We know that the Washington Nationals are looking to bring in some major firepower to bolster their lineup for 2025 and beyond. First base is going to be a position that the club definitely looks at, as the incumbent duo of Juan Yepez and Andres Chaparro is solid, but nothing special. The club has already been connected to Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, and have been somewhat connected to Pete Alonso of the Mets as well, but in case the Nats strike out on all of the big names, who are some buy-low options for the club at first base?
Josh Bell
Out of the 3 options in this piece, a reunion with Josh Bell might be the one that I would prefer the most, assuming the Nationals don't sign a bigger name like Alonso or Walker. Bell, who was once acquired by the Nats from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Christmas Eve of 2020, would make a ton of sense as a veteran stopgap for the club.
In 247 games in the Nation's Capital, Bell clubbed 41 homers and 145 RBIs, while accumulating a slash line of .278/.363/.483 with an .846 OPS. He has been good since then as well, and despite getting off to a slow start with the Miami Marlins in 2024, he found new life once being shipped to the Arizona Diamondbacks at the deadline, and had a .796 OPS in 41 games with them. We know Bell was a well-liked presence in the clubhouse, and the Nationals are no strangers to bringing back familiar faces. Give me a 31-year-old Josh Bell on a 2-year deal to hold down the fort until Yoyo Morales is ready, and I'll be more than content.
Carlos Santana
Typically, a guy who will be 39-years-old shortly after Opening Day in 2025 wouldn't be a significant free agent addition, and would normally even be a reach to make the club as a whole. However, Carlos Santana is not like most guys. He continues to defy the odds, and has put together a great career for a number of teams over the years.
Santana, who accounted for 2.5 WAR and a .749 OPS while clubbing 23 homers and 71 RBIs for the Minnesota Twins in 2024, would likely be able to be had for cheap on a 1-year deal, and his presence both in the lineup and clubhouse would be very valuable. He brings a winning mentality, and if things go south for the club in 2025, could likely be shipped to a contender at the deadline. As a switch-hitter with a lot of pop that also plays Gold Glove defense at first base, you could do a lot worse on a 1-year deal, like Joey Gallo...
Anthony Rizzo
Being fully honest here, this one would be strange to see, but I wouldn't mind it at all. While Anthony Rizzo's production has begun to drastically decline over the last couple years in the Bronx, it could help the Nationals in that he could likely be had for cheap, and would likely be open to a 1-year deal to repair some of his value.
Of course, we don't know what Rizzo has left in the tank at this point, but he did hit 32 homers in 2022, so perhaps there is still something there. As is the case with all 3 of the names on this list, Rizzo would be an ultimate boost to the clubhouse from a leadership standpoint, as the 34-year-old brings a championship pedigree from his title in 2016 with the Chicago Cubs. Out of the 3 options, this one would probably be my least preferred, but there is perhaps some familiarity with Davey Martinez as well from their time spent together on the Chicago Cubs.
Would you want to see the Nationals bring in one of these buy-low options at first base? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.