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Washington Nationals Offseason News, Rumors, 2023 Payroll, and more

By Nick Meyers

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 18: (L-R) Manger Dave Martinez #4, General Manager Mike Rizzo, and Principle Owner Mark Lerner of the Washington Nationals cheer during Ryan Zimmerman retirement ceremony before a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on June 18, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 18: (L-R) Manger Dave Martinez #4, General Manager Mike Rizzo, and Principle Owner Mark Lerner of the Washington Nationals cheer during Ryan Zimmerman retirement ceremony before a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on June 18, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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The 2022 season for the Washington Nationals is one to forget, and one a lot of fans have already chosen to forget. Juan Soto is no longer a National, and instead the franchise has opted for a plethora or young potential stars, headlined by CJ Abrams. While this strategy distributes the talent across multiple positions, there are still plenty of upgrades that need to be made before this team is competitive again. This Washington Nationals offseason is an important one.

The offense severely lacks power. Luke Voit projects to lead the team in Home Runs, but he is a streaky hitter. There is a possibility that breakout player Joey Meneses continues his torrid Home Run hitting pace, as he hit 13 long balls in just 56 games, but it is unlikely he keeps up a 40 Home Run season pace over the course of a full season. After that, you’re looking at Lane Thomas, who had a fine season offensively, hitting 17 Home Runs, but he is a very streaky hitter himself and prone to long cold streaks. This lineup needs to get more consistent production and more production top to bottom.

The pitching couldn’t have been worse, so in theory, it can only get better. You are hoping guys like Josiah Gray, MacKenzie Gore and Cade Cavalli all make big strides to contribute in 2023, while you’re hoping and conjuring magic to have Patrick Corbin not come anywhere close to his 2022 performance. The bullpen has issues too, as many do around the league, but there is some potential. You’ll need a couple of veteran arms to pair with the young guys and hopefully it solves some of the problems and depth issues they faced last season.

All of this may be a moot point, however, as the looming sale of the franchise presents the question of just how active will the Nationals be in this offseason? If not done soon, we may see another season of currently rostered players shouldering the load for 2023, as we previously outlined here. Here’s to hoping a sale is completed expeditiously so more moves can be made, but in the meantime, here’s the latest tracker for all moves, news and other updates for the Washington Nationals Offseason:

Washington Nationals 2023 payroll

Nationals 2023 projected payroll as of today: $78,631,831
Nationals 2023 projected payroll ceiling: $233,000,000 (Competitive Balance Tax Threshold)
Available to spend:  $154,368,169

While the Nationals have exceeded the CBT Threshold in years past, I don’t believe Mike Rizzo and company will do so this offseason, particularly with the team up for sale and the questions around the competitiveness of the team to begin with.

Nationals payroll via Sportrac

Washington Nationals Transactions

12/9/2022 – Signed RHP Trevor Williams to a Two Year Deal

12/7/2022 – Drafted RHP Thad Ward with First Pick in Rule 5 Draft

11/29/2022 – Signed OF Stone Garrett

11/29/2022 – Signed 3B Jeimer Candelario to a One Year Deal

11/18/2022 – Non-Tendered RHP Erick Fedde, 1B/DH Luke Voit

11/6/2022 – Sean Doolittle signed to Minor League Deal

11/6/2022 – Declined 2023 Mutual Option for DH Nelson Cruz

Washington Nationals Rumors

12/9/2022 – Nationals one of three teams to check in on RHP Seth Lugo

12/6/2022 – Nationals maintain interest in LHP Jordan Lyles

11/29/2022 – Nationals sign 3B Jeimer Candelario to One Year Deal

Washington Nationals Arbitration Eligible Players

  • Carl Edwards Jr.: $1.6MM
  • Luke Voit: $8.2MM – Non-Tendered
  • Erick Fedde: $3.6MM – Non-Tendered
  • Victor Robles: $2.5MM
  • Tanner Rainey: $1.5MM
  • Hunter Harvey: $1MM
  • Victor Arano: $1MM
  • Lane Thomas: $2.1MM
  • Ildemaro Vargas: $1.1MM
  • Kyle Finnegan: $2MM

Projected Arbitration Salaries via MLB Trade Rumors

Washington Nationals Free Agents

  • Nelson Cruz – DH – $16MM Mutual Option Declined
  • Will Harris – RP
  • Cesar Hernandez – 2B
  • Joe Ross – SP
  • Anibal Sanchez – SP
  • Steve Cishek – RP
  • Erasmo Ramirez – RP

Washington Nationals Top Prospects for 2023

  1. Robert Hassell III – OF
  2. Elijah Green – OF
  3. James Wood – OF
  4. Cade Cavalli – RHP
  5. Brady House – IF
  6. Cole Henry – RHP
  7. Cristhian Vaquero – OF
  8. Jarlin Susana – RHP
  9. Jake Bennett – LHP
  10. Jeremy De La Rosa – OF

Via MLB.com

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