In a season in which the Nationals are once again racking up more losses than wins, there have been positive developments across the roster. Although Washington has continued to be reluctant to dish out any major contracts, three decisions stand out among the smartest to have been made so far this season.
Trading for Nathaniel Lowe
It's no secret that the Nationals have had a derth of slugging upside for the last few years. Entering the season, the Nationals haven't had more than one player hit 20 home runs in a season since 2021. Over that span, only one hitter slugged more than 21 homers in a year (Lane Thomas, with 28 in 2023).
James Wood is already more than halfway to 20 home runs through only 42 games. However, he's not the only player who's well on his way to eclipse the seldom-matched milestone. For perhaps the first time since trading Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres three seasons ago, the Nationals have a formidable hitter at first base.
Nathaniel Lowe hasn't had his best season so far, as many of his efficiency metrics are lower than normal. However, his isolated slugging percentage is the highest it's been since 2022, and it's safe to assume that his batting average and on-base percentage will increase considerably soon.
For a team with no obvious answers on the horizon at first base, Lowe's production has been a welcome addition to the everyday lineup. He's also affordable with some club control beyond 2025. Lowe will be paid less than $11 million this season, and he's also under contract next year.
Moving Rutledge and Henry to the bullpen
Through a month and a half of the 2025 season, these two former high draft picks have seen career resurgences after moving from the starting rotation to the bullpen. Jackson Rutledge and Cole Henry, a pair of hard-throwing right-handed pitchers, have both experienced their share of injuries since becoming professional players. The hope is that by moving them to the bullpen, their workloads can be monitored more easily. So far, they've both been effective in their new roles.
Rutledge, the no. 17 overall pick in 2019, had gotten a couple cups of coffee as a major league starter. His results had been mixed, though, and his Triple-A production had been even rougher. Whereas the early portion of his career was mired with injuries, he'd simply struggled to pitch well more recently. In fact, aside from the 12-game portion of 2023 that he spent in Double-A, he had struggled mightily in the minor leagues since 2019 - with an ERA of 4.40 or higher each year.
For Henry, health has been essentially the only obstacle. Even his 2023 data in Double-A is heavily skewed by a game that he reportedly pitched after having been sick. Unfortunately, the 2020 second-round selection has struggled to stay on the mound. He struggled through multiple arm injuries, which ultimately led to thoracic outlet surgery. Since he'd become a two or three inning starter anyway, it was logical to move him to the bullpen.
Both first-time relief pitchers currently boast ERAs not far above 3.00, and they're each striking out more than a batter per inning. Aside from their somewhat elevated walk rates, they've been among Washington's most effective bullpen arms, and are gradually growing into higher-leverage roles.
Signing Amed Rosario
The signing of utilityman Amed Rosario for one year and $2 million wasn't met with particularly favorable opinions. After a pair of productive seasons at the plate in 2021 and 2022, his last two seasons were less favorable. Considering the team's most glaring hole for Rosario to fill was at third base, he falls well short of the offensive upside you'd like to see, particularly from a slugging perspective.
Rosario's career-high in home runs came back in 2019 (and that was only 15), and he hasn't reached double figures in this category since 2022. He's also had glaring platoon splits throughout his career. Whereas he's been 26 percent better than average from the plate against left-handed pitchers, he's 11 percent below average against righties.
Nothing has overwhelmingly changed for Rosario. He's hitting for a solid average with fairly negligible power, and he's been much more productive against southpaws. What's helpful, though, is that his tendencies are obvious and can therefore be managed. Most of the right-hander's plate appearances have come against lefties, which pairs nicely in a lineup that is stacked with opposite-sided hitters.
Let's not get it twisted; the Nationals absolutely could've benefitted from signing a more impactful hitter. However, signing Rosario still appears to have been a very cost-effective move that allows him and other infielders to be used in matchups that are most favorable for them.
What do you think? Are there other moves that have stood out to you from a positive perspective? Let me know at @stephen_newman1 on X.