What Is Biggest Weakness for Washington Nationals Heading Into Offseason?
The Washington Nationals are heading into an important offseason, in which they will be trying to make some improvements and get this team to the 80-win mark.
In 2024, the Nationals missed the playoffs once again, as the franchise continues their rebuild. While they might not have had the success they wanted this year, the franchise did see a lot of their young get called up and perform well.
The development of players like CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia Jr., James Woods, and Jacob Young indicate that the future could be bright in Washington. However, as young players, they will likely still have some growing pains from time to time.
This offseason, if the Nationals are truly looking to compete soon, they will need to add some veteran help to their young core of talent, whether that be in the starting rotation, lineup, or both.
Recently, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report spoke about the biggest weakness for the Nationals heading into the offseason, and highlighted their need for some veteran leadership.
“There's a lot of young talent to be excited about in D.C., namely James Wood, Dylan Crews, CJ Abrams, Luis García Jr. and Jacob Young. President of baseball operations Mike Rizzo declared at the end of the season that "some veteran leadership is warranted," suggesting the Nats could give a multiyear deal in free agency. Alonso, Walker, Hernández and Paul Goldschmidt could all be worth considering in free agency as Washington tries to return to contention.”
Adding a couple of veterans could really help jumpstart the next step in the rebuilding of Washington, as with that being a need, they do have a fairly clear idea of where they could use some help.
In the starting rotation, adding a front end starter would be a big help, as the young arms continue to develop. With Brady House likely being the future at third base, addressing the other corner infield spot seems like the most likely place where a veteran could be added to the lineup.
There are a few good first basemen who will be available in free agency depending on how much the Nationals are willing to spend. If they want to add a star, Pete Alonso of the New York Mets is the best available.
Even though Washington only won 71 games in 2024, there is a clear path forward to success for the franchise, as adding some veteran help in the right places could push them toward competing for a playoff spot in 2025.
