What was supposed to be a step forward season for the Washington Nationals turned into more of the same. The 2025 Nats limped to a 66–96 finish, extending their losing-season streak to six and falling further off track after a slightly more competitive 2024. Progress never came, and in July, the Nats ownership moved both longtime manager Davey Martinez and general manager Mike Rizzo out of the picture.
Now, with a new front office led by Paul Toboni and a new manager in Blake Butera, the Nationals hope to reset and finally start moving forward in 2026. Young players like CJ Abrams, James Wood, MacKenzie Gore and Daylen Lile showed signs of promise last season. But several others who were expected to be part of the core took a big step backward.
For the rebuild to finally gain traction under the new leadership, the Nationals will need better seasons from a few key players. Here are three who must take a leap in 2026.
Dylan Crews
After being drafted second overall out of LSU in 2023, the Nationals anticipated that Dylan Crews would be a cornerstone of the rebuild. Fans hoped the 23-year-old would blossom into a star outfielder, especially with his college teammate Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick in that same draft, already dominating in Pittsburgh. Crews debuted late in 2024 and came into 2025 with high expectations. But things didn’t go as planned. In 85 games, Crews hit just .208 with a .632 OPS and struggled to make consistent hard contact. He struck out 76 times while drawing just 24 walks.
He showed some flashes with 10 home runs, 17 stolen bases and steady defense in the outfield, but his overall offensive production fell well short of projections. A lingering oblique injury sidelined him for nearly three months, and he struggled to find his rhythm after returning, though signs of progress emerged later in the year. Through his first two seasons, he’s hitting just .211 in the big leagues.
A bounce-back in 2026 isn’t just possible for Crews. It’s expected. He’s too talented and too advanced as a hitter to keep scuffling for long. Injuries clearly played a role in stunting his rhythm last season, and an injury-free 2026 working with assistant hitting coach Andrew Aydt and the Nationals’ new analytically-minded staff could help him finally find his groove.
The focus will be on cleaning up his approach, particularly improving his chase and whiff rates, and getting back to driving fastballs in the air. Crews wasn’t drafted to be a bottom-of-the-order bat. The Nationals need him to start playing like the face of the franchise.
Keibert Ruiz
Keibert Ruiz, now 27 and once considered a key piece of the Nationals’ future, enters 2026 needing to prove he still belongs in that conversation. Acquired from the Dodgers in the 2021 Max Scherzer–Trea Turner trade, he signed an eight-year, $50 million extension in 2023. But the last two seasons have been rough. He hit .229 in 2024, then followed it up with a .247 average, just two home runs, and a .595 OPS over 68 games in 2025.
His defense presented a major concern as well. Ruiz ranked among the league’s worst in pop time, framing and blocks above average. He also dealt with multiple concussions that sidelined him for much of the year, raising questions about his ability to stay healthy behind the plate. At the dish, he rarely walked, chased too often and didn’t hit the ball with much authority, an unpalatable combination for the Nationals.
Nationals catchers, namely Ruiz and Riley Adams, struggled badly in 2025, but both are expected back in 2026. If Ruiz is cleared and ready to go, he’ll likely remain the starter to open the year. With a younger, more data-focused coaching staff and hopefully an injury-free season, the Nationals need Ruiz to step up and show he can still hold that role.
They gave him a long-term deal, and he was once a top prospect. Now he must clean up both sides of his game and become reliable again. It’s shaping up to be a make-or-break year. He needs to hit better, defend better and stay on the field. If he can’t, the Nats will be forced to explore other options, and that lengthy contract could quickly become something they have to work around.
Jake Irvin
Jake Irvin, 28, made 33 starts and logged 180 innings for the Nationals in 2025, showing durability but not much else. His 5.70 ERA ranked among the worst for qualified starters, and he finished the year with negative WAR. He also struck out just 124 batters, struggling to miss bats throughout the season. Opponents consistently squared him up, and he ranked in the bottom 10 percent of the league in several key categories, including whiff rate, xERA and hard-hit rate.
The Nationals' pitching staff as a whole ranked as one of the worst in the league, with both the rotation and bullpen ranking near the bottom in most categories. Fellow pitcher Mitchell Parker also regressed, making Irvin's struggles even more conspicuous within a group lacking consistency.
The home run issue proved especially glaring. Irvin gave up 38 long balls, setting a new single-season franchise record. He also floundered in the first inning, posting a 9.82 ERA in the opening frame alone, the worst mark in baseball. His velocity dropped from the year before, and his mechanics never looked quite right. The Nationals are hopeful that 30-year-old pitching coach Simon Mathews can help get him back on track.
Irvin does have value as a durable arm who can take the ball every fifth day, but Washington can’t keep running him out there if the results remain this poor. The team recently tendered him a contract, but it’s still unclear whether he’ll have a firm spot in the 2026 rotation. Next season will be crucial in determining whether he can truly contribute or will simply take up space.