All-Star Relief Pitcher Makes Perfect Sense for Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are heading into free agency with some recently updated needs after a surprising roster move.
After a promising 2024 campaign, the Nationals are heading into the offseason looking to improve after winning 71 games in each of the last two years. While that might feel stagnant, last year highlighted a lot of the young talent in the organization.
In the infield, CJ Abrams was able to make his first All-Star team, and Luis Garcia Jr. played really well and should be the future at second base. In addition to those two talented players, the outfield featured Jacob Young, James Wood, and Dylan Crews.
With a lot of talented young players in the lineup, the future is looking bright on offense for the Nationals.
However, on the pitching side of things, there were some question marks coming into the offseason, and things only got more interesting recently. Washington recently elected to non-tender a contract for their closer Kyle Finnegan, which has resulted in him becoming a free agent.
Last year, the right-hander was named to the All-Star team and saved 38 games for the franchise. While he was outstanding in the first half of the season, he did really struggle after the All-Star break.
Due to the 33-year-old having an ERA over 5.00 in the second half, that seems like the reason why the Nationals decided to let him walk for nothing.
However, now Washington will need to find a new closer, and there isn’t an in-house option that stands out currently. With that being the case, the Nationals are likely to have to trade for or sign a new closer.
One option in free agency that makes a lot of sense for Washington is from within their own division in Jeff Hoffman.
Hoffman was an All-Star for the Philadelphia Phillies last season, as he was utilized as a closer and a setup man in the bullpen. While the Phillies certainly have a need in their bullpen and could want to keep him, he was part of a bullpen that fell apart in the postseason.
For the Nationals, bringing in a player like Hoffman would be a solid replacement for Finnegan. The right-hander totaled a 2.17 ERA last year, as he was solid throughout the campaign.
There will be a lot of options to look out at now that they need a closer, but Hoffman should be near the top of the list for Washington.
