These Are 3 Perfect Stopgap Solutions for Nationals to Pursue at First Base

The Washington Nationals should seriously consider signing one of these three first base options this winter.

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The Washington Nationals have had a busy offseason thus far, but that hasn't come on the player's side of things just yet.

Prior to the Winter Meetings taking place, they were able to pull off a trade for Harry Ford that featured shipping rising reliever Jose A. Ferrer out of town. And later, the Nationals made their first major league signing by bringing left-handed pitcher Foster Griffin back over from Japan.

While the bullpen is still a clear need, first base is something that has to be addressed. They don't seem ready to commit to a position change by second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. just yet, and the other internal options in place don't inspire much confidence.

Because of that, there's a good chance Washington will look to bring in another stopgap solution for the 2026 campaign as they assess how they want to address first base going forward. And if that's how they are going to play things, then these three players are perfect targets this winter.

Rhys Hoskins

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The former Philadelphia Phillies slugger looked like he was on his way to delivering a special season in 2025, but a thumb injury halted his year in the summer and limited him to only 90 games. Still, Rhys Hoskins flashed major improvement by increasing his slash line to .237/.332/.416 compared to the .214/.303/.419 mark he had in his first season with the Milwaukee Brewers. And the underlying metrics show that he could be a buy-low steal for a new team next year.

Always known to be a boom-or-bust type of slugger, Hoskins was able to hit the ball hard once again with a hard hit rate of 46.4% that was well above the league average. He also walks at a high clip with a double-digit walk percentage that adds to his offensive value.

Rhys Hoskins is having a GRAND ol' time 💪 pic.twitter.com/ki52J7gkDu

— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2024

He hasn't been a good defender throughout his career with a defensive runs saved figure of minus-six and an outs above average value of minus-13. But he did show improvement this year in limited action with plus-two defensive runs saved and one out above average.

If anything, Hoskins would add some pop to this lineup as a well-liked veteran presence in the clubhouse. And at an estimated market value of $7 million per season, per Spotrac, he could be worth it for the Nationals to take a chance on with a short-term deal.

Ty France

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Ty France might be the most interesting option out of this trio. And there's a chance he's the best one considering what he's done throughout his career and what he accomplished this year.

From 2020-23, he was primarily known as a bat-first guy with wRC+ numbers that were consistently
-- and most of the time -- well over the league average mark of 100. But he struggled at the plate in 2024 and was eventually designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners.

France reinvented himself in 2025 by becoming an elite defender, something he had never been throughout his career. Not only did he win the Gold Glove Award, but he was worth a staggering plus-nine in defensive runs saved and plus-10 in outs above average.

Your 2025 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Winner - AL First Base - Ty France#RawlingsGoldGloveAwards pic.twitter.com/ZEiQoB88dl

— Rawlings Baseball (@RawlingsSports) November 3, 2025

There's a chance France never gets his bat back to what it once was. While he finished with a slash line of .257/.320/.360 this past season, he only hit seven total home runs with 52 RBIs, a far cry from the double-digit longball output he produced from 2021-2024.

So bringing in the 31-year-old might not produce impressive results like many in the fanbase might want. But for an estimated $1.7 million salary, per Spotrac, taking a flyer on someone whose offense might return along with a newfound ability to field his position could pay dividends in 2026.

Paul Goldschmidt

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There's no doubt Paul Goldschmidt is no longer the MVP-winning player he once was, but that doesn't mean he can't still be effective for a new team, as he showed in his age-37 season with the New York Yankees this year.

While he slowed down as the campaign wore on, he still finished with a slash line of .274/.328/.403 with an OPS+ that was four points above the league average of 100 to go along with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs.

Paul Goldschmidt comes off the bench and ties the game! pic.twitter.com/S91tgrEFIX

— MLB (@MLB) May 14, 2025

At this point in his career, Goldschmidt is much more effective when facing left-handed pitching. He slashed .336/.411/.570 with a wRC+ of 169 against lefties compared to .247/.289/.329 with a wRC+ of 74 against righties, so he might be looking at a platoon if Washington does sign him.

However, that might not be the worst thing in the world if they are seriously considering a full-time change for the left-handed-hitting Garcia or if they want to ease 21st-ranked prospect Yohandy Morales into the bigs.

While Goldschmidt would be on the more expensive end of things at a projected salary of $7.2 million, per Spotrac, adding his veteran leadership and ability to be effective even in a platoon split could benefit the team going forward.