Washington Nationals Projected to Sign Intriguing Free-Agent Pitcher
There are many eyes watching the Washington Nationals this offseason. Many believe that they are ready to spend big money as they look to power their way back into contention in the National League.
Looking at the needs for the Nationals, they have a few routes they could choose to go.
Washington needs to bring in more offensive firepower. They badly need another bat or two in the middle of their lineup. In addition to that, the Nationals need a better starting pitching rotation.
With that in mind, there are plenty of players that Washington could target in both of those areas.
So far this offseason, rumors have connected the Nationals to huge names like outfielder Juan Soto and starting pitcher Corbin Burnes. Those players may end up being targets for Washington, but there are also lower tier impact free agents that they could look to bring in.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report has made an intriguing projection for the Nationals. In a new article, he has predicted that Washington will end up landing starting pitcher Nick Pivetta on a two-year, $28 million contract. The potential departures of Patrick Corbin and Trevor Williams in free agency has created some money the Nats can use to add starting pitching through free agency.
Competing for a high-level starter like Burnes or Atlanta's Max Fried is possible, Miller writes. But, a solid back-up plan is a starter like Pivetta, who could slot in behind young starter MacKenzie Gore, who at the moment projects as the top starter in next year's rotation.
Pivetta is a sleeper free agent starting pitcher. He has not received much national hype, but he would be a solid target for a team like the Nationals who are looking for starting pitching depth.
During the 2024 season with the Boston Red Sox, Pivetta ended up making 26 starts and appearing in 27 total games. He compiled a 6-12 record to go along with a 4.14 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, a 4.8 K/BB ratio, and 145.2 innings pitched.
Clearly, the 31-year-old right-hander is not a star. Pivetta would not come in and completely change the outlook for the franchise.
However, as a pitcher that could make an impact in the middle of the rotation, he could be a perfect target on a relatively team-friendly contract.
That being said, Pivetta is a name to keep an eye on as a possible player of interest for Washington.
