Nationals Reveal Wonky Outfield Plan After Surprising Roster Decision

The Washington Nationals had an interesting decision to make when their outfield became crowded, and it seems as though they will rotate all their options.

Jul 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Washington Nationals interim manager Miguel Cairo looks on before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals have put themselves in an intriguing position heading into the latter portion of the 2025 season.

With the franchise deciding to move on from Nathaniel Lowe after designating him for assignment, there has been a roster shakeup both at first base and in the outfield.

As rising star Dylan Crews returns from the injured list, things have become rather wonky in the lineup heading into their next few matchups. With the outfield now consisting of five different options, and first base having two options to replace Lowe, the question arises: who will be utilized and who will be depth options?

Interim manager Miguel Cairo recently discussed their options following the Lowe move and return of Crews, which makes for a really odd decision in the short-term as his choice is different than anticipated.

The good news is that the team is now heavily focused on building around their young core over all else, which seems to be the best path forward.

With a deadline filled with offloading veterans and adding more talent to their farm system, the Nationals will be in for a long few years of building. But once their top players are fully ready for the MLB level, they could be a highly competitive franchise.

What Will the Nationals Do to Handle Their Outfield Logjam?

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One would assume that with Crews returning, Washington would have sent one of their outfielders back to Triple-A to let them continue to develop. However, the DFA of Lowe made it clear that this was not the case, and instead, the team will have all five outfielders remain on the roster.

In a report from Bobby Blanco of MASN, he stated that Cairo discussed the situation at hand, and that he said all five outfielders will be receiving playing time, with three in the outfield and one at designated hitter.

Additionally, he noted that Josh Bell and Paul DeJong will be playing first base with Lowe out of the picture.

The five outfielders referenced are James Wood, Dylan Crews, Daylen Lile, Robert Hassell III and Jacob Young. This makes for quite a predicament, but with Wood slated to get more work at designated hitter, odds are that he will stay there for the majority of his appearances this year.

As for the rest, they will have to fight over the remaining three spots, with one being benched each game.

This is an interesting way of handling things, but ultimately, it will give the team an idea of who among them deserves the spot based on production so they don't have to make the decision so early in their development.