Should Washington Nationals Pursue Detroit Tigers First Baseman?
The Washington Nationals are heading into the offseason with a few key areas that they will be looking to upgrade.
After winning 71 games this past season, the Nationals are going to be focused on trying to improve in the win column this coming year. Luckily, there is a lot of young talent that is just getting better and better, as 2025 has the potential to be a great year in Washington.
As the organization evaluates where they can make significant improvements, a few key areas pop out. One of those areas is at first base, with that player being a middle of the order caliber hitter.
The Nationals do have the contract of Patrick Corbin coming off the books this winter, as that will be over $20 million they can allocate to other areas. While a majority of that money could go back into the rotation to try and sign a front-end starter, it could also be used to make a splash for their lineup.
There are a couple of big free agents that Washington might pursue at the position, as Pete Alonso and Christian Walker highlight potential options at first base. However, the Nationals could also look to the trade market to upgrade the position instead.
One player who could be an intriguing option is Detroit Tigers first baseman, Spencer Torkelson.
The Tigers are also looking to make some upgrades this offseason, as they are a team that wants to prove that 2024 was no fluke. However, they have similar needs to Washington, with a need for a middle of the order hitter and that player preferably being able to play first base.
Since Detroit is a contender already, they are more likely to be aggressive about improving at the position than the Nationals. If that is the case and the Tigers go after a player like Alonso, that would obviously make Torkelson available to be traded for.
While Torkelson had a down season in 2024, which included missing a lot of time with injury, he was a 30+ home run hitter in 2023, as there is some potential there.
For the Nationals, if they aren’t quite ready or willing to make a big splash at the position, a player like Torkelson would provide them with a better option than they currently have with a higher upside.
It will be interesting to see how the winter develops for both teams, but the young slugger could be an interesting option for Washington.
