Washington Nationals Again Linked to AL East Slugger in MLB Free Agency
The Washington Nationals are a sleeper team when it comes to quite a few free agents this offseason. Many believe that they want to bring in a big piece or two and they have the money to do it.
While they have major interest in a splash move, they are a sleeper contender for many players because they can't offer immediate contention. It will be a process for the Nationals to build back to being a World Series contender, but with the right moves they could very well do that within the next couple of years.
One of Washington's biggest needs this offseason is to bring in a big bat or two. The team needs to add more power in its lineup and overall production as well.
When it comes to a power bat, there are quite a few options available. An intriguing name to keep an eye on is Baltimore Orioles' slugger Anthony Santander.
Zach Pressnell of Newsweek has again linked the Nationals to Santander.
"The interest around him will continue to grow. There are more teams that can afford Santander than some of the bigger talents on the market. For that reason, teams like the Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Washington Nationals, and other small-market teams should be considered potential landing spots."
Santander is going to have a long list of teams interested in him. He will have his pick of where he'd like to play the next chapter of his MLB career.
During the 2024 season with the Orioles, Santander ended up playing in 155 games. In those appearances, he hit 44 home runs to go along with 102 RBI. He slashed .235/.308/.506.
Obviously, Santander is a home run hitter. He's not going to come in and be an elite bat in every aspect. But, if Washington wants to add pop, Santander is the right kind of target.
At 30 years old, Santander should still have quite a few years left playing at a very high level. He would also bring in some veteran leadership for a young Nationals team.
All of that being said, this is a potential situation to monitor. Washington pursuing Santander seems like something that could very well end up happening.
Expect to see the Nationals look to get aggressive. They would like to get back in contention in the National League, but they'll need to put in a lot of work in order to make that happen.
