These Four Washington Nationals Players Are Still Competing for Final Bench Spot

There are several players still in the mix for the final spot on the Washington Nationals bench for the Opening Day roster.

Aug 22, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals designated hitter Juan Yepez (R) celebrates with Nationals third baseman José Tena (8) after hitting a three run home run against the Colorado Rockies during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals have had a few very intriguing positional battles at camp this year at spring training.

All eyes have been on the pitching staff, where incredible depth has been put together.

But there are only five spots available in the Opening Day starting rotation and there are going to be players who miss the cut.

Right now, MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin, Michael Soroka and Trevor Williams look like locks. Free agent addition Shinnosuke Ogasawara was told he would have a shot to compete for the job against youngsters DJ Herz and Mitchell Parker.

The fifth spot in the starting rotation isn’t the only one on the 26-man roster up for grabs with about two weeks remaining until Opening Day.

In the lineup, there is a hotly-contested battle going on for the final spot on the team’s bench.

As things currently stand, veteran free agent signing Amed Rosario is locked in as a super utility player. He is going to help at second base, third base and shortstop, while also being able to play the outfield.

His $2 million contract essentially guarantees him a spot on the roster, too.

Alex Call looks to be leading the way as the fourth outfielder behind James Wood, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews.

Then there is the backup catcher battle behind starter Keibert Ruiz taking place between Riley Adams and Drew Millas.

There is going to be a lot taken into consideration when manager Davey Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo discuss who will be the final player on the bench.

“The 26th man is going to be interesting,” the skipper said, via Mark Zuckerman of Masn. “When you look at it, there’s really no (regulars who need to be) pinch-hit. We’ll see. I’m going to sit down with Riz next week and go over some different things that we might want to do. But for the most part, the (regulars) are going to play.”

If the Nationals are looking for some speed, Nasim Nunez will provide that as someone who can provide more insurance as a middle infielder defensively.

With Paul DeJong looking like the starter at third base out of the gate, someone like Jose Tena could be in consideration as a left-handed complement to create a platoon.

Andres Chaparro has shown some power potential, but he doesn’t possess the defensive versatility that the other players he is competing against have.

Versatility is what Juan Yepez worked hard on this offseason, losing a little weight so he can play more effectively on the defensive end. He can play both corner infield spots and corner outfield positions, offering excellent versatility.

Based on the credentials and track record, Yepez is probably the leader in the clubhouse right now for that final spot.

But, anything can happen over the next few days as one injury or hot streak could change how Martinez and Rizzo view things.