RSS Nationals Team Notes

[Washington Nationals]

The Nationals Are Actively Exploring The Catching Trade Market, But Do They Have The Firepower To Make A Move?

The GM meetings are underway in Las Vegas currently, and teams are making and taking calls on all sorts of players and positions of need. In the Nationals case, they have been looking to add to the organization’s catching depth, according to Jim Bowden, and are actively making calls about it, along with the Rays, Padres, Astros, Brewers, and Rangers.

According to Bowden, there are 4 teams receiving the most calls and texts from catching needy teams. The first is the Orioles about their star backstop Adley Rutschman, whose numbers have dipped in the past 2 seasons after being one of the best catchers in his first 2 seasons. The Mariners are receiving a healthy amount of calls about their top catching prospect, Harry Ford, who is blocked by Cal Raleigh in their system.

The White Sox are receiving calls about their rookie catcher Edgar Quero, who split reps and was largely outperformed by Kyle Teel, their other highly touted catching prospect, this season. The fourth team receiving calls about catching is the Royals about top catching prospect Blake Mitchell, who is blocked by Carter Jansen in their system.

One of the choices I was interested to see Toboni make was how he would approach the Nationals catching situation, either sticking with Ruiz as the starter or exploring external options, and it seems the latter is his choice, at least looking to find an option to take the reins in the next few years. While rumors are just that, rumors, and nothing may come of these phone calls, it’s exciting to see the front office getting active early in the offseason to improve the ballclub.

The big question on my mind, and I’m getting on many fans’ minds as well, is whether the Nationals really have the prospect firepower to make a trade like this? All 4 catchers mentioned by Jim Bowden as potentially being on the move are either established big leaguers or top prospects, meaning any of them would require more than just farm system depth pieces to acquire.

Let’s take Harry Ford of the Mariners, for example. While he is blocked at his natural position by Cal Raleigh, thus making him a likely trade chip, he is also a consensus top 100, perhaps even top 50, prospect in the sport, and the Mariners likely want big league assets in return, not other prospects. If that’s the case, CJ Abrams comes to mind, as there have been rumors about the Nats potentially moving the shortstop this offseason, and the Mariners have holes at both positions up the middle.

Another name worth considering, however, is Brady House, as he was a similarly ranked prospect as Ford before his graduation and plays a position of need for the Mariners currently. House’s value likely falls a little short of Ford’s, but prospect depth could be used to finish off that deal, whereas it wouldn’t be possible without a real big league headliner in the deal.

The cheapest option of the 4 would be Edgar Quero of the White Sox, who was a backend top 100 prospect before graduation, posted -0.2 fWAR in 111 games in his rookie season, and is blocked long-term at catcher by Kyle Teel with the White Sox. The White Sox are also in the midst of a rebuild and would not be as hard-pressed for big league assets in return, meaning Abrams is likely safe in this scenario.

Brady House comes to mind again in this proposal; however, this could much more likely be a 1-for-1 trade than with Ford. Ideally, the Nats can dip into some of their shortstop depth for a deal like this, as there isn’t a real long-term solution behind House if he were to be dealt.

Overall, I am excited to see Paul Toboni and his staff already getting to work on fixing the holes in the big league ballclub, as well as building to the overall depth of the organization. While the 4 catchers mentioned above are certainly potential candidates to catch for the Nationals next season, keep an open mind as more options may become available on the trade market, and perhaps Toboni may even decide to go the free agent or internal route.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...trade-market-do-they-have-firepower-make-move

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals should not trade CJ Abrams, at least not yet

In the last couple of days, there has been some buzz about a potential CJ Abrams trade. It has not been as loud as the smoke around MacKenzie Gore, but it is out there. Yesterday, MLB Trade Rumors put out a story on finding a match for an Abrams trade, and it got people talking.

Looking For A Match In A CJ Abrams Trade https://t.co/DqpDuKAwN2 pic.twitter.com/nBn0iIBZEA

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) November 13, 2025

With the Nationals likely to reboot their rebuild, it makes sense that Abrams name is out there. At 25 years old, with three years of team control, he would certainly be an attractive trade piece. However, he is also a valuable piece for the Nats. I think the Nats should be trying to extend him rather than move him.

Unlike Gore, Abrams is not represented by Scott Boras, making an extension more feasible. While Abrams is a flawed player, he is a quality starter with room to grow. The Nationals need to be in the business of keeping quality players around if they can. With Abrams, I think you can keep him around.

However, this trade smoke was not just made up by MLB Trade Rumors. Late last month, Jeff Passan reported that teams have been calling about both Gore and Abrams. While Gore is the more likely of the two to be moved, an Abrams trade is certainly not impossible.

According to Jeff Passan, MLB teams are discussing inquiring about MacKenzie Gore and shortstop CJ Abrams pic.twitter.com/8Tjx0AVCh6

— Kev (@klwoodjr) October 30, 2025

If Paul Toboni truly wants to rebuild the rebuild, it would be something to consider. Abrams is a strange player. He put up over 3 WAR last season, but has some major flaws. Abrams is a bad defensive shortstop, who will probably move off the position at some point. A team trading for him will likely see him as a second baseman or even an outfielder.

Abrams is also a very streaky player. In each of the last two seasons, Abrams has been an All-Star caliber player in the first half before falling off dramatically in the second half. This has been an issue that has plagued a number of Nats players, so I blame a lot of those issues on the coaching staff and the losing culture.

If I were Paul Toboni, I would want to keep Abrams around and try to unlock his potential. Toboni has said on a number of occasions that the Nats young players have another gear to hit. Abrams is one of those guys and I want to see him hit that next gear. If we can see first half CJ for a full season, that is a super exciting player.

Abrams has the talent to be a 25 home run, 40 stolen base guy, while posting an OPS over .800. We have seen him be that guy for long stretches, it is all about consistency. Unlike Gore, there is no reason to rush trading him. With three years of control, his value will not depreciate a whole lot over the next year. There is also not the same injury risk with a position player.

Paul Toboni should be actively talking to Abrams agents though. A 7 or 8 year offer paying him about $125 million would be fair for both sides in my opinion. Abrams can easily grow into that deal with his bat and his speed. It is big money, but not a mega-deal compared to other extensions.

However, we keep seeing reports about Abrams potentially being on the trade market. In an article Yesterday, Spencer Nusbaum of the Washington Post hinted at a potential Abrams move as well. Paul Toboni is not tied to Abrams the same way the old regime was, so it is possible.

From Vegas: What we know (and what Nationals POBO Paul Toboni said) about MacKenzie Gore, the pace of the offseason, payroll and extension conversations:https://t.co/LEvfEl5Jpx

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) November 12, 2025

I would not trade Abrams though, at least not this offseason. He should be a player that Paul Toboni tries to develop and help hit another gear. However, if the Nats get off to a slow start and Abrams stagnates, it could be time to reassess matters. Abrams has become one of the faces of the team, so losing him would be a gut punch.

It would be understandable though. If he made that move, Paul Toboni would clearly be telling the world that the old rebuild was truly a failure. Trying to make it work with Abrams would be my preference, but after the way 2025 went down, I am open to anything.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/nat...gton-nationals-should-not-trade-cj-abrams-yet

 

[Washington Nationals]

How will the Washington Nationals overhaul their bullpen?

The Nationals had a lot of weaknesses in 2025, but none were worse than the bullpen. They had the worst bullpen ERA in baseball at 5.59, and it was not even close. There were actually a couple of points where the unit looked alright, but as a whole, it was a dumpster fire. Major changes will be needed to make this even an average bullpen.

So how will Paul Toboni rebuild this bullpen? We are going to find out soon, but let’s start with some guys who will likely return. For my money, Jose A. Ferrer, Clayton Beeter, Cole Henry and PJ Poulin are likely to be back in the Nats bullpen. Beyond that, there are a ton of open spots and uncertainty. Brad Lord will be in the bullpen if he is not in the rotation as well.

However, those are the only guys who really proved themselves in 2025. Among those guys, Ferrer is the crown jewel. Despite a 4.48 ERA, Ferrer has high end stuff and got unlucky. With better infield defense around him, the ground ball heavy lefty could see his ERA nose dive.

“There’s no doubt he figures into the 2026 relief picture.”

Jose A. Ferrer will enter 2026 aiming to build on his late-inning success and prove he can handle the closer role full time. https://t.co/qTeH2tfHOl pic.twitter.com/xP6hgHnLJH

— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) October 27, 2025

Even with those guys, the Nats need a lot of new arms. Before getting into a couple free agents, I wanted to take a look at a lesser discussed avenue for talent in the Rule 5 draft. Every year, there are productive relief pitchers exposed to the draft, but the Nats have been unable to find them. Evan Reifert and Thad Ward were misses over the past couple of years.

However, the Red Sox have found some gems in the Rule 5 draft the past few years while Toboni was with them. Justin Slaten and Garrett Whitlock are two productive relief arms the Red Sox have found in the Rule 5 draft. Here is a list of names that will need to be protected for this year’s Rule 5 draft.

With that out of the way, let’s get to the fun part, exploring free agency. We have talked about a few names already, and submariner Tyler Rogers is a name I keep coming back to. However, there are a couple more names that have recently hit the free agent market that intrigue me.

The first one is Pete Fairbanks of the Rays. The frugal Rays declined Fairbanks’ $11 million team option despite his strong results. He has been the Rays closer for a few years now and he has been one of the better ones in the sport. Last season, Fairbanks saved 27 games while posting a sub-3 ERA.

2: Pete Fairbanks, RP
Projected Contract – 2 years, $16M

Early word is that the Cubs will not be involved in top free agent relievers.

Fairbanks won’t require top of the line money, even after coming off of a great season in Tampa Bay. pic.twitter.com/pBXo7dlS5B

— The Wrigley Wire (@TheWrigleyWire) November 14, 2025

He is your typical flame throwing closer. His fastball averages over 97 MPH and he pairs that with a wipeout slider. Over the past couple of years, he has become more of a pitch to contact guy, but he has still gotten good results.

His slider is one of the best pitches in the sport. Over the last three seasons, batters have hit .178, .158 and .173 against Fairbanks’ slider. Talk about an elite pitch. If he came to DC, Fairbanks would immediately become the closer. He also would not cost a fortune. My guess is that he would sign a 2 or 3 year deal around $10 million per year.

The next guy I want to talk about is much more under the radar. After struggling for a few years in Colorado, Tyler Kinley immediately became a much better pitcher after escaping Coors Field. Kinley posted a 0.72 ERA in 24 appearances with the Braves after a midseason trade.

RHP Tyler Kinley became a free agent yesterday and he is someone the Cubs should look at.

2025: 72.2 IP | 3.96 ERA | 1.18 WHIP | 73 K

Metrics suggest he pitched better than the numbers show (49 games with the Rockies defense).

Spotrac Market Value: $2.8M pic.twitter.com/ijmM3xEQSh

— The Wrigley Wire (@TheWrigleyWire) November 7, 2025

Kinley’s success after leaving Colorado makes a ton of sense. His primary pitch is his slider, which was neutered by the Denver altitude. He threw the slider 64% of the time in 2025. Once he got to Atlanta, he threw the pitch over 70% of the time.

Despite the success, the Braves did not pick up his $5.5 million team option, making him a free agent. At 34, Kinley will probably get a cheap one-year deal, which I think the Nats should be all over. It would be a much better bet than the likes of Lucas Sims and Jorge Lopez.

We saw the Braves take a struggling spin heavy pitcher out of Coors and make him a productive reliever for multiple seasons. Ironically, Pierce Johnson, who I was referring to, is also a free agent. Johnson posted a 2.91 ERA in 147 outings for the Braves. Kinley is another Coors refugee who I think could have a nice career revival.

There are plenty of relief names on the market. We broke down a few other options a couple weeks ago. There is no shortage of choices, but Paul Toboni needs to get it right. We saw what happens when you pick the wrong free agent relievers last season. It can derail a season very quickly.

Mike Rizzo was good at building bullpens midseason, but he often had to clean up his own mess. Hopefully Paul Toboni can nail these additions in the offseason. There are a few solid bullpen arms in house already. With a few shrewd pickups, the Nats bullpen can be respectable again in 2026.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87419/how-will-washington-nationals-overhaul-bullpen

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals bring back old farmhand in first of many Minor League signings

The Washington Nationals have made their first free agent signing of the offseason, bringing in Eddy Yean on a Minor League deal. It is far from a big splash, but it interests me for a couple of reasons. For one, Yean has an interesting back story and history with the organization. Also, this should be the first of a flurry of Minor League deals.

The Washington Nationals signed Dominican right-hander Eddy Yean to a minor league contract, per sources.

Yean, 24, spent all of 2025 with Triple-A Indianapolis in the Pirates system, posting a 3.06 ERA over 70.2 innings.

Represented by The MAS+ Agency.

— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) November 15, 2025

Yean has a big arm, and that is probably why Paul Toboni wanted to sign him. In AAA last year, Yean averaged 97 MPH on both his 4-seamer and his sinker. At just 24 years old, he could potentially develop into an MLB bullpen piece. Despite posting a 3.06 ERA, Yean’s strikeout and walk numbers were both poor, which is probably why the Pirates let him walk.

While he has a big fastball, he is better at getting ground balls than strikeouts. He struck out less than 7 hitters per 9 innings last season. However, he did have an elite GB rate at 55%. Yean is likely just needed Triple-A depth, but with his big arm, he may get a look at the MLB at some point.

Interestingly, this is not Yean’s first stint in the Nats organization. He was signed by the Nats out of the Dominican Republic back in 2017. Yean was actually pretty highly regarded at one point. He was part of the Josh Bell trade back in 2020. Yean was the 6th ranked prospect in a weak Nationals system.

A #Nats minor league move signing Eddy Yean. Originally a Nationals minor leaguer and traded for Josh Bell in 2020. https://t.co/QgePs49tZn

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) November 15, 2025

His time in the Pirates system was up and down, with Yean never fulfilling his promise. However, he is still only 24, so there is time and arm talent. We should see a lot of these types of signings over the next couple of months though. Hopefully a couple of these guys can become MLB contributors.

The Nationals let 34 Minor Leaguers become free agents. That is the most of any team in baseball. With that in mind, Paul Toboni is going to be looking for replacements on the far. The Nats depth in AAA has been a problem for years now. With this mass exodus, Toboni is shaking things up.

1. Per @BaseballAmerica, the Nats had the most minor leaguers elect free agency (34) of any org, so additions should be otw
3. A few pitchers surprised me. Most notable departure, tho: OF Nick Schnell. Good find, dev. May have better chance as an OF elsewhere. Could sign him back https://t.co/U8G3Ui2w1O

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) November 7, 2025

That is why I suspect we will see a lot of Minor League deals. The Nats need to reload their system. After all, the Rochester Red Wings still have games to play. It is very important to have guys ready to go in AAA, especially on the pitching side.

Pitchers are very volatile, due to both injuries and fluctuations in year to year performance. The Nats saw the consequences of that this past season. All of the Nats free agent relievers flamed out this season. However, they were given plenty of leash because there were no capable replacements.

Last season, the Triple-A pitching staff was a disaster. That is why Lucas Sims and Colin Poche got a month of leeway. There was nobody knocking on the door to replace them. That is also why Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker lasted the whole season. Nobody on the farm was showing enough to start, even though Parker and Irvin had disastrous seasons.

One of the big jobs Paul Toboni has is to build depth. In the future, I hope there are players waiting in the wings when guys are struggling. That kind of competitive culture brings out the best in everyone. It is also good for the organization. Eddy Yean is the first of many Minor League signings, and hopefully they can provide quality depth.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...ack-farmhand-first-many-minor-league-signings

 

[Washington Nationals]

What Washington Nationals fans hope to hear from Blake Butera

While Blake Butera was named Nationals manager over two weeks ago now, he is just having his introductory press conference today. That is due to the fact that his wife gave birth to their first child the same day he got the job. Now, a couple weeks later, Butera is ready to face the media.

The press conference is today at 1:30 PM. It will be live on MASN. Butera will be there, but so will new President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni. It will be interesting to see what he says about Butera as well. However, I have a few things I am looking to hear from Butera in particular.

Blake Butera will officially be announced as the Nats' new skipper tomorrow afternoon.

Looking ahead to other important dates on the calendar. https://t.co/hEBdA98awX

— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) November 16, 2025

The first one is something we are likely to hear. I want Butera to talk about how he is going to change things in DC. The reason he is being hired is to help modernize this organization, and I want to hear about how he will go about that. We know he has already hired Simon Mathews to be his pitching coach and Michael Johns as bench coach.

However, I want to hear more about what the goals are for the staff. There are still plenty of open positions, including hitting coach. That hitting coach hire will be very important. Darnell Coles has been much maligned in recent years, with fans calling for an upgrade. Now we need to see an upgrade on Coles. The Nats young core is heavy on hitters, so developing guys like James Wood, Dylan Crews, CJ Abrams, Daylen Lile and more will be key.

The second thing I want to hear about is how Butera will create a new culture. At 33 years old, he is the youngest manager in over 50 years. For Butera to be a success, he will have to show he is the boss quickly. He cannot be seen as a pushover in the clubhouse. Fans want to hear about how he will build a culture in DC. The role of a manager these days is about developing talent, but even more so, it is about building a strong culture.

With Butera being so young, there will be doubts about his ability to build that culture. This press conference is a good opportunity for him to make a strong first impression. Nationals fans have not heard him speak before, so this will really be their first time meeting him. That makes this press conference even more important than the average first managerial presser.

One other thing I would like to hear is Butera talk about bringing in some experience. The Nationals are clearly going in a young direction, which I like. However, that needs to be balanced by experience. I actually think Butera has done some of that, specifically with his hire of catching coordinator Bobby Wilson. Michael Johns is also experienced, but not the grizzled former MLB manager many wanted Butera to hire as bench coach.

To be a great manager, you have to be mindful of your blind spots. That lack of experience is a blind spot for Butera, but it is one he can work around with the right hires. Obviously, the Nats still need a hitting coach and base coaches, but I am also curious what other positions will be added to the MLB coaching staff.

Lastly, I am also curious to hear from Toboni. We heard a bit about why he hired Butera in a zoom press conference, but this will be another opportunity for him to speak on the hire. Seeing what the dynamic between Toboni and Butera is like will also be interesting. They actually did not know each other before this process, but they seem to be very aligned.

This should be a very interesting press conference for Nationals fans. We get to hear from the team’s new braintrust for the first time. I am super excited to listen to them take questions and explain their philosophy. Make sure to tune in on MASN at 1:30 PM EST this afternoon. We will also be reacting to the press conference later today.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...t-washington-nationals-hope-hear-blake-butera

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals set to retain pitching strategist Sean Doolittle

Most of the Nationals 2025 coaching staff has been let go by the new regime. However, Sean Doolittle has survived the cuts. Paul Toboni and Blake Butera have decided to keep the pitching strategist and former closer. His role has not been announced though.

Paul Toboni just told us that Sean Doolittle will remain on the staff. Exact role is TBD.

Blake Butera said he’s talked to 20+ players. Every pitcher, unsolicited, brought up how impactful Doolittle was in their careers. Also had a previous relationship w/Simon Mathews.

— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) November 17, 2025

This is an interesting move because I understand it, but it also brings up some questions. Doolittle certainly fits the new regime’s ethos. He is an analytical guy, who is also very good at building relationships. In 2024, Doolittle’s analytical voice really helped the Nationals pitching staff. Pitchers like Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz all showed major improvement.

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However, that magic was gone in 2025. The pitching staff regressed heavily, posting a 5.35 ERA, the worst in team history. Even as a Sean Doolittle fan, he has to shoulder some of that blame. The team was throwing too many fastballs last season, which is a pitching strategy problem. As the pitching strategist, Doolittle has to take some heat for that. When he was a pitcher, Doolittle was extremely fastball reliant, but most pitchers do not have the kind of life on their fastballs that Doolittle had.

Despite the poor results, the players spoke very highly of Doolittle. Blake Butera said that all the pitchers mentioned how much Doolittle helped them, often unprompted. They also spoke about how much Doolittle cared about them. This new regime is very focused on relationship building, so keeping Doolittle around makes sense from that perspective.

Blake Butera's full quote on Sean Doolittle: https://t.co/f8rtser2Ik pic.twitter.com/7NSzbi4JnP

— Spencer Nusbaum (@spencernusbaum_) November 17, 2025

Another thing working in Doolittle’s favor was an existing relationship with new pitching coach Simon Mathews. The two crossed paths at the Push Performance pitching lab. Clearly, the two like each other and will be pushing in the same direction.

Doolittle is still very early in his coaching journey. He is likely to learn a few things from Mathews, as well as other people on the staff. While Doolittle is almost a decade older than Mathews, the Nats new pitching coach has been in the coaching game for longer. Mathews has also coached in a number of roles, both in an organization and in a pitching lab. Hopefully those two can help each other grow as coaches.

I am also curious as to what Doolittle’s role will be. Right now that has not been decided yet. Will he be the pitching strategist again, or will he shift to a new role? As a former closer, the bullpen coach could be a fit for Doolittle. Whatever that role is, we now know that Sean Doolittle will be sticking around in 2026.

With so much change in the organization, you need to keep some people around. Clearly Doolittle is a coach that the players trust and really respect. Having those relationships with the players is a huge part of coaching. Blake Butera talked a lot about relationship building in his press conference. Keeping a coach with an analytical mind and those great relationships makes sense, even if the results were not great last season.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...als-retain-pitching-strategist-sean-doolittle

 

[Washington Nationals]

A few former Washington Nationals make the Hall of Fame ballot

One of the highlights of the offseason is the Hall of Fame discourse. Every year a new ballot comes out and voters decide who will head to Cooperstown. This year it will be very intriguing because there are no obvious first ballot Hall of Famers. For my money, Andruw Jones is the most likely of the group to make the Hall of Fame.

JUST IN: the new ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026!

12 first-time candidates join 15 holdovers. A player must receive 75% of votes from the BBWAA for election.

Results will be announced Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/yjFDRQsaA5

— MLB (@MLB) November 17, 2025

However, there is one more interesting thing for Nationals fans. Now that the franchise has been around over 20 years, plenty of former Nats are going to be on Hall of Fame ballots. This year, three former Nats will be on the ballot. Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy and Gio Gonzalez all made the ballot this year.

Gio Gonzalez, Howie Kendrick & Daniel Murphy are on the 2026 Hall of Fame ballot.
If Gio or Murph miss, they’re HOPG eligible. Kendrick lands right at 35.0 WAR—just above the cutoff.
Results drop Jan. 20. pic.twitter.com/7LQ2SSIZZ5

— natsfanatics (@natsfanatics_) November 17, 2025

None of these guys are likely to make it past the first ballot, but it is still an honor just to be on the ballot. You have to have played in the league for over a decade to make the list. If you are in the league for that long it means you had a great run in the league.

While none of these guys will be Hall of Famers, all three had some huge moments. Surprisingly, Howie Kendrick had by far the most WAR of the group with 35. The vast majority of that value came with the Angels, where he posted 28.5 WAR. However, his most memorable moments actually came in DC.

His home run in Game 7 of the World Series gave the Nats a lead they would not relinquish. Kendrick also hit a 10th inning grand slam to get the Nats over the hump in the NLDS. That 2019 season from the 35 year old Kendrick was so memorable. Despite that, he is still not going to make the Hall.

While he had the least WAR of the three, Daniel Murphy had the best peak among the group. His first two seasons in DC were absolutely outstanding, especially his 2016 season. Carrying over his momentum from his 2015 playoff run with the Mets, Murphy hit .347 with 25 homers and a .985 OPS in 2016. He finished second in MVP voting, only behind Kris Bryant.

Murphy was such a great pure hitter who found a way to tap into power in DC. Watching him hit was so much fun. He was really an artist at the plate. I think Murphy would do a great job as a hitting coach if someone hired him.

Lastly, Gio Gonzalez is also on the ballot. He spent the most time in DC of the trio. While he was never the ace of the staff, Gio was a great two or three starter for a number of years. His best season came in 2012 when he won 21 games and posted a 2.89 ERA. Mike Rizzo made a lot of great trades over the years, but his acquisition of Gonzalez was one of his best.

Gio could be a frustrating pitcher at times due to his shaky control. However, he was usually effectively wild. He never went super deep into games, but he could give you 5 or 6 innings of quality pitching most of the time. Gio was never truly elite outside of 2012, but he was a very good pitcher.

Moving forward, there are going to be more and more Nats on the ballot. Next season, a big name will be hitting the ballot. 2026 will be Ryan Zimmerman’s first year of eligibility. While he is unlikely to make Cooperstown, I would not be surprised if he stuck on the ballot for more than one year.

Zimmerman posted 40.1 WAR, which is a very good number. If it were not for injuries, I really think Zimmerman had a chance at Cooperstown. He only had one 2 WAR season after he turned 29. From 2014 to 2021, he only posted 6.4 WAR, which really put a dent in his Hall of Fame case.

Ryan Zimmerman is a Nationals legend, but his career still could have been better. It is really a shame that his body broke down only a couple years after the Nats entered their competitive window. They could potentially have another title if Zimmerman held up for longer. He had that great 2017 season, but outside of that, Zimmerman did not age very gracefully.

The first big time National to actually make the Hall of Fame is going to be Max Scherzer. It sounds like he will play another season, but he will be going straight to Cooperstown on the first ballot. Scherzer has over 75 WAR and is one of the best pitchers of his generation. Mad Max is an absolute no doubter for Cooperstown.

After that, we will have to wait a little bit. Like Zimmerman, Stephen Strasburg’s prime was too short for Cooperstown. If his body could have held up even for a few more years, Strasburg would be an interesting case due to his postseason dominance. However, he did not do enough.

Bryce Harper and Juan Soto are likely to be Hall of Famers at some point, but at this rate, they will go in wearing another uniform. That is disappointing, especially in the case of Soto. Due to the collapse of the Nats, the team had to trade away a generational talent to restock their talent pool.

It will be interesting to follow this Hall of Fame cycle. I love looking at all the ballots and thinking about how I would vote. One day, I hope to have a Hall of Fame ballot myself. Maybe by the time Juan Soto is up for Cooperstown. Regardless, it is very cool to see three great Nationals on such a prestigious ballot.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...washington-nationals-make-hall-of-fame-ballot

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals add three players to the 40 man roster to protect them from Rule 5 Draft

The deadline to add players to the 40-man roster in order to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft is today. Paul Toboni had a few interesting decisions to make, but in the end he added three players to the 40-man roster. Those players are Jake Bennett, Christian Franklin and Riley Cornelio.

We have added the following players to our 40-man roster:

– LHP Jake Bennett
– RHP Riley Cornelio
– OF Christian Franklin

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) November 18, 2025

The Rule 5 Draft is one of the quirkier events on the MLB offseason calendar. When players have been in the minors for a certain amount of time, teams have to add them to the 40-man roster or risk them being claimed by another team. The team that claims the player has to carry them on their MLB roster for a full season. If they decide not to keep them on the roster, they have to return the player to their old team. Here is a link to a writeup that goes more in depth on the rules.

The Nats have picked a player in the Rule 5 Draft in the last few years. Bad teams often use it to find a diamond in the rough. For the Nats, Thaddeus Ward and Evan Reifert have been misses, while Nasim Nunez has been a worthwhile addition to the organization. Sometimes you can really strike gold though. The most recent example is last year when the White Sox picked up Shane Smith, who had a really nice rookie season and looks like a long term piece of the Sox rotation.

Usually teams find relievers or bench bats in the draft though. Paul Toboni should pick up a player in this year’s Rule 5. It is a super cheap way to find talent. The hit rate is not great because these guys are often unprotected for a reason, but it is worth taking a shot in the dark.

Among the names the Nats protected, Bennett and Franklin were obvious. Both are top 15 prospects in the organization who are likely to play a role in the Big Leagues at some point next season. Bennett had a fantastic season in his first campaign back from Tommy John Surgery, posting a 2.27 ERA in 75.1 innings. At 25 years old with quality stuff and control, do not be surprised to see the former second rounder make big league starts next year.

Franklin came to the Nats recently. He was part of the package that sent Michael Soroka to the Cubs. Franklin turns 26 at the end of the month, but after a strong season in AAA, he is big league ready. He is fantastic against left handed pitching, which gives him a straight-forward role as a platoon bat in the outfield. Franklin also has a good eye and is a quality athlete. Do not be surprised to see him leapfrog bigger names like potentially Robert Hassell.

The most surprising addition is Cornelio, though his inclusion is not a massive shock. He is not as big of a name as Bennett or Franklin, but he was one of the few bright spots in the Nats system last season. Cornelio had a Brad Lord-like rise from obscurity, climbing from High-A to Triple-A. He posted a 3.28 ERA across 134.1 innings. I think Cornelio could be a solid swing man like Lord was last year. He has mid-90’s heat and a very good slider.

There were also a few interesting names that the Nats left unprotected. Notably, Tyler Stuart, Marquis Grissom Jr. and Cayden Wallace were left unprotected. Stuart and Wallace were prospects acquired at the 2024 trade deadline that have not quite panned out, while Grissom is a relief prospect with a great changeup.

Nationals have added LHP Jake Bennett, RHP Riley Cornelio and OF Christian Franklin to the 40-man roster, protecting them from being lost in the Rule 5 Draft.

Among those left unprotected: INF Cayden Wallace, RHP Tyler Stuart (rehabbing from TJ surgery), RHP Marquis Grissom Jr.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) November 18, 2025

Stuart just had Tommy John Surgery, so a team could look to stash him on their roster. However, he is an older prospect with questionable upside so he is likely to stay. Wallace seemed like a great pickup when the Nats acquired him from Kansas City in the Hunter Harvey trade.

Wallace struggled heavily in Double-A though. He posted a sub-.700 OPS, a number that was sitting in the low-.600’s before a hot finish. At 24 years old with limited upside, I do not think anyone will claim Wallace. Sadly, he seems like what scouts call JAG, or just a guy.

Grissom could be claimed and stashed as a mop up man in a bullpen. He had a rough adjustment period to AAA, but put up dominant numbers at the lower levels as a relief prospect. Grissom has a fantastic changeup, but was exposed as a bit of a one trick pony in AAA. Nothing else about his profile really stands out. A team may take a shot, but it is also quite possible that he stays around as well.

The deadline for teams to protect their guys is 6 PM, so news will trickle in about who has been added to the other team’s 40-man rosters. There are always a few interesting players that do not get protected and we will stay on top of that. So much of modern baseball is about finding value wherever you can and the Rule 5 draft is a perfect opportunity for teams to find value for free.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/lat...ee-players-40-man-roster-protect-rule-5-draft

 

[Washington Nationals]

Starting today, comments and Feed posts on Federal Baseball will have activity notifications

When you post on SB Nation, we don’t want you to miss all the conversations and responses that follow.

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Our goal is to create more and better conversations on DRaysBay and elsewhere across the SB Nation network. Anytime someone engages with your comments or Feed posts on another SB Nation community, you’ll see it in your notifications.

For instance, here’s what your notifications might look like on sbnation.com if you were getting replies across Arrowhead Pride, MMA Fighting, and sbnation.com. You will see the same expandable stack of notifications on any site in the network where you were logged in.

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You can log in or sign up here. Logged in users get fewer ads along with the ability to join the conversation.Jump into the comment section below or post on The Feed to see notifications in action.

If you want to dig into more of how this will work across the network and what’s next, head over to this post on sbnation.com from SB Nation’s Head of Product Ed Clinton. You can log in or sign up here. Logged in users get fewer ads along with the ability to join the conversation.

Jump into the comment section below or post on The Feed to see notifications in action.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ral-baseball-will-have-activity-notifications

 

[Washington Nationals]

Players the Washington Nationals could sign if they want to make a splash

Yesterday, Ryan Zimmerman and Dan Kolko did their podcast with new manager Blake Butera. One thing that stuck out to me was when Zimmerman talked about bringing in a veteran presence on a multi-year deal. The Nats have had a lot of veterans on one-year deals, but everyone in the clubhouse knows those guys will come and go.

Zimmerman wants to bring in a leader that will be around for multiple years. He specifically suggested a 2-4 year deal. I totally agree with this and it is something the team has been missing for years. The veterans the Nats have brought in have been fighting to revive their careers. We need an older head who knows he will be around and part of the project.

Zim thinks the #Nats need to sign a veteran team leader on a slightly longer deal of 2-to-4 years.

Sounds to me that a JT Realmuto would fit that perfectly as well as a position of need. pic.twitter.com/zy7WVBcKJk

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) November 19, 2025

There are a few players that fit these parameters for me and are guys the Nationals should go after. The first name that comes to mind is Eugenio Suarez. He fits the bill on multiple levels. At 34 years old, Suarez fits perfectly into that 2-4 year deal range. He would also be an impactful player on the field. Suarez smashed 49 home runs last season. Sure, he is a home run or bust hitter, but those flaws can be overlooked with that kind of power.

Suarez is one of three players with six 30 home run seasons since 2018. Ironically, the other two, Kyle Schwarber and Pete Alonso, are also free agents. Schwarber would also fit the bill for this exercise, but he would be very pricey. Suarez will not cost as much, but still provides that enormous power upside.

The only players with six 30-HR seasons since 2018:

Kyle Schwarber
Pete Alonso
Eugenio Suárez

Three of the game's top sluggers are all on the open market pic.twitter.com/UOu3GkKVe3

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) November 17, 2025

Importantly, Suarez is also known as a tremendous clubhouse guy. Everywhere he has played, Suarez has been beloved by teammates. When Suarez was traded back to Seattle, where he played before, he got a hero’s welcome. Nobody has ever had a bad word to say about the guy and he would be a great leader for a young team.

Right now, Suarez is a third baseman, but he would be a fit at DH or even first base for the Nats. Suarez is a capable defensive third baseman, but the Nats will likely want to give Brady House some run. With Suarez’s power, his bat fits at any position. If House struggles and needs more time in AAA, you also have the luxury of being able to move Suarez back to third base.

With Suarez’s age and one dimensional game, there is some risk. He struggled with the bat after the trade to Seattle, but I would still be willing to give him a 3 year deal for about $50 million. Players who hit 49 home runs do not grow on trees. I think he would be a very strong fit with the Nats.

The next player to discuss is a guy Nats fans have become very familiar with over the years. J.T. Realmuto has played in the NL East his whole career. He has been a star for both the Marlins and Phillies. At one point, he was the best catcher in baseball, but has slowed down a bit over the last few years.

He may not be what he once was, but Realmuto is still a highly capable starting catcher. The veteran is still a good offensive catcher who is elite at controlling the running game. His offense suffered last season due to uncharacteristically poor numbers against left handed pitching, which has not been an issue for him in the past. Realmuto still hit right handers well though.

JT Realmuto R/R 35yo

2025
2.5WAR 134G 91OPS+
12HR 52RBI 8SB
.257/.315/.384/.700

Best Fits: Phillies, Padres, Pirates, Nationals

Proj Deal: 2yrs 30mil

What’s your Team and Contract Projection?

JT still has it in the tank.
Despite a down year at the plate in 25, he’s… pic.twitter.com/bCFWb7TP5v

— Big League Takes (@BigLeagueTakes) November 15, 2025

At 35 years old, Realmuto should be in line for a two year deal. He has more in the tank than Pudge Rodriguez did when he joined the Nats, but Realmuto could have the same kind of effect off the field. Catchers are often the best leaders on the team and Realmuto has been around the block for a long time.

Having played with the Phillies the past few years, he knows what it takes to win games in this division. He would be a really good mentor for a young Nationals team that needs leaders. A two-year deal for $30 million would be a fair offer for both sides.

Suarez and Realmuto are my two favorite targets for what Zimmerman is suggesting, but there are a few other guys I want to touch on. When I think of leaders, my mind turns to position players, but pitchers can also be leaders. Of all the free agent pitchers, Chris Bassitt is the guy who fits Zimmerman’s parameters. Despite being 37, Bassitt is showing no signs of slowing down and will likely fetch a multi-year deal.

He is known as a good clubhouse guy and is steady as they come. In an era where pitchers are so volatile, Bassitt is so reliable. We wrote about him earlier in the offseason and I still think he would be a strong fit.

Other position players that come to mind are Jorge Polanco, Ha-Seong Kim and Ryan O’Hearn. However, those guys do not appear to have the same kind of leadership chops as Suarez or Realmuto. They would be very quality pick ups though. Harrison Bader brings a fire and intensity that I love, but the Nats already have so many outfielders.

Ryan Zimmerman is not asking for anything crazy when he talks about bringing in a veteran on a 2-4 year deal. He is not saying they have to break the bank on a Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber, though that would be great. All he wants is the Nats to bring in a real veteran leader who is a good enough player to where the clubhouse will listen to them.

It is debatable whether the Nats are in a spot where they should be signing 5+ year mega deals, but a medium term contract for a veteran leader makes a ton of sense. Blake Butera needs a leader in the clubhouse and a guy who can show all the young players what it means to be a pro. Eugenio Suarez or J.T. Realmuto would be a great fit to help lead this young squad into a brighter future.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87490/players-washington-nationals-could-sign-make-splash

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals have important decisions to make at tomorrow’s non-tender deadline

Tomorrow is a very important day in the MLB offseason. By tomorrow night, teams have to decide if they want to tender their arbitration eligible players a contract. If they tender a player, the arbitration process starts, if not, the player becomes a free agent. Paul Toboni has a couple of interesting decisions on his hands in the next 24 to 36 hours.

MLB Trade Rumors does a great job following the arbitration process. Their arbitration pay estimates are usually spot on and provide a great resource for fans. They also come up with a list of players who could possibly be non-tendered. Three Nationals were on their list of non-tender candidates. Those were Riley Adams, Jake Irvin and Luis Garcia Jr.

2025 Non-Tender Candidates https://t.co/iLfyXhsxHY pic.twitter.com/pkzgsg0cq9

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) November 20, 2025

Of the three, Adams is the most likely to be non-tendered. His projected salary is only $1.5 million, but Adams has not proven himself to even be a capable backup catcher. Despite his big raw power, Adams has struggled massively on the offensive side in the last two years. He is also a bad defensive catcher due to his lack of blocking and framing skills. Adams has elite bat speed, but he has not been able to translate that into production.

Overall, the Nationals have 7 arbitration eligible players. MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Cade Cavalli and Josiah Gray are locks to be tendered a contract. Gore and Abrams require no explanation. However, Gray and Cavalli are locks due to their low salary projections and upside. For me, Jake Irvin and Luis Garcia Jr. are the real interesting decisions here.

Here are the @mlbtraderumors
projected 2026 salaries:

Luis Garcia Jr. (4.142): $7MM
Josiah Gray (4.075): $1.35MM
MacKenzie Gore (4.000): $4.7MM
Riley Adams (3.171): $1.5MM
CJ Abrams (3.130): $5.6MM
Jake Irvin (2.152): $3.3MM
Cade Cavalli (2.141): $1.3MM

— Talk Nats (@TalkNats) November 18, 2025

Let’s start with Irvin because this one snuck up on me. Before the arbitration projection numbers came out, I had not considered the idea of non-tendering Irvin. However, his projected $3.3 million salary complicates things. Based on last season, Irvin would not be worth that number. He posted a 5.70 ERA, which was the worst among qualified starters.

Irvin looked really bad for most of the season. His velocity was down, which made the big right hander extremely hittable. The 38 home runs he allowed were the most in baseball. However, he did complete 180 innings for the second straight season. That durability has some inherent value, especially if he can get his ERA back to the low to mid 4’s.

If Paul Toboni and his staff believe they can get Irvin’s velocity back and make a few tweaks, they will likely tender him a contract. Irvin showed flashes mid-rotation upside in 2024 and if he can get back to that, the $3.3 million will be a steal. However, if the new front office thinks 2025 showed the real Jake Irvin, non-tendering him would be the move. You can find someone to eat innings and pitch badly for the league minimum.

This leads us to the most fascinating discussion in Luis Garcia Jr. He is projected to make $7 million, which is a fairly hefty price. Like Irvin, Garcia’s 2025 production does not justify that salary. He only posted 0.7 fWAR in 139 games and was below average on both sides of the ball. However, the 25 year old was excellent in 2024, posting a 3 WAR season.

If he can get back to that level, his salary would be a bargain. The problem is that Garcia has not been very good outside of that 2024 season. I am actually more confident in his bat than his glove. Last season, Garcia was extremely unlucky.

In 2025, Garcia posted a .337 xwOBA compared to a .300 wOBA. Garcia’s xwOBA, average exit velocity, barrel rate, hard hit rate and expected batting average were all better in 2025 than his breakout 2024 season. This gives me confidence that Garcia can get back to being an above average hitter because he was one when you look at the under the hood numbers.

I am less optimistic about his defense though. While Garcia was an above average defender at second base in 2024, that looks like an outlier. He looked less athletic in 2025, which was supported by the numbers. Garcia’s sprint speed went from the 45th percentile to the 25th percentile. His range suffered due to his diminished athleticism. We even saw him play some first base at the end of the season.

Garcia is also a platoon bat, granted the fact he is a left handed hitter means he is on the strong side of a platoon. He only hit .179 against left handed pitching last season and has historically struggled against southpaws. If he cannot play second base anymore, justifying a $7 million price tag for a platoon first baseman with holes in his offensive game is tough to justify.

However, Garcia is still so young at 25 and has shown the ability to be a good starting second baseman in the past. This is a really tricky call for Paul Toboni and I could see this one going either way. If Garcia is let go, I could see it biting the Nats in the future. However, he has only been worth $7 million one time in his career.

These decisions will tell us a lot about Toboni’s thought process and what he thinks about these players. It will also be interesting to follow what other teams do. The non-tender deadline will create a deeper free agent pool. There are a few non-tender candidates the Nats could look to sign, including Jonah Heim, Ryan Mountcastle and Jonathan India. Tomorrow is a big day for Paul Toboni and it will be the first time he really has to make tough roster decisions.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/was...rtant-decisions-tomorrows-non-tender-deadline

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals Should Heavily Consider A CJ Abrams Trade

The Nationals are open for business this offseason and are receiving calls for all their top stars, with MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams generating the most trade buzz. While a good number of Nats fans have come around on the idea of trading Gore, who is a free agent after the 2027 MLB season, many still are turned off by the idea of trading Abrams, who is under team control through the 2028 season.

Would it be difficult to watch the young shortstop, who is one of the faces of the roster currently, be shipped away for prospects, especially when he was once one of those prospects being acquired meant to turn the team around? Absolutely. It isn’t, however, as crazy as it sounds, and I believe it would be beneficial to cash in on his value now for multiple reasons.

For starters, Abrams has improved every year offensively since he entered the league, going from a 72 wRC+ in 2022 in 70 games to a 107 wRC+ in 144 games in 2025, but it’s hard to imagine his offensive ceiling is much higher than where he is currently. He has managed solid power numbers thanks to a strong ability to pull fly balls, but he hasn’t managed to hit over 20 in a season due to his lack of raw power, as he has ranked in the 29th percentile in average exit velocity in back-to-back seasons.

The lack of raw power wouldn’t be as much of an issue for Abrams if it weren’t for the fact that his plate discipline is suspect as well, and still hasn’t improved after 4 years in the bigs. He improved his walk rate from 9th percentile in 2023 to 28th percentile in 2024, but regressed back to the 20th percentile in 2025. The issue for Abrams has been his inability to avoid chasing pitches, as he has ranked 20th percentile in chase rate all 4 years of his career.

While the old staff of hitting coaches in DC were notorious for not instilling a proper plate approach in their hitters, and a new coaching staff should help Abrams see improvements to his plate discipline, it could be a process that takes several years, with Abrams possibly hitting the open market by the time they maximize it.

The other reason the Nats should heavily consider trading CJ Abrams is that his defense is terrible, and he has not shown any signs of improvement. The Nationals have gotten the worst up-the-middle defense in baseball for several years, and Abrams has played a big part in that, ranking in the bottom 3rd percentile or worse in Outs Above Average at shortstop for 4 consecutive years now.

He has the speed to play the position, but the combination of bad jumps and a below-average arm has led to him being one of the poorest defenders in baseball at maybe the most valuable defensive position. Thanks to his athleticism, he could likely make the transition to another position, such as second base, something that seems very likely if he were moved to a contending team at some point.

This isn’t to say Abrams is a bad baseball player; in fact, he is far from it. Utilized correctly, Abrams could be one of the best second basemen in baseball, showcasing the speed and bat-to-ball skills of a great leadoff hitter, as long as his plate discipline improves. But, based on the underlying metrics, which don’t suggest much more offensive improvement, and the shaky defensive performance (not to mention the off-the-field issues in 2023, which it is unknown if are fixed), I am very much for at least listening to offers from contenders about Abrams, and making a deal for the right price.

So what is Abrams worth in a trade? With 3 years of team control, a 3 fWAR season behind him, and projections that hold him at about 3 WAR again entering next season, we can assume Abrams would be a decently hot commodity on the trading block, fetching at least one top 100 prospect, possibly more, and some lottery tickets in another team’s system as well. For instance, if the Nationals were to send Abrams to the Mariners, they could likely acquire catcher Harry Ford, MLB Pipeline’s 38th-ranked prospect in baseball, along with several other prospects within their top 30.

While it would be difficult to watch another fan favorite player shipped off in a trade for future talent, especially when Abrams was once that future talent acquired in a trade, it ultimately may be the best course of action to restock the farm system, as Mike Rizzo and company left the Nationals in a difficult spot with a not-good-enough big league roster, but also a too shallow farm system. I trust Paul Toboni and his staff will do their due diligence this offseason on all their assets, and if they believe they are getting a fair deal in a trade for Abrams, I am all for it.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87484/the-nationals-heavily-consider-a-cj-abrams-trade

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals Jose A. Ferrer Is On The Verge Of A Major Breakout

Entering 2024, there were high expectations for Jose Ferrer and the kind of breakout he could have after a strong 2024 season where he posted a 3.38 ERA and 2.76 FIP over 32 innings. While his season didn’t get off to the best of starts, posting an ERA over 5 in the first half of 2025, he was showing signs of turning it around, such as a 3.26 FIP and elite strike-throwing ability. He did indeed find another gear in the back half of the year, posting an ERA of 2.16 in July and 1.46 in August, finishing the second half with a FIP of 2.64 and an ERA of 3.54 after a few rocky outings in September.

The loss of Kyle Finnegan at the trade deadline was a rough blow for the Nats’ bullpen as a whole, but when it came to just the closer position, Ferrer held down the spot admirably, saving 11 games and blowing just one in the 2 months after the trade deadline. The end result in 2025 was a 4.48 ERA and 1.4 fWAR for Ferrer, not quite where fans were hoping he’d end up, but once again with impressive underlying numbers, such as a 3.03 FIP and walks per 9 under 2 for the second straight year.

There are many reasons I believe 2026 is the year Jose Ferrer turns himself from a shaky reliever with great stuff into one of the most dominant closers in baseball. For starters, the stuff he has is pure filth, such as his sinker, which he sits 97 MPH with and can run into the triple digits, as well as a changeup with similar movement but a whole 10 MPH slower.

Ferrer’s sinker is the reason he is one of the best pitchers in baseball at keeping the ball on the ground, as his 64.3% groundball rate was in the 99th percentile in MLB. Part of the reason Ferrer’s FIP is continually lower than his ERA is that he’s had incredibly sloppy infield defense behind him his whole career, something that will hopefully be improved by new field coordinator Tyler Smarslok, who took the Marlins from 29th to 14th in infield defense in one year in Miami.

Another reason I am so high on Ferrer is his ability to limit free passes, as he ranked in the 90th percentile or better in walk rate for the second straight season in 2025. Ferrer doesn’t get a crazy amount of chases on his pitches, sitting in the 51st percentile in that department, making it more impressive that someone with his stuff can control it and throw it for strikes as often as he does. Relievers can be extremely volatile, especially those that give up lots of fly balls and walks, but Ferrer is able to limit both of those at exceptional rates, giving him a very high floor for a reliever and just as high a ceiling.

The third reason, and perhaps the most important one, that I’m so high on Ferrer entering 2026 is that he has a new pitching coach that can fully maximize his potential in Simon Mathews. While Jim Hickey is not a bad baseball mind and certainly played a role in getting Ferrer to where he is now, Mathews brings knowledge to this organization that no one has before, and can help Ferrer reach that next level that he’s so close to.

Closer: Jose A. Ferrer

Ferrer took over the closer role after the deadline in '25, and showed flashes of being an effective closer. He generated elite GB rates while avoiding the barrel and limiting walks. pic.twitter.com/VlxFrigyJY

— nats_blow (@NatsBlow) November 4, 2025

So, what does Ferrer need to work on to reach his full potential next season? While it may be a little backward thinking, I think throwing fewer strikes would actually be beneficial to Ferrer’s success. By throwing more balls and risking more walks, Ferrer would see benefits such as increased strikeout numbers and less hard contact, as hitters can’t be in full attack mode knowing Ferrer is going to pound the zone.

Ferrer currently throws his sinker way more than his changeup and slider, 71% of the time in 2025, and while it’s a devastating pitch, it makes him somewhat predictable to hit against, especially for right-handed hitters, who hit .323 against him as compared to left-handed hitters, who hit .186. An increase in usage of Ferrer’s slider and changeup, both great chase pitches, each with whiff rates over 40%, would keep hitters more off balance against him, thereby raising his strikeout numbers and bumping down his hard hit rate.

Overall, while 2025 wasn’t quite the Ferrer breakout year we thought it would be, the ingredients of one of the best closers in baseball are still there, and with a new coaching staff in town, it just might be unlocked in 2026. With any luck, there will be lots of leads to protect and games to win for Ferrer as the Nationals’ closer next season.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/general/87540/jose-ferrer-on-the-verge-of-major-breakout

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals tender contracts to all 7 arbitration eligible players

There was a lot of speculation ahead of tonight’s non-tender deadline. Players like Riley Adams, Jake Irvin and Luis Garcia Jr. were seen as potential non-tender candidates due to a combination of their lackluster production and projected salary. However, in a surprise twist, Paul Toboni decided to tender a contract to all 7 arbitration eligible players.

The Nationals have avoided salary arbitration and agreed to a one-year contract for 2026 with Riley Adams.

The Nationals have also tendered contracts to all of our other unsigned 40-Man Roster players.

The 40-Man Roster remains at 37.

— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) November 21, 2025

He has also already come to an agreement with Adams on his 2026 salary, though that figure has not been announced yet. The other six have to either come to an agreement with the team in the coming weeks or go into arbitration. I was really expecting Toboni to pull the trigger on at least one non-tender, but he did not.

Despite these players being tendered a contract, the team can still trade them at any time. I am curious to see if Garcia gets moved. He was a non-tender candidate, but he had strong underlying offensive numbers in 2025. However, we saw how bad the middle infield defense was with Abrams and Garcia. Running it back with those two would ensure a bad defensive unit.

What this means:
* Luis Garcia Jr., CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin, Josiah Gray and Cade Cavalli were all tendered contracts. They can either agree to a salary or go to arbitration. (Doesn't prevent Nats from trading any of them)
* Riley Adams already agreed to his salary https://t.co/xakuvoxLxN

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) November 21, 2025

However, it is still a surprise to see none of Irvin, Garcia or Adams being non-tendered. Adams is particularly surprising to me. He only hit .186 with a .560 OPS in 2025. The 29 year old also graded out poorly as a framer and blocker.

This has to be the new regime believing they can unlock something from Adams. When looking at his profile, one thing stands out and it is his raw power. Riley Adams has one of the quickest bats in all of baseball. His 78.3 MPH average bat speed is top of the scale stuff. Toboni must think he can turn that raw bat speed into power production with a few tweaks.

Irvin and Garcia being tendered contracts is not overly surprising, as those were decisions that could have gone either way. If Irvin and Garcia can get back to what they were in 2024, both will be more than worth their projected salaries of $3.3 and $7 million. However, they both struggled badly in 2025, especially Irvin.

My biggest takeaway from this is that Paul Toboni is making a bet on internal improvement. He is telling the world that these players can be more productive with the coaches he is hiring. Toboni has said that there are players in the organization that have another gear to hit. We all thought he was referring to guys like Wood, Abrams and Gore, but maybe he was actually referring to depth guys like Irvin and Adams.

Tendering all 7 players is a surprising decision, but it is a statement. Toboni must believe that a lot of players on this roster will be able to elevate their games with the new coaching staff. It will be interesting to see if this ends up being the case. Sometimes not making a big move can be the best move. That is what Toboni must have been thinking here.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/lat...nder-contracts-7-arbitration-eligible-players

 

[Washington Nationals]

Washington Nationals hire Andrew Aydt of Driveline to be the assistant hitting coach

The Washington Nationals new regime is continuing their youth movement. While no hitting coach has been named yet, the Nats have hired an assistant hitting coach. That would be Andrew Aydt, formerly of Driveline Baseball. He is not even 30 years old yet, but he is already well known as a bright hitting mind.

Sources tell @YahooSports that the Nationals are hiring Andrew Aydt to be an assistant hitting coach on the MLB staff.

Aydt, in his late 20s, is the co-manager of Driveline’s hitting dept. Played D2 ball at McKendree University from 2017-2019.

Nats youth movement continues.

— Jake Mintz (@Jake_Mintz) November 21, 2025

Like a lot of the Nats new coaches, they played baseball in college, but not at the highest level. Aydt played D2 baseball before joining Driveline. He started as an intern before working his way up to Assistant Hitting Director. In that role, he has worked with a lot of big leaguers and has helped improve their games.

Despite never being in an MLB, or even a professional dugout, Aydt knows what it is like to work with MLB talent. He has been doing it constantly for years now. Aydt made a super cool video on how he helped Ivan Herrera of the Cardinals take his game to the next level. It is worth a watch and really made me optimistic about what he can do with our hitters.

How did Iván Herrera take the leap form being a good big league hitter to one of the best in the show? @AndrewAydt breaks down why bat speed was the common denominator — and how his EV and hard-hit rate profited as a result. pic.twitter.com/Cr6qA9a32q

— Driveline Baseball (@DrivelineBB) November 11, 2025

As he mentioned in the video, Herrera was already a good hitter, but he helped him get to the next level. Now, the Cardinals slugger is one of the most underrated hitters in the game. He hit 19 homers and posted an .837 OPS last season. Aydt helped Herrera improve his bat speed and angles to unlock that slug. Herrera always had a feel to hit, but Driveline helped unlock his power.

With that in mind, I am excited to see what he can do with the Nats hitters. CJ Abrams and Daylen Lile are two guys I think Aydt could really help. Both have a natural feel to hit, but could get to another level if they could add more bat speed. Lile does not have the quickest bat, but his feel for hitting is so good that he succeeds anyway. If he can add some power, he can become one of the better hitters in the sport. The emphasis on bat speed is likely a big reason why Riley Adams was tendered a contract as well.

We have talked a lot about Driveline in passing, but I wanted to give a better explanation of what it really is. Driveline is the top performance lab in the sport. Hitters and pitchers go there to improve their games from a biomechanics stand point. Driveline uses analytics and implements data driven instruction to unlock guys potential. A lot of former Driveline employees have gone on to have success in pro organizations.

I really love the Nats linking up with Driveline guys. Simon Mathews has ties to Driveline, but they are not as strong as Aydt. Everything Andrew Aydt knows about coaching comes from his time at Driveline. I like that he is being made an assistant as well. Having Aydt with a guy with more experience in professional baseball would create a dynamic duo.

A lot of people in the analytics space that I trust now see the Nationals as an organization on the rise. Lance Brozdowski is one of my favorite baseball commentators due to his great analytical mind. He actually put out a tweet saying the Nats have the biggest up arrow as an organization in the sport.

It might take a second to show up in MLB results, but the Nationals have the biggest up arrow on them in MLB as an org.

You could argue they had bottom 5 hitting *and* pitching development over last ~3 years (MiLB results would agree). Things are changing quick. https://t.co/UzH4dE42vB

— Lance Brozdowski (@LanceBroz) November 22, 2025

He runs in the same circles as a lot of the guys the Nats hired, so he has some bias, but I am still impressed. For so long, the Nationals were behind the curve analytically. Now, for the first time in years, the Nats are innovators. That makes me so excited.

Sure, there is risk in these moves. A lot of these guys are quite green, but they are sharp. It may take a couple years for these moves to pay dividends at the MLB level, but I think they will pay off if the organization supports these guys with the right tools. This is a new era of Nationals baseball, and the Andrew Aydt hire is another example of how different this regime will be.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/lat...andrew-aydt-driveline-assistant-hitting-coach

 

[Washington Nationals]

Five names the Washington Nationals should consider in the Rule 5 Draft

Teams across the league had to make Rule 5 Draft related 40-man roster decisions the other day. Now that has happened and we know who is available to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft. As a bad team, the Nats are likely to pick a player because they can afford to roster that player for a full season and are in need of talent.

As always, there are interesting names available. Most of the time teams take pitchers because they are easier to hide on a roster, but I found three arms and two bats that excite me. If you want to look at all of the high profile names available, MLB Pipeline is a great resource for that.

There were 135 ranked prospects who needed to be added to 40-man rosters before yesterday's deadline, and 55 got spots.

Here's a team-by-team breakdown of which players got added and which were left unprotected for the Rule 5 Draft: https://t.co/YsFPcU6xsv pic.twitter.com/AGxpM0HR8q

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 19, 2025

There are a lot of intriguing names and we will get to some honorable mentions at the end. However, there are five names I want to talk about today. All of these guys are older prospects, most of whom have spent significant time in AAA. That means they are ready to go and relatively big league ready.

The first name we will talk about is the player I have heard about the most from Nationals fans. That player is Daniel Susac of the A’s. It makes sense why Nats fans are intrigued by him. Susac is a former first round pick and is a catcher. He also has a .280 career average and .785 OPS in the minors, so it is not like the performance is bad either.

On paper, Susac is a great fit. He posted an .832 OPS in AAA and is known as a solid defender. His arm is absolutely elite and he is great at controlling the running game. Susac posts top of the scale pop time numbers.

Two knee throw out by Las Vegas Aviators Daniel Susac.
1.86 Pop Time .64 Transfer 79.4 MPH pic.twitter.com/Hd7fZBTqNE

— Jerry Weinstein (@JWonCATCHING) August 27, 2025

However, the devil is in the details. Don’t get me wrong, he would be a good selection, but there are reasons he was left unprotected. There are some serious holes in his offensive game. While the numbers look good, he chases over 35% of the time against AAA pitching. As we have seen with guys like Brady House, swing happy guys can get exposed in the MLB.

That .832 OPS is also deceiving. The Pacific Coast League is notoriously hitter friendly and an .832 OPS is about average for that league. With mediocre exit velocities and chase problems, the offense is going to be a struggle at first. His framing and blocking are also behind his throwing defensively. While Susac would be a solid pick, it would be a risk for the Nats, who need stability behind the plate.

The next two players I will discuss fall into the same category, so I will talk about them together. Both Harrison Cohen and Zach McCambley are older, MLB ready bullpen arms. If the Nats want a ready made contributor, these are names Paul Toboni will look at.

Starting with Cohen, the 26 year old Yankees relief prospect is all about deception. None of his pitches stick out when looking at stuff models, but he is tough for hitters to pick up. He has a funky leg kick that messes with the hitter’s timing. You can see that with the very low average exit velocity against of 84.4 MPH.

Harrison Cohen earned his 1st win at Triple-A Scranton, striking out two and retiring all five batters he faced. pic.twitter.com/3lIWs8gJHf

— Jewish Baseball Players (@YidInBaseball) August 4, 2025

Cohen also has a deep mix. He throws a cutter, a changeup, a 4-seamer and a slider. Very occasionally he will mix in a sinker as well. The heater is only around 93, but his stuff played in AAA. He posted a 1.57 ERA in 29 AAA outings last year. With that funky delivery, walks were an issue for Cohen, but he was so unhittable it did not matter. A cherry on top is that Cohen went to school and played at George Washington University.

Zach McCambley has a lot of similarities to Cohen. He is an older prospect and will turn 27 in May. However, he has big league stuff. McCambley has an elite feel to spin the ball. His cutter, slider and curveball all grade out very well. The cutter and slider are actually his two most used pitches.

Zach McCambley (MIA) was left off the Marlins 40-Man roster and is now eligible for the Rule 5 Draft

McCambley registered an elite 24.3 K-BB% in a relief role across AA and AAA on the heels of a nasty cutter and big sweeping slider. He is a name to watch as the draft approaches pic.twitter.com/1BUl1eEId7

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) November 19, 2025

McCambley put up monster strikeout numbers in AAA, with a K rate over 30%. While he does not generate soft contact to the level of Cohen, he has better control. McCambley walked less than 8% of hitters in AAA. The high strikeout and low walk numbers are very good indicators of success.

One drawback for McCambley besides his age is his fastball quality. His heater is only 94 MPH and does not have great shape. He does not throw it much, instead relying on his breaking stuff. That lack of a plus heater caps his ceiling, but he is a safe bet to be a quality relief arm, which the Nats need.

Back to the offensive side of the ball, T.J. Rumfield is a name to look at if the Nats want to select a bat. The Yankees prospect has the look of a prototypical slugger at 6’5 225 pounds. However, his contact skills and feel for hitting stand out more than his raw power.

The exit velocity data is actually Rumfield’s biggest flaw. However, if he can somehow find more juice, he could be a legitimate starting first baseman. Rumfield is a master at pulling the ball in the air, so he can tap into the power he has. That is a big reason why he has hit at least 15 homers in each of the last three Minor League seasons despite mediocre EV numbers.

T.J. Rumfield is a prospect I followed during 2025, and he didn't get too much attention. While the QoC wasn't great, he excels at turning on pitches, pulling the ball, and has very low whiff rates on FAs. If he can increase his bat speed, he can be solid at the MLB level. pic.twitter.com/JMuHKBoG3f

— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) November 4, 2025

Rumfield strikes out less than 20% of the time and walks nearly 12% of his AB’s. That gives him a high floor as a big league bat. He is already 25 years old, so I am not sure how much impact will come. With all the first baseman in free agency, would carrying Rumfield for a full season be worth it? It would be interesting to see how much playing time he would get if he were taken. Would he be a bench bat or would he start more regularly? Rumfield has some real talent, but there are also plenty of question marks.

The last guy I want to talk about comes from the Red Sox system, Paul Toboni’s old stomping grounds. That would be left handed pitcher Hayden Mullins. Despite being 25 years old, Mullins has not pitched above AA. However, he was dominant last season and has exciting stuff. He even struck out Giancarlo Stanton while the big slugger was on a rehab assignment.

Just a casual Thursday with Hayden Mullins striking out Giancarlo Stanton pic.twitter.com/tzV5Nwib1t

— Portland Sea Dogs (@PortlandSeaDogs) June 12, 2025

There is a lot to like with this player. While he does not have premium velocity, Mullins’ fastball plays up due to its explosive life and deception. He also has two above average breaking balls with a slider and a cutter. Mullins just carved up High-A and Double-A, posting a 2.21 ERA with 123 strikeouts in 101.2 innings. The walks were an issue, with Mullins issuing 51 last season. However, batters only hit .177 against him.

Mullins is a starter right now, but he would likely work as a multi-inning reliever in the big leagues, at least to start. He is a riskier bet than the two relief arms, but he has a chance to be a quality starter in the future. Paul Toboni also knows a lot about this player, having played a big part in drafting and developing him. He would know if Mullins is worth a shot.

These are the five players I am looking at the hardest, but there are more to consider. Another Red Sox prospect to watch is Yordanny Monegro. He will miss all of next season due to Tommy John Surgery, but he is only 23. If he misses the whole season, the Nats only have to roster Monergro for 90 days in 2027. It is a very interesting upside bet because Monegro was dominant before getting hurt.

The Nats are very likely to take someone in the Rule 5 Draft. In the past few years, the Nats have had mixed results. Nasim Nunez looks like a good pickup, but Thad Ward and Evan Reifert did not work out. Hopefully Paul Toboni can find us a hidden gem on December 10th.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ington-nationals-should-consider-rule-5-draft

 

[Washington Nationals]

Three Washington Nationals players who could thrive with the new regime

One thing that the Toboni regime has clearly emphasized is that the players on the roster have another gear to reach. Toboni has said that both in his words and his actions. By tendering contracts to all 7 of the Nats arbitration eligible players, Toboni is betting on internal improvement. Here are three players that could be helped by his new development infrastructure.

I am going to stay away from the team’s star players, so no James Wood, CJ Abrams or even Daylen Lile. They have all shown they can be highly productive. I believe the new player development will help, but this is more about true breakouts. There are three names that fit the bill for me.

The first one is a player who broke through in 2025, but has another level to reach. That is reliever Cole Henry. After finally overcoming a litany of injury setbacks, the 2020 second rounder finally made his MLB debut. Whenever he pitched in the Minors, the right hander was productive, but he was rarely healthy. That is why he was moved to the bullpen this year.

In his first season as a reliever, Henry was solid but not spectacular. He posted a 4.27 ERA in 57 appearances. For most of the season that number was under 4, but Henry wore down in September. That is understandable given his injury history. The reason he is here is not even his underlying numbers, as those were all higher than his ERA.

The reason to bet on Henry is his stuff. On a lot of these stuff models, Henry’s name comes up. His fastball was seen as comparable to Joe Ryan and Tatsuya Imai. Henry’s curveball is also seen as an elite pitch by models, with a 113 stuff+. With more innovative pitching minds helping him out, Henry could become an excellent reliever.

If I had to pick one Nat who could break out under the new regime, it might be Cole Henry. He keeps popping up on all these lists of guys with the best stuff. https://t.co/98MPFU5Nxs

— Andrew Flax (@ajflax) November 22, 2025

For Henry, it is all about improving his command. He walked over 13% of hitters and also hit 11 guys. If he can tighten up that command, he has the stuff to be a good bullpen piece. He is a tough look for hitters and has now proven to be healthy. At just 26, he could be an arm on the rise in 2026.

The next guy I want to talk about is also an arm with injury history in Cade Cavalli. After missing most of the last two seasons following Tommy John Surgery, Cavalli was finally on the mound again in 2025. Despite up and down results in the Minors and MLB, he still showed elite stuff.

Like Henry, Cavalli’s pitches grade out very well on models. While he does not have the control problems Henry does, Cavalli’s command still needs work. He throws strikes, but not quality strikes. That is why he struggled to put hitters away.

A pitcher with Cavalli’s arsenal should not be striking out under 20% of hitters. Hitters were also hitting almost .290 against him, which is insane because his stuff is fantastic. There was a great thread about how Cavalli can be a breakout candidate because of his stuff.

Cade Cavalli, Bound to Breakout:

A Thread pic.twitter.com/LqzynzjSxs

— Remi Bunikiewicz (@RBunikiewicz) August 17, 2025

The main thing that needs to improve for him is sequencing and execution. He has a lot of great pitches, but it is all about using them correctly. Cavalli was hanging too many breaking balls in two strike counts last year. There could also be a new pitch that could help unlock Cavalli that Simon Mathews may teach him. Right now, he does not throw a true slider, so that could be something to watch for.

Cade Cavalli has the look of a frontline starter. He is a thick 6’4 223 pounds with a fastball that averages 97. His curveball just falls off the table and his changeup has tremendous fade. The new regime needs to find a way to connect all of those pieces and make him into the beast he has the potential to be.

The last guy on the list is the most famous player we will talk about. That is former number two overall pick Dylan Crews. Crews was one of the best college baseball players of the last decade at LSU, but things have not come as easy in the MLB.

In 116 career games, Crews is only hitting .211 with a .634 OPS. That is very disappointing for a player as highly touted as Crews. Dylan Crews was seen as a super safe prospect as well, so seeing him struggle has been alarming.

We have seen some flashes from Crews. When he is at his best, Crews can be an exciting blend of power, speed and defense. He also has a lot of leadership qualities, which will be needed in this young clubhouse. However, he has to produce to be a true leader.

unless we put on the best dang talent show this town's ever seeen ……..,… pic.twitter.com/iFcV69jKlB

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) September 23, 2025

Right now the biggest problem for Crews is his angles. He is hitting too many ground balls and not pulling the ball in the air enough to unlock his power. Crews has a GB% over 50%, which is much higher than you would like.

Last season Crews also ran into whiff problems, which were unusual for him. His whiff rate was over 30% last year, which was much higher than his minor league numbers or his numbers in the MLB in 2024. Crews was not crushing fastballs the way he was throughout his career before 2025.

From my untrained eye it looked like his timing was off and he was unsettled in the box. Crews looked very uncomfortable at the plate. However, the tools are still there. Crews hits the ball hard and has good bat speed. I think he is waiting to be unlocked by the right hitting coach. We know Darnell Coles was not that guy, but I trust the new regime to help him make some tweaks.

2026 will be a year where internal improvement is a massive theme. A lot of the Nats core players underwhelmed last year. Many fans blamed the coaching staff for that. Now that they are gone, we will see how much a new staff can really unlock these players.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ton-nationals-players-could-thrive-new-regime

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Washington Nationals should pursue Emilio Pagan in free agency

As every Nationals fan knows, the bullpen was an absolute disaster in 2025. The unit’s 5.59 ERA was by far the worst in baseball. We all know reinforcements are needed, but where will they come from? One player I think the Nationals need to look at is Emilio Pagan.

Last season Pagan had a fantastic bounceback season, posting a 2.88 ERA and saving 32 games for the Reds. Interestingly, Pagan’s turnaround also lines up with when Simon Mathews became the Reds assistant pitching coach. Now Mathews is in DC and hopefully he can lure the Reds closer.

Reports have already indicated that Pagan will have plenty of suitors this offseason. At least 10 teams are already in the mix for Pagan. The right handers swing and miss stuff and cheaper price tag compared to other relievers makes him a compelling target.

“At least 10 teams” are expressing interest in free-agent RHP Emilio Pagan, per @GDubMLB pic.twitter.com/uC3wtLz9Lz

— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) November 16, 2025

At 34 years old, Pagan has been doing this a long time and we know who he is. Pagan is a reliever with nasty stuff that strikes out a ton of batters, but he has a home run problem. That has always been the issue with him and it is why he has never been a truly elite closer. For his career, Pagan has allowed 1.51 HR/9. However, his strikeout rate of over 10 per nine and his good control make up for his homer problem.

CIN RHP Emilio Pagan (Unrestricted FA) 34 years old
Market Value: 12 Mil
2025 stats:
68 games
66.2 IP
2.97 ERA
3.80 FIP
10.67 K/9
2.97 BB/9
1.35 HR/9
32% Chase%
30% Whiff%
0.9 fWAR pic.twitter.com/OMramfbL9u

— Baseball Unstitched Podcast (@BaseUnstitched) September 26, 2025

Pagan is a true fly ball pitcher, but when he is at his best those flyballs are pop ups and the rest of his outs are strikeouts. Last season he showcased a filthy three pitch mix. The fastball is his bread and butter pitch. In 2025 Pagan threw his heater over 60% of the time.

Despite the heavy usage, batters only hit .171 against the fastball and had a whiff rate of nearly 25%. Pagan’s fastball has good velocity at 95.8 MPH, but the shape is what makes it stand out. He gets 18.5 inches of IVB from a 42 degree arm angle. That makes his fastball like it is rising.

Along with the heater, Pagan has a nasty splitter he throws to lefties and a cutter he throws to righties. The split was better last year, but both were effective offerings. There is a lot to like when looking at what Pagan did last year. Despite his FIP being in the high 3’s, the statcast data suggests he was not getting lucky.

Emilio Pagán is high on our #Dbacks FA wishlist.

68.2 IP
81 SO
2.88 ERA
0.92 WHIP
32 SV / 2 HD
2.0 WAR

His savant profile is RED. pic.twitter.com/eZgfnOzZYV

— SleeperDiamondbacks (@SleeperDbacks) November 21, 2025

With how Pagan improved last year, I wonder if he would want to keep working with Simon Mathews. Last year Pagan’s fastball was over a tick harder than it was in 2024, going from 94.6 MPH to 95.8. It is very possible that Mathews helped him make a tweak to find some velocity. A player in their mid 30’s finding that velocity is rare, so it must have been something mechanical.

Overall, Pagan is a quality high leverage arm which the Nationals desperately need. Besides Jose A. Ferrer, there are a ton of question marks in the Nats bullpen. Clayton Beeter has nasty stuff, but has major strike throwing concerns. PJ Poulin is crafty, but does he have the stuff? Cole Henry has some intriguing traits but strikethrowing is also an issue for him.

The Nats desperately need to grab at least one reliable high leverage in free agency. They could swing for a bigger name, but Pagan makes sense. He turns 35 in May, so he is likely to get a 2 year deal. I think a 2 year deal worth 11-12 million a year is a fair deal for both sides. The Nats bullpen needs to become respectable again and Emilio Pagan can help the cause.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ton-nationals-pursue-emilio-pagan-free-agency

 

[Washington Nationals]

Building A Lineup Of The Washington Nationals Best Offseason Signings

While the Nationals have not been extremely active on the free agent market in the past few seasons, there was once a time when they would spend as big as anyone, bringing in stars such as Max Scherzer on lucrative deals. Today, I’m taking a look at the best free agent signings the Nationals have had at every offensive position.

Catcher: Kurt Suzuki (2019-2020)

While the Nationals don’t exactly have a long and storied history at the catcher position, they have had some solid ballplayers come along throughout the years, and Kurt Suzuki was the definition of solid in his time in DC. Signed to a 2-year, 10 million contract before the 2019 season, Suzuki split the catching duties with Yan Gomes (who was acquired via a trade with Cleveland that same offseason), catching 85 regular-season games total that year and posting a 105 wRC+ and 0.5 fWAR.

Perhaps more important than the surface stats for Suzuki were his clutch moments, such as his legendary 3-run shot off Edwin Diaz to cap a 7-run 9th inning comeback or his go-ahead homer in Game 2 of the World Series, and his veteran leadership, which no doubt also helped him land a big league managing gig with the Angels this offseason. While Suzuki never won any major accolades during his time in DC and never even really was the Nats’ primary catcher, his contributions to the franchise were a steal for his contract and will never be forgotten.

First Base: Adam Dunn

Like catcher, the Nationals haven’t exactly had a tradition of excellence at first base in their history, but it is filled with tons of solid ballplayers, such as Adam LaRoche, Michael Morse, and Nick Johnson. The problem, however, is that all of these men were acquired via trade rather than free agency, which leaves us with the Big Donkey, Adam Dunn, as the best free agent first baseman in Nats history. After 5 consecutive 40+ home run seasons, Dunn made the surprising decision to sign with the Nationals, who were coming off a 103-loss season, which was the worst in all of baseball.

While not a lot of great baseball was played by the Nats in those years, Dunn was one of the few bright spots, hitting 76 home runs and posting 4 fWAR in his 2 years with the club. While the bat remained consistent in his 2 years in DC, the defense vastly improved when he was moved to first base full-time in 2010 after one of the worst defensive seasons ever in left field in 2009. Overall, Dunn didn’t win awards or host a championship trophy like some other names on this list, but he was a fun ballplayer to watch during the infant years of the Washington Nationals.

Second Base: Daniel Murphy

Unlike catcher and first base, this is a rather easy decision, as Daniel Murphy is the best second base free agent signing in Nationals history, and one of the best bargains they’ve ever had at that. After a generational playoff run with the Mets in 2015, Murphy decided to join the division rival Nationals on a 3-year, 37.5 million contract, a decision that lost him a lot of his love from the fans in Queens.

While Murphy was seen as a solid high-floor second baseman who got hot for one postseason entering 2016, that all changed after his first season in DC, where he posted a 154 wRC+ and 4.7 fWAR, finishing 2nd in NL MVP voting in the process. He helped turn around the culture in DC after the 2015 Nationals collapsed despite a stacked roster, and was a fan favorite due to his goofy personality, encapsulated in his “fwah” catchphrase after home runs.

While he didn’t maintain his MVP-level performance in his final 1.5 years with the Nats, he was still an extremely productive ballplayer, posting a 135 wRC+ and 3.6 fWAR in 2017. Daniel Murphy ranks high on my list of former Nationals who I wish had gotten to be around for the 2019 title run, because in his time with the Nats, he was critical in making them one of the strongest offenses in the National League.

Third Base: Jeimer Candelario

The Nats have remained largely in-house at the third base position in their history, going from two high draft picks in Ryan Zimmerman to Anthony Rendon from 2005 to 2019, with Yunel Escobar as a stopgap in 2015, and have bounced around between youngsters, such as Carter Kieboom and Brady House, and middling free agent signings, such as Starlin Castro and Maikel Franco, since. One name that sticks out despite their short tenure in DC, however, is Jeimer Candelario, acquired for 1 year, 5 million in the winter before the 2023 season after being non-tendered by the Tigers.

Coming off a disappointing 2022 season in which he posted an 80 wRC+, Candelario was mainly a rebound project for the rebuilding Nats, and rebound he did, posting a 118 wRC+ and 3.2 fWAR in 99 games before being flipped at the deadline to the Cubs for left-handed pitcher DJ Herz, one of the brighter young arms for the Nats currently. Candelario would sign a 3-year, 45 million contract with the Reds before the 2024 season, but would be released after posting -1 fWAR in 132 games for them in 2024 and 2025, making his resurgence for the Nationals in 2023 all the more peculiar. Nevertheless, Candelario was exactly what the Nationals needed him to be in his short stint with them, a productive ballplayer who returned a future big league asset in a trade.

Shortstop: Cristian Guzman

Shortstop is another difficult one to make a choice for, as all the best shortstops in Nats history have either been homegrown, such as Ian Desmond, or acquired via trade, such as Trea Turner and CJ Abrams. While not a flashy choice, Cristian Guzman played 550 games in a Nationals uniform across 6 seasons, posting 4.1 fWAR during that span. After spending the first 6 seasons of his career with the Twins, Guzman signed a 4-year, 16.8 million deal with the Nationals before their inaugural season in the nation’s capital.

After a shockingly bad 2005 in which Guzman posted a 48 wRC+ and -1.2 fWAR and missing the 2006 season due to injury, it looked like Guzman’s tenure in DC was heading towards disaster. That was until, after returning from injury late into 2007, Guzman looked like a brand new ballplayer, posting a 123 wRC+ and 1.4 fWAR in 46 games. He would continue it into 2008 as well, posting a 106 wRC+ and 2.8 fWAR in 138 games, earning himself a 2 year, 16 million extension with the club.

While Guzman’s numbers regressed in 2009 and 2010, he did have one major contribution to the ballclub, and that was being traded for Tanner Roark at the 2010 trade deadline from the Rangers. Not every free agent signing is going to be a Daniel Murphy, and sometimes, that’s just fine.

Left Field: Jayson Werth

One of the easier calls on this list, Jayson Werth signing a 7-year, 126 million contract with the Nationals before the 2011 season was laughed at by baseball fans at the time. 7 years, 808 games, 2 top 20 MVP voting finishes, and one legendary playoff walk-off home run later, it is now seen as a contract that shifted the culture of Nationals baseball for the better.

Not only was Werth a great baseball player (in the first half of his time in DC at least), he was also a great leader, responsible for teaching the blossoming Nats how to win and be accountable for one another. His prime in DC came from 2012 to 2014, where he posted 11.1 fWAR and posted at least an .840 OPS in all 3 years. Werth’s numbers and durability sprawled off in the final 3 years of his contract, but he had already paid off his contract with his clutch moments and leadership in the clubhouse.

Center Field: Rick Ankiel

Center field was an especially tricky one to pick for the Nats as as far as I can tell, the club has almost never had a starting center fielder acquired via free agency, with the position being filled almost entirely in-house or with players acquired in other methods, such as Denard Span via trade and Alex Call via waivers. Of the players who qualify here, Ben Revere and Willie Harris were not very good in their tenures with the Nats, making Rick Ankiel the winner almost by default.

Ankiel signed a 1-year, 1.5 million deal with the Nats before the 2011 season, and while his bat lagged behind, posting just an 82 wRC+, he played some mighty fine defense, resulting in a 1.2 fWAR in 122 games that season. While he’d lose his starting spot to the young, fiery Bryce Harper in 2012, Ankiel was a solid enough bench player for the club that season, posting an 81 wRC+ and hitting 5 home runs in 68 games. Over a total of 190 games with the Nats, Ankiel posted 1 fWAR, certainly nothing to write home about, but enough to qualify as the best Nationals center field free agent signing in their history.

Right Field: Gerardo Parra

With another position that is so thin in free agent signings, it’s only right to go with one of the hearts of the 2019 Nationals roster, even if the numbers weren’t quite there. The Nationals signed Parra in May of 2019 to help fill a hole on their injury-riddled roster, and he immediately made his presence known with a go-ahead grand slam against the Dodgers in one of his first games with the club. His playing time shrank as the club got healthier, but Parra was still one of the most essential players on the roster due to how loved he was in the clubhouse, as demonstrated by how his baby shark celebration caught on with the entire team. In 89 games for the 2019 Nats, Parra posted an 89 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR, being just what they needed both off the bench and in the clubhouse at that time. Parra would return to the Nats in 2021 and post -0.3 fWAR over 53 games, but this ranking is purely for his contributions during that magical 2019 season.

Designated Hitter: Jesse Winker

This was one of the closest calls between Jesse Winker and Josh Bell (just his 2025 season, as during his first stint, he was acquired via trade), but I am giving the edge to Winker due to slightly better production and lower expectations entering his season. Winker joined the Nats in 2024 after a disastrous 2023 season with the Brewers in which he posted a 67 wRC+ and 0.8 fWAR, and like Candelario the year before him, he was viewed as a bounceback candidate rather than a real threat in the lineup. Luckily for the Nats, Winker indeed found his old form in his half-season in DC, posting a 125 wRC+ and 1.4 fWAR in 101 games before being traded to the Mets at the deadline for right-handed pitcher Tyler Stuart, who is currently at Triple A for the Nationals. Winker was everything the Nats could’ve hoped for and more when they brought him in, providing great offense and a strong clubhouse presence before being flipped for future big league help at the trade deadline.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...-washington-nationals-best-offseason-signings

 

[Washington Nationals]

The Sonny Gray trade gives the Washington Nationals an idea of a potential MacKenzie Gore return

We saw the first major starting pitching trade of the offseason this afternoon when the St. Louis Cardinals sent veteran Sonny Gray to the Red Sox for prospects Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts. There are a lot of starters who could be on the block this offseason, including Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore, so this move has the potential to create a domino effect.

I want to take a look at what this move means for the Nats because there are a couple things to explore here. The first one is the simplest. This move likely takes the Red Sox out of the Gore sweepstakes. While Gray is not the surefire number two starter Red Sox fans have been clamoring for, I am not sure Gore is that either. If the Red Sox are going to make another pitching move, it would likely be for a proven number two starter like Joe Ryan.

It would be foolish to totally rule out the Red Sox pulling the trigger, but this move makes it much less likely. Gore and Gray were actually pretty similar pitchers in 2025. Both are high strikeout guys who have trouble limiting hard contact. They also had much better underlying numbers than their ERA’s which were in the 4’s.

For 2 years of control of 36 year old Sonny Gray, the Cardinals got a 50 FV prospect and a 25 year old former 50 FV prospect starter from the Red Sox. Gore had a similar 2025 to Gray (mid results but strong underlying numbers) and is younger and much, much cheaper pic.twitter.com/9a0gwj31gj

— Paul Cubbage (@PaulCubbage23) November 25, 2025

However, Gore is going to be more valuable on the trade market for three big reasons. The first one is that he is a lot younger than Sonny Gray. Gore will be going into his age 27 season while Gray will be entering his age 36 campaign. Obviously that means Gore has much more untapped potential and is not in any risk of age related regression.

The second big reason is money. MacKenzie Gore is way cheaper than Sonny Gray. According to MLB Trade Rumors’ estimate, Gore is set to make $4.7 million in arbitration this year. Even if that number is not exactly what he will make, it is in that ballpark.

Meanwhile, Sonny Gray is going to cost the Red Sox a pretty penny financially. In the trade process, Gray re-worked his contract and the Cardinals ate some cash to make things easier financially. However, Gray still won’t be cheap. There are a lot of moving pieces, but practically, the Red Sox are paying Sonny Gray $21 million for one year.

That is a lot of money and also brings us to our final point of difference which is team control. While the Red Sox technically have a mutual option for 2026, they are unlikely to pick up the option which would pay Gray $30 million for his age 37 season. So in reality, this is a one year deal.

MacKenzie Gore has another year of cheap team control in 2027 which makes him even more valuable. The dark cloud which is the upcoming CBA negotiations may make some teams wonder about the 2027 season, but the Nationals need to get a return that assumes games will be played that season. While MacKenzie Gore and Sonny Gray are about equal in terms of impact, Gore has some things going for him that make him more valuable in a trade.

Despite all of that, the Cardinals still got a nice return for Gray. They got two solid young pitchers. While Richard Fitts was the second piece, he is still an interesting arm. He is only 25 years old and has some MLB experience. The numbers do not jump off the page, but his stuff is good and has some developmental runway.

Richard Fitts (acquired by STL) is a young strike-throwing righty who flashed vastly improved stuff after joining the Red Sox. His 2025 season had glimpses of backend-rotation upside, but inconsistencies and injuries put a damper on his year

He is expected to be ready for Spring pic.twitter.com/iVQd0K53zB

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) November 25, 2025

Fitts is a high probability back of the rotation starter who has a chance to be a mid rotation guy if everything goes right. That is not bad for a second piece. If the Nats can get an arm like this as a secondary piece in a Gore trade I would be quite happy.

The biggest piece of the trade is left handed pitcher Brandon Clarke. He is listed as the Red Sox number five prospect on MLB Pipeline, but there are a lot of varying opinions around the southpaw. He had a ton of helium early in the season, but injuries and strike throwing concerns slowed down his hype train.

However, he is a left handed pitcher who can touch 100 and has an absolutely wicked slider that some scouts put an 80 grade on. That two pitch combination can absolutely carve up hitters when he is on his game. An optimist would say that Clarke has the raw stuff to be a high end starter one day.

22 year old LHP Brandon Clarke should NOT go unnoticed in this morning’s trade.

He possesses a 100 mph fastball, w/ a 70 grade slider. Elite K-stuff, needs to work on command.

Freak athlete. JUCO product. pic.twitter.com/9ddT2rbKfv

— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) November 25, 2025

However, the bear case is that he is a reliever. There are a lot of signs pointing in that direction. He walked over 6 batters per 9 last year and he only threw 38 innings. Clarke also has a lengthy injury history. There is also not much beyond the fastball and slider. In fact, he is most likely to be a reliever, but he could be a dominant one.

This is not a bad package for an expensive 36 year old on a one year deal who is coming off a season where his ERA was over 4. With that in mind, Gore is likely to fetch a top 70 prospect as a headliner as well as multiple interesting secondary pieces.

A package from the Cubs that consists of Jaxon Wiggins, Jonathan Long and James Triantos could be a deal that makes sense for both sides. Wiggins is that top 75 prospect to headline the package. Long is an MLB ready masher that can play first base and Triantos is a contact heavy guy who can be a decent big leaguer.

That is just a suggestion, but after the Gray trade, it is not an overly rich package. The offseason seems to finally be heating up lately. Paul Toboni has not done a whole lot yet, but I am confident that he is ready to strike and make some fun moves soon.

Source: https://www.federalbaseball.com/gen...ationals-idea-potential-mackenzie-gore-return