Writer Wrongly Says Nationals Will Regret Slow-Play Strategy This Offseason
Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Washington Nationals have been mired in a rebuild that has involved a lot of losing on the field.
They finished in last place in the National League East four years in a row before moving up into fourth place in 2024. The 71 victories they had in each of the last two campaigns are the most in a single season since their championship.
It is hard to believe how much talent the franchise has seen move on in free agency or traded away over the last five years, but a strong foundation is being built again with the light at the end of the tunnel drawing near.
Which, in part, is why Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report believes Washington’s biggest regret from this offseason will be not looking to make a more aggressive splash in free agency.
Trevor Williams, who re-signed with the franchise agreeing to a two-year, $14 million deal, and Shinnosuke Ogasawara, an international free agent who agreed to a two-year, $3.5 million deal, were the only players to land multi-year pacts with the team.
Designated hitter Josh Bell, utilityman Amed Rosario, starting pitcher Michael Soroka and relief pitchers Jorge Lopez, Lucas Sims and Kyle Finnegan all signed one-year deals.
Nathaniel Lowe, who is under team control for two more seasons, was acquired in a trade with the Texas Rangers to shore up first base.
“There are reasons why it may have made sense for Washington to wait one more year before re-emerging as a major spender. But with Patrick Corbin's money now off the books and the Opening Day lineup likely to include James Wood, CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews and Luis García Jr., it would have been nice to see the Nationals add a major veteran to signal their rebuild is over,” Kelly wrote.
There were several players available that would have helped Washington in 2025 and beyond that were available in free agency this winter.
With needs at the corner infield spots, signing first baseman Pete Alonso away from the New York Mets or getting involved in the Alex Bregman sweepstakes would have made some sense.
However, it is easy to see why the front office and ownership would be hesitant to commit long-term money to players already at least 30 years of age with the current situation they are facing.
For starers, seeing what their young players are made of and determining who is a legitimate part of their core moving forward is important to figure out. If veterans are signed, it pushes the youngster down the depth chart further, limiting their opportunities.
Adding an Alonso or Bregman to the lineup would have certainly raised the team’s floor and ceiling. But a sizable gap would have still existed between the Nationals and their NL East rivals, three of whom are legitimate World Series contenders.
It would have taken more than one splash acquisition to get closer to those teams.
Waiting one more year was the right decision.
If the young players continue their development, Washington becomes that much more attractive of a landing spot for an established veteran knowing they could be the missing piece to truly push them out of the rebuild.
The stop gap additions are more than enough to help push the team toward a win total in the high-70s, which would be a much-needed step in the right direction.
