Is Josh Naylor Actually a Better Fit at First Base for Nationals Than Pete Alonso?
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One of the things the Washington Nationals need to solve this offseason is first base.
They acquired Nathaniel Lowe this past winter with the idea that he would be their man at the cold corner for the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, giving time for some young players in their farm system to emerge as the long-term options at that position.
But the Nationals shocking decided to designate Lowe for assignment and release him before his first year with the team was complete, putting the team in a tough spot going forward when it comes to who will man that spot in the infield.
With Josh Bell also becoming a free agent, Washington will have to bring in another player to fill that opening, which of course has people dreaming about landing the star slugger that is Pete Alonso. However, this year's free agency class is not devoid of high-profile names, so even if they don't pry the power-hitting first baseman away from their division rivals, the Nationals could still land a big fish.
Josh Naylor Might Be Perfect Fit for Nationals
Someone who falls into that category is Josh Naylor, the power hitter of the Seattle Mariners who was a headlining deadline acquisition after the Arizona Diamondbacks fell out of contention. And while Alonso is the name many in this fanbase might like to land, Sam Sallick of Federal Baseball laid out a case for why it could be Naylor who is a target of Paul Toboni instead.
"... I am not sure an analytically minded guy like Toboni would splash the cash on a first baseman over 30. Naylor seems more realistic. He is only 28 years old and would be cheaper than Alonso. Naylor is coming off a big year where he hit close to .300 while hitting 20 homers and stealing 30 bases despite his 2nd percentile sprint speed. There will be a lot of suitors for Naylor, but the Nats should be in the market," he wrote.
Whether or not they are will be seen, but this free agency class seems to be much better than last year's considering Alonso and Christian Walker were the two key guys alongside the aging Paul Goldschmidt.
And because Walker was largely a bust in his first season with the Houston Astros while Alonso delivered another great performance for the New York Mets, there's a good chance that Alonso gets his lucrative deal this time around.
If that means Naylor is becomes someone the Nationals can land, it's hard to be upset with that.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai