Former MVP First Baseman Would Be Good Fit For Washington Nationals
With the 2024 campaign finished for the Washington Nationals, the winter will be about trying to help take the franchise to the next level.
This season, there was a lot to like about the direction of the Nationals, as they had a lot of their young players take a nice step forward in their development.
In the infield, there are two very promising young players in C.J. Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. The middle infield for Washington looks like it should be set for years to come, as Abrams made the All-Star team in 2024, and Garcia easily could have as well.
While those two were very good, production from other infield spots was a bit of an issue. One position that certainly could use some upgrading was first base. This season, the first base position was a bit of a revolving door, as Joey Gallo, Joey Meneses, Juan Yepez, and Andres Chaparro all started at least 10 games at first base.
The struggles to find an everyday first baseman should result in the Nationals pursuing a player at the position this offseason quite aggressively. With some big contracts coming off the books like Patrick Corbin, Washington might look to make a big splash in free agency.
However, if the Nationals are looking for some veteran leadership that might not cost a ton at first base, Paul Goldschmidt could be an excellent option.
The former MVP has had a great career with the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals, but at 36 years old, he will be hitting free agency.
Goldschmidt is shockingly just two seasons removed from when he won the MVP in 2022. However, in the last two seasons, he has taken a step back. Father time might be coming for Goldschmidt, but he could be a good option for a Washington team that really lacked production at the position.
In 2024, Goldschmidt totaled a .245 batting average, 22 home runs, and 65 RBIs. While those numbers are far from his MVP season, they were still better than what the Nationals received at the position.
Spotrac recently projected that Goldschmidt’s next contract would be for one-year worth $11 million, which could be appealing for Washington. If the organization is looking to add veterans at a few different spots, friendly deals like that could be beneficial.
With a lot of time between now and free agency, it will be interesting to monitor what the plan is for the Nationals. However, a player like Goldschmidt would be a good fit.
