Washington Nationals Given Shockingly Low Playoff Odds Despite Exciting Roster
Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Washington Nationals have taken permanent residence near the bottom of the National League East.
But their .438 winning percentage in each of the last two campaigns is the highest they've had over their last five years, signaling they are at least taking some steps forward in the rebuilding process.
However, 2025 looks like it will be another tough season when it comes to their record since the team didn’t aggressively pursue upgrades for their roster this winter.
Trevor Williams, who re-signed with the franchise on a two-year, $14 million deal, and international free agent addition Shinnosuke Ogasawara, who agreed to a two-year, $3.5 million deal, are the only players who signed for more than one season.
Designated hitter Josh Bell, starting pitcher Michael Soroka, utility man Amed Rosario and relievers Jorge Lopez, Lucas Sims and Kyle Finnegan all agreed to one-year deals with the Nationals.
Their biggest move was acquiring Nathaniel Lowe from the Texas Rangers to take over as the starting first baseman. With a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Award on his resume, he is a massive upgrade over what the team was using at the corner infield spot in 2024.
The addition of those veterans will certainly help raise the floor of the team, helping the young guys develop and learn how to succeed as Major Leaguers.
But, projections still aren’t very favorable for them heading into the regular season, with Washington still ranking near the bottom of the MLB power rankings shared by The Athletic (subscription required).
The Nationals are No. 26, ahead of only the Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox.
Their 3.5% chance of making the playoffs are the fourth-lowest in baseball; the Marlins, Rockies and White Sox are the only franchises with worse odds.
Despite that bleak outlook, there are a few things to be excited about as a Washington fan heading into the campaign.
“The club appears bound for a fourth-place finish, at best, even with the ascension of James Wood and Dylan Crews to the middle of the lineup. On the plus side, the farm system is getting better and the TV situation has finally been resolved,” wrote The Athletic.
How competitive the team is and the amount of wins will be determined by the development of their young core.
There are a lot of excellent pieces to be excited about alongside James Wood and Dylan Crews, such as CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia, MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker.
Another wave of prospects aren’t far behind with Brady House and Robert Hassell III knocking on the door of the Major Leagues.
After that, some serious pitching prospects will be following such as Jarlin Susana, Travis Sykora and Alex Clemmey.
If improvements are made in 2025, some spending could occur next winter to help propel the Nationals closer to their NL East foes, the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies, who are World Series contenders.
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