Washington Nationals Could Make Smart Move Targeting All-Star Slugger

The Washington Nationals are coming off another 71-win season and are looking to make sure that they take a step forward in 2025.

For the past two years, the rebuild of the Nationals has resulted in 71 wins. Despite being stagnant in the win column, last year did provide a reason to be optimistic about the future.

The young core of Washington is really coming along nicely with CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. leading the way. Abrams was able to make his first All-Star team, and Garcia had an All-Star caliber season overall.

In addition to those two proving themselves in the majors, the Nationals also have young potential stars in Dylan Crews and James Wood getting ready for what should be their first full season in 2026.

There is a lot to like in the lineup for Washington, but they could still use a little bit more to round out the roster.

One player who makes sense for them is designated hitter, J.D. Martinez. The right-handed slugger signed a bit late last offseason with the New York Mets, and the team was patient in bringing him up to the Majors.

By his standards, 2024 was a down season. In 120 games, he totaled a .235 batting average, 16 home runs, 69 RBIs, and a .725 OPS. The struggles could be attributed to the lack of prep in the offseason, which was a trend for players who signed just before the start of the season due to a strange offseason last year.

However, while being 37 years old and coming off a bad season could be a red flag, he was just one year removed from making the All-Star team with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

If Martinez can split the difference between 2023 and 2024 in terms of production, he would be a nice boost for the Nationals on offense.

Currently, Washington has a majority of their quality hitters as left-handed bats. The recent signing of Amed Rosario made a lot of sense for them, considering how well he can hit left-handed pitching.

Martinez would fit into that same type of idea. While at this stage in his career and coming off a down year, he would have to earn a full-time designated hitter spot. He could be utilized in a platoon role with Josh Bell at DH, and then have Bell at first base when Nathaniel Lowe needs a rest.

As the Nationals continue to try and fill out their roster and lineup, the six-time All-Star makes sense as a low-risk, high-reward veteran signing. If Martinez bounces back from a down 2024 campaign, he could make a positive impact on Washington.