Washington Nationals Listed Among Top Fits for Slugging First Baseman
While the Washington Nationals were not the worst team in terms of production from first base in 2024, they certainly were not one of the best.
They have seemingly figured out many positions over the last two years of their rebuild, including shortstop, second base, and the outfield, but first base continues to be an issue for the National League East dwellers.
Like many rebuilding teams before them, the Nationals could solve the problem, and kick open their contention window, by bringing in a key free agent this winter.
In fact, Mark Feinsand in a recent article for MLB.com listed Washington as one of the seven best fits for free agent slugging first baseman Pete Alonso.
"Juan Yepez currently tops the depth chart at the position," writes Feinsand, "but Alonso would give the Nationals a veteran bat to complement their young core."
The Nationals had three players see time at first base in 2024, Juan Yepez, Joey Meneses, and Joey Gallo.
Those three combined to hit .241/.310/.376 with 14 home runs and 74 RBI while manning the position, and their OPS of .686 ranks 22nd in all of baseball.
Alonso, however, batted .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI, and his .788 OPS would rank sixth in all of baseball while playing all 162 games.
As far as leadership for the young roster goes, that facet of Alonso's personality is highly questionable as just this last season, the slugger kept any of his other teammates who were much more deserving of the All-Star game from being the representative strictly because he wanted to play in the Home Run Derby, which he lost in the first round.
He does have tremendous durability, playing in 846 of the New York Mets' 870 games since his debut in 2019, and that tenacity and drive to play through little aches and pains that mount up over the course of a 162-game season would be huge for the young guys (looking at you CJ Abrams).
Alonso has had success at Nationals Park throughout his career, too, batting .304/.391/.619 with 15 home runs and 34 RBI across 210 plate appearances in 48 games.
Any club willing to sign the Polar Bear is going to take a massive hit defensively with him at first base, as Baseball Savant has him with -9 Outs Above Average in 2024, third percentile in MLB, and a career total of -26 Outs Above Average across six seasons.
There are many reasons why Washington should sign the veteran, and many reasons why they should not, but this close to the end of their rebuild, they certainly need to make a splash in free agency, and Alonso would add an immense amount of power to their lineup if nothing else.
