Washington Nationals Were Able To Avoid Arbitration With Two More Young Stars

Two more of the Washington Nationals arbitration-eligible players avoided having to go to hearings with the club.

Apr 4, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray (40) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park. | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Washington Nationals were busy on Jan. 9, 2025, as the deadline to agree to deals with arbitration-eligible players and avoid having to go to a hearing was that afternoon.

Deals were being reported all throughout the day, as news trickled in even after the 1 p.m. ET deadline of agreements.

Two of the players that news came in later of were second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. and starting pitcher Josiah Gray. Both players were able to get something worked out to avoid arbitration.

According to Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston, Garcia and the team agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal. That is a nice raise on the $1.95 million he earned while playing in 2024 and one that he deserved.

The 24-year-old had a breakout campaign, setting career highs in hits (141), doubles (25), home runs (18), stolen bases (22) and RBI (70). His advanced stats are all heading in the right direction, as he was hitting the ball harder and lifting it more often with line drives and fly balls.

Garcia has cemented his status as one of the core pieces of the foundation moving forward, as he improved defensively at second base as well.

Gray is set to earn $1.35 million according to Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. This was his first year being arbitration-eligible, but he was unfortunately unable to make the most of it because of injury.

He pitched only 8.1 innings in 2024, a disappointing outcome following being named an All-Star in 2023. Acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Max Scherzer and Trea Turner blockbuster in 2021, he should factor into the starting rotation mix once he is healthy enough to return.

Starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore, relief pitcher Derek Law and catcher Riley Adams all agreed to deals to avoid arbitration as well the day of the deadline. Back in November, relief pitcher Mason Thompson also agreed to a deal.

The only player whom the team was unable to come to an agreement with was newly acquired first baseman Nathaniel Lowe.

The two sides have swiped figures, as the former Texas Rangers standout filed for a salary of $11.1 million and the team countered with $10.3 million. Projections from earlier in the offseason had him at $10.7 million, dead in the center of both proposals.