Nationals Should Take Chance on Gold Glover to Upgrade Infield Defense

Signing this player would upgrade the Washington Nationals' defense.

Ramon Urias of the Houston Astros | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

One thing the Washington Nationals have to figue out is their first base situation.

Right now, the organization seems comfortable going into spring training and seeing how things work out following the preseason prep period. They signed Matt Mervis and Warming Bernabel to minor league deals to compete with Andres Chaparro. Top 30 prospect Yohandy Morales is also a non-roster invitee to big league camp, so he could make a push for a role.

There's also the looming possibility of a position change for Luis Garcia Jr., the second baseman who was once viewed as a franchise cornerstone at the keystone before he struggled mightily at both the plate and in the field.

By moving him to first base, the Nationals would be able to keep the upside of Garcia's bat in the lineup while limiting the damage he does on the defensive end. But if Washington were to make that shift permanent, then they would need to give themselves another option at second base.

Nationals Should Consider Signing Ramon Urias

Ramon Urias of the Houston Astros | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

That's where Ramon Urias comes into play. The Gold Glove winner in 2022 is still a free agent after the Houston Astros decided to non-tender him a contract earlier in the offseason. And while he has been inconsistent on offense throughout his career, he also has an OPS+ that is four points above the league average of 100.

Where his value would really come into play for the Nationals would be on the defensive end. If Garcia were to be moved to first base on a more regular basis, then using Urias at the keystone would be a great option when it comes to improving the team's defense.

While the majority of Urias' experience has come at third base, he also has played in 108 major league games at second and has an impressive plus-11 defensive runs saved there to go along with a plus-two in outs above average.

Ramón Urías - Baltimore Orioles (8)
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— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) July 29, 2025

Washington seemed to be searching for defensive versatility along the infield when they claimed Mickey Gasper off waivers. But after adding Richard Lovelady via a separate waiver claim, they lost Gasper and will have to search for other options when it comes to multi-purpose infielders.

Urias would not only give the Nationals an elite defender across multiple spots on the dirt, but he also has proven to be a much better hitter in the MLB than Gasper and Nasim Nunez, the latter of whom is expected to have a major role in 2026.

To land Urias, Washington will have to open up their checkbook a bit. However, he shouldn't break the bank considering he was expected to receive around $4 million via arbitration before he was non-tendered by the Astros.

All in all, the 31-year-old is someone the Nationals should seriously look into adding this offseason. Not only would he improve their infield defense as a utility man. But if the team wants to move Garcia over to first base, then they would also potentially have a starting second baseman on a bargain for the 2026 season.