Washington Nationals ‘Team To Keep Eye On’ With Talented Emerging Young Core

The Washington Nationals have been in a lengthy rebuild since winning the World Series in 2019.

In the five subsequent seasons, they haven’t come close to making the playoffs with back-to-back 73-win campaigns being the most over that stretch. Brighter days are on the horizon, but the team still has some work to do to become viable playoff contenders in the National League.

This offseason has been calculated, as a few much-needed upgrades were made to the lineup but several needs remain to be addressed.

That is part of the reason why contributors at MLB.com have kept the Nationals at No. 25 in their inaugural New Year power rankings.

“All the young up-and-comers in Washington -- including those acquired in the Soto trade -- look like they’re only a year or two away from making the Nats a hipster pick to make a move in the NL East. But the Nats have taken a measured approach so far this offseason, bringing in the likes of Josh Bell, Nathaniel Lowe, Amed Rosario and Michael Soroka. Keep an eye on these guys, though,” wrote Will Leitch.

Those veterans will be much appreciated on what is a very young roster. Their presence in the clubhouse will benefit the team in the long run as their core will learn how to carry themselves as Major Leaguers and they have experienced various levels of success in their careers.

Given the current state of their salary cap, it is certainly possible that general manager Mike Rizzo will spend some more money to continue adding upgrades.

The bullpen could use some help after closer Kyle Finnegan was non-tendered earlier in the offseason and Robert Garcia was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Nathaniel Lowe. There are few relief pitchers locked into roles for 2025 and even fewer with any late-game experience.

Adding established veterans would certainly be nice, but they have to be convinced that the team is heading in the right direction to commit long-term. For that to happen, the young players Leitch mentioned need to continue their development.

Shortstop CJ Abrams was an All-Star in 2024 but fell off in the second half and ended the campaign demoted after reportedly missing curfew. His defensive woes could also lead to a positional change but the bat should play.

Left fielder James Wood made his MLB debut on July 1 and immediately locked down the everyday job. Opposite of him in right field will be No. 1 overall prospect Dylan Crews, who also made his debut in 2024 but wasn’t nearly as successful.

Second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. took his performance to another level, combining with Abrams as one of the best middle infield duos.

On the mound, MacKenzie Gore has ace potential. Jake Irvin has been solid thus far and Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz had good rookie campaigns, filling unexpectedly big roles.

Depending on how things go in the first half, Washington could turn into a team to keep an eye on ahead of the trade deadline. If they get off to a hot start, Rizzo has the means to be aggressive in seeking upgrades.