Washington Nationals Named Potential Landing Spot for All-Star Slugger
The Washington Nationals are heading into the offseason with a need to improve after another 71-win season.
It has been a tough few years for the Nationals, as they have racked up a lot of losses since winning the World Series in 2019. However, the franchise has stockpiled a plethora of young talent that has finally started to make an impact in the big leagues.
In 2024, players like infielder CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. took nice steps forward in their careers, while top prospects James Wood and Dylan Crews were called up to the big leagues. While the lineup has a lot of talent, it is certainly a lineup that could use some help in the power department.
Washington was one of the worst teams in the league last season in terms of hitting home runs, and while their ability to run the bases is good, you have to be able to hit for power in the league these days.
As the franchise heads into free agency, that should be a priority for them. Recently, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report spoke about the Nationals as a great landing spot for Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander.
“There's at least one good reason for the Nationals to be interested in Santander, and it has to do with the number 135. That's how many home runs they hit this season. It was pitiful. So pitiful, in fact, that Santander's Orioles were one of two teams that cleared that total by 100.”
Santander is one of the best power hitters available in free agency this winter, as the slugger hit 44 home runs in 2024. The 30-year-old has become a solid run producer in the last few seasons, as he has totaled at least 25 home runs and 85 RBIs in each of the last three seasons.
As the young core continues to develop for Washington, adding a slugger like Santander into the middle of the lineup would be a massive boost.
While the outfield is likely set with Crews, Wood, and Jacob Young, Santander has played some first base and could always be the designated hitter a majority of the time. For someone with that type of power and the ability to man the middle of the order, finding a way to get him in the lineup won’t be a challenge.
The Nationals certainly should have some money to spend this offseason, and the 30-year-old will likely be asking for a contract around $100 million, which isn’t too crazy considering his offensive production.
