Best and Worst-Case Scenarios for the Nationals During the 2025 MLB Season
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Opening Day has finally arrived in Major League Baseball, and the Washington Nationals are in a spot that has been rare during their rebuild; they have hope.
Not hope where they can win another World Series title, but hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to their potential to get back to competing in the division and on the national stage once again.
A lot of that stems from their young players.
MacKenzie Gore will get things started on Opening Day with his sights set on taken a step forward in his career. Superstar prospects James Wood and Dylan Crews will be with the team from Game 1 this time around. CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. will try to cement their status as cornerstone infielders.
Those four will drive the majority of feelings that will come from this season.
If they all succeed, then the 2025 campaign will be a win no matter how many victories the Nationals have at the end of the year.
If they falter, then alarm bells could be going off throughout the building.
So, what are the best and worst-case scenarios for Washington this season?
Best Case
Crews is listed as the second-favorite to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award coming into the season, and if he is able to contend for that honor, then that is a huge win for the franchise.
The play of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft is the thing that will determine a "successful" year for the Nationals.
There's reason to believe he'll take a step forward despite the struggles he had in limited action last season. His pedigree presents a massive ceiling, and while there are stories throughout history where talented prospects don't reach their full potential, his profile suggests he'll become a star for Washington at some point during his career, let alone the entire league.
20 homers and at least a league average OPS+ of 100 would be a good start.
Anything above that would be a bonus.
But it doesn't start and end with Crews.
Adding to the best-case scenario for Washington is Gore having a sub-4.00 ERA and putting together back-to-back seasons with an ERA+ above the league average while staying healthy. Wood avoiding a sophomore slump would be huge after he impressed everyone when he was called up to The Show in 2024.
Consecutive All-Star selections for Abrams would be massive, and Garcia earning one himself would be incredible.
Folding other top prospects into the mix like Robert Hassell III and Brady House and seeing them succeed would be the cherry on top.
It's all about development for the Nationals, and if the young players look like they belong, then that is exactly what the organization needs in 2025.
Worst Case
The inverse is if none of that happens.
Crews struggles to adapt to Major League pitching, being a below average player that might even force the decision makers to send him back down to the minors to figure things out. Gore's inconsistencies pop up again and it seems like Washington doesn't have a true ace. Wood struggles now that opposing pitchers have more data on him. Abrams regresses at the plate and Garcia turns back into the past version of himself.
All of that would be a nightmare for the Nationals.
Success won't be measured in Washington regarding the results of the games, but if their expected cornerstones aren't able to take the next steps in their careers, that is the worst thing that can happen this season.
