Washington Nationals' Newest Acquisition a Super-Utility Dream
After a slow start to the offseason, the Washington Nationals have been active of late in both free agency and the trade market.
Coming into the winter, the Nationals figured to be a team that could make a couple of significant moves. With a talented young core that is improving, the future looks bright for Washington.
However, while they have been active in filling out their roster of late, there hasn’t been a major splash in free agency or the trade market. Arguably the biggest move that they made was trading for Nathaniel Lowe from the Texas Rangers to be their new first baseman.
As the franchise continues to fill out the roster, they recently came to a reported agreement with infielder Amed Rosario to a one-year, $2 million contract.
Currently, the middle of the infield for the Nationals is going to be set on most days with CJ Abrams at shortstop and Luis Garcia Jr. at second base. However both of those players are left-handed hitters, and Rosario is a nice compliment to them being right-handed.
When thinking about potential rest days for their stars in the middle of the infield, getting them an off day against a left-hander would be ideal. Shockingly, Abrams hit nearly .300 against left-handers in 2024 in a fairly significant sample size.
However, Garcia might be where Rosario gets some additional at-bats, as he hit .259 against lefties.
The once-former top prospect of the New York Mets might never have become a star in the majors, but he has been a solid player. The 29-year-old is a lifetime .273 hitter, but he lacks power and the ability to get on base.
However, when looking at when he’s at his best, it is certainly against left-handed pitching. In his career, he has totaled a .298 batting average and .798 OPS. These are some impressive numbers against lefties, and he should certainly be in the lineup when Washington is facing a southpaw.
While the infield is more of his natural position, he has spent time as an outfielder as well. Considering Abrams hit well against lefties last season, Rosario might find himself taking the place of Garcia or James Wood more so in a platoon or subbing role.
Even though he isn’t an impact player, the 29-year-old can be a useful piece for the Nationals in 2024. With a lineup that is very left-handed dominant, having someone like Rosario with a nearly .800 OPS against southpaws will come in handy.
