. Pete Alonso is one house run away from attending to 35 in all 5 full seasons of his MLB profession. Anthony Santander hits the market with a career-best 41 homers and counting. Teoscar Hernández might be going to get to 30 longballs amidst a resurgent .267/.334/.487 exhibiting with the Dodgers.
Christian Walker is hitting .258/.342/.484 to go together with Gold Glove protection at first base. Tyler O’Neill has drilled 31 house runs for the Crimson Sox whereas obliterating left-handed pitching at a .315/.432/.756 clip. Alex Bregman is extra of a well-rounded star than a real masher, however he’s definitely a ok hitter to land in the course of a lineup. Jurickson Profar has had a improbable 12 months in San Diego, whereas major DH choices J.D. Martinez, Joc Pederson and Justin Turner will probably be again in the marketplace. There are fewer apparent commerce candidates, however gamers like Jorge Soler, Brandon Lowe and Yandy Díaz may very well be obtainable.
[Related: Previewing The 2024-25 Free Agent Class, First Base]
Whereas Rizzo steered they’ll solid a wider internet than trying particularly at first base, that’s certainly a place of weak spot. Washington first basemen have hit .240/.310/.378 this season, touchdown within the backside third of MLB in all three slash stats. Issues have been even bleaker at designated hitter, the place the Nats are hitting .198/.268/.332. Solely the Reds and Rangers have gotten much less manufacturing out of the bat-only place.
Juan Yepez has hit nicely in a restricted position, however he received’t stand in the best way of an influence acquisition. Joey Gallo is headed to free company and appears unlikely to be retained. Neither Andrés Chaparro nor Joey Meneses is a lock to carry a 40-man roster spot all offseason. The Nats might accommodate each a full-time DH and a primary baseman.
They’re in a greater spot elsewhere on the diamond. Dylan Crews and James Wooden are flanking Gold Glove-caliber heart fielder Jacob Younger. Washington might definitely add an outfielder like Santander or O’Neill and rotate them by way of designated hitter whereas nudging Younger into extra of a fourth outfield position, however heart subject is not an enormous weak spot. Washington is unlikely to seek out an influence bat behind the plate, the place they’re dedicated to Keibert Ruiz for the foreseeable future. The center infield duo of CJ Abrams and Luis García is questionable defensively, however they’re each good hitters. José Tena looks as if an enough third base stopgap till the arrival of prospect Brady Home. Bregman is the one marquee third baseman within the upcoming class.
The Patrick Corbin contract comes off the books this winter, giving the Nationals extra monetary room than they’ve had shortly. RosterResource calculates their 2025 commitments round $40MM. Their arbitration class — led by Kyle Finnegan, García and first-year salaries for Josiah Grey, MacKenzie Gore and Abrams — is manageable. There’ll be loads of respiration room earlier than reaching this 12 months’s approximate $125MM season-opening payroll. It’s attainable possession is prepared to push spending greater than that to exit the rebuild. The Nats might want to add not less than one established beginning pitcher and look to deepen the bullpen, so there’s rather a lot for the entrance workplace to weigh, however this ought to be their most fascinating offseason in fairly a while.
