Washington Needs to Consider These Top-5 Free Agents Who Rake at Nationals Park
The Washington Nationals are entering a pivotal offseason for their current rebuild.
After missing the postseason for the fifth straight season since winning the World Series in 2019, the Nationals are in a prime position to break the drought in 2025. With some of the top prospects in the organization finally ready to contribute to the Major League club, Washington’s front office must not let the current window they are about to enter go to waste.
The first step will be to improve the team's roster with solid position players to complement the young core that they have developed. The Nationals will look to spend this winter as they move out of the rebuilding stages of their organization. However, not all free agents are the same.
Of the 76 pending unrestricted free agents this offseason, only a handful have found constant success when competing at Nationals Park.
Here are the top players looking for a new team this winter that have performed the best in Washington, D.C., regardless of position or team need.
Highest OPS: Teoscar Hernandez
The 32-year-old outfielder has crushed it in his limited visits to Nationals Park. Although he has only played nine games in the nation's capital, he’s made the most of his time at the plate. Hernandez has seven home runs across 37 at-bats. His nine extra-base hits have helped him reach an impressive 1.388 OPS while facing the Nats in Washington.
Hernandez revived his career in 2024 after signing a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named to his first All-Star game since 2021 and made Dodgers history when he won the 2024 T-Mobile Home Run Derby this summer. He also set a career-high this year with 33 homers, a number that would be even higher (36) if he had played all his games at Nationals Park, per Baseball Savant.
Although the Nationals have plenty of young talent prepared to patrol the outfield in 2025, adding Hernandez as a fourth option and primary designated hitter would instantly improve the team’s lineup. Mike Rizzo, the organization’s general manager, mentioned as the season came to an end that, one of the primary focuses this offseason will be adding middle-of-the-order bats.
Best Batting Average: Mark Canha
Another veteran outfielder, Mark Canha, has found success when playing in Washington. Across the 15 games played against the Nationals in D.C, the 35-year-old recorded a .379 batting average after going 22 for 58 at the plate. He also only collected a 14% strikeout rate while at the plate at Nationals Park, immensely lower than the league-wide average of 22 percent.
Canha found himself traded for the second straight season in 2024 after he was moved to the San Francisco Giants from the Detroit Tigers at the MLB Trade Deadline. He finished the year hitting .242/.344/.346 with seven homers and 42 RBI.
Although his numbers were close to the league average in 2024 (99 OPS+), there could still be a potential match for the aging bat with the Nationals. Much like Hernandez, Canha could serve as a designated hitter and an option to use in the outfield when needed. However, Canha could also play first base, something that Washington absolutely needs to improve upon heading into 2025. He played 50 games in the corner infield spot this past season.
Most Home Runs - Juan Soto
Many will not need to be reminded just how good Juan Soto was as a member of the Washington Nationals. Over his five seasons with the club, the star outfielder was the new face of the franchise. After finishing second in the NL Rookie of the Year race in 2018, Soto was a crucial piece to help the Nationals win their first World Series for the organization in 2019. Before being traded to the San Diego Padres, Soto recorded 119 home runs with the club, with 50 of them coming at Nationals Park.
It has been another fantastic season for Soto in 2024. The superstar was traded to the New York Yankees this past offseason and was named to his four All-Star games after another great year at the plate. He set a career-high of 41 homers with the Bronx Bombers this season and has helped them return to the ALCS for the first time since 2022. Like Hernandez, Soto’s numbers with the long ball would be higher (47) if all his plate appearances were to be at Nationals Park—another sign that his game plays well in D.C.
Could a reunion be in the books for the Nationals? The main reason the trade occurred in the first place in 2022 was due to the uncertainty on the future ownership of the ballclub. Now that Principal owner Mark Lerner has changed his tune on selling the team, a return could be possible. The Nationals front office will have to jump into a bidding war if they intend to be in the mix for Soto this offseason, as he is projected to receive a 14-year, $513 million contract this winter, according to Spotrac.
Best of the Rest: Yuli Gurriel
Another veteran who can play the corner infield spots has found success, albeit in a small sample size at Nationals Park. Gurriel has collected a .364/.432/.636 across 11 games in his nine-year MLB career. He also hit two home runs and recorded five extra-base hits across that span.
Gurriel did not appear in the majors in 2024 until the end of the year after an injury to Kansas City Royals Vinnie Pasquantino. The Royals traded for the former Houston Astros Gold Glove winner. He was acquired from the Atlanta Braves who had him stashed in Triple-A. In the 18 games on the year, he helped the Royals secure a spot in the American League Wildcard by hitting .241/.338/.296 with three extra-base hits.
Assuming he is looking to play in 2025, the 40-year-old Gurriel could be a potential piece for the Nationals to bring in to compete for the first base job in 2025. Over his career, he has hit well against both left and right-handed pitching. His .782 OPS vs. LHP and .756 vs. RHP could make him a valuable asset off the bench as well.
Best of the Rest: Carson Kelly
Like Gurriel, Kelly has seen success at the plate when he has played in the District of Columbia, but the sample size isn’t huge. In the 12 games, the 30-year-old catcher has hit .313/.410/.625 with three home runs.
The former second-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft found himself on multiple teams this season after being moved at the MLB Trade Deadline. The Texas Rangers acquired him from the Tigers in exchange for two minor-league prospects. Over the year, the Chicago native hit a .687 OPS across 91 games.
With the Nationals needing to improve their catching depth on the roster, including a potential replacement for backup Riley Adams, adding a veteran like Kelly would be a great asset for the club. The Nationals young pitching rotation could use a veteran backstop who has played for multiple teams across his career.
