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A Washington Nationals Christmas Wishlist

By Nick Meyers

WASHINGTON DC, USA - DECEMBER 17: People dressed up as Santa Clause during SantaCon Day in Washington DC, United States on December 17, 2022. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON DC, USA - DECEMBER 17: People dressed up as Santa Clause during SantaCon Day in Washington DC, United States on December 17, 2022. (Photo by Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) /
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2. Nationals Sign a Legitimate Power Bat

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 02: Michael Conforto #30 of the New York Mets watches after hitting a ball deep for a home run during the eighth inning of the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 2, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 02: Michael Conforto #30 of the New York Mets watches after hitting a ball deep for a home run during the eighth inning of the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 2, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /

Alright, now we get down to the nitty gritty. It’s actually promising what Mike Rizzo has been able to accomplish this offseason under the circumstances. But the one move the Nats have not made as of yet is one for a power bat in the lineup. And before you even ask, no, Matt Adams does not count.

The decision to non-tender Luke Voit, while understandable, made an already low-power lineup even more low on power. Right now, Joey Meneses projects to be your best power hitter, and while he had a phenomenal stretch, it would not surprise me to see regression in 2023. After Meneses, I don’t see anyone currently on the team hitting more than 20 home runs. Candelario could, but if he is on pace to exceed that mark, I would hope they would trade him at the deadline.

For a team with not much power in their lineup and not many assets to presumably sell at the deadline (although they have more now than they did at the end of the season), signing a high upside power bat seems like a no brainer. And the best news is there are still plenty of reasonable options available! For this wishlist entry, we’d accept:

  • Michael Conforto
  • Wil Myers
  • Adam Duvall

Sure none of these players are franchise players, but we’re looking for players that are looking to re-establish their value in hopes of a longer, more lucrative deal next offseason and these three fit the bill. All of them have a 30 home run season in their career and are arguably still in their prime.

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