The 2025 season was a tough one for the Washington Nationals; there is no question about that. In the few years leading up to this year, the Nationals would trade away their star players to get a return on them, knowing they would not have a shot at re-signing them when they hit free agency. These players range from Max Scherzer to Juan Soto to Kyle Schwarber, and more.
The Nationals won it all in 2019, with their whole core intact, and with Stephen Strasburg healthy during that Postseason, who later won the World Series MVP. The Nationals, a Wild Card team, overcame significant challenges by defeating the National League's top team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the Division Series that year, following their Wild Card win. The Nationals had it all--then nothing.
We saw third baseman Anthony Rendon, a fan favorite, leave in Free Agency. It was painful to see a key part of the World Series team leave after winning.
Then the Covid season. It did not turn out well for the Nationals at all. We missed the playoffs, and the streak of playoff misses has continued since the 2020 season. The Nationals have had a history of trading away key players who they knew wouldn't re-sign with the team when they hit free agency. Instead of getting no return, they decided to trade and get the returns they could. The Nationals have made some great moves in trades, such as the Juan Soto deal. Yes, I know he had many years on his contract left, but the Nationals traded him at the right time, because later on, they wouldn't have been able to get the return they ended up getting as James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Mackenzie Gore's stock all would have risen by now.
The Nationals are not strong in many areas, they have key young core players, yet to hit their prime, such as James Wood. The Nationals, with their new hire of Paul Toboni need to build around their core, to build a winning culture like there once was in DC. That starts starting pitching, which the Nationals need much help with. Here are five starters the Nationals should target.
1. Max Scherzer
How about a familiar face coming back to the Nation's capital? Max Scherzer has an intense personality, a culture of winning, and a veteran presence that the Nationals could very much use next season on a one-year deal. Now in the World Series, the now 41-year-old still has stuff left in the tank. He is older now, and with his injury struggles this year (pitching and starting in only 17 regular-season games), speculations regarding his retirement have left people asking many questions, including, after a recent postseason postgame interview on FOX Sports, "I’m having too much fun," Scherzer described showing his drive to keep playing, especially if he is in good shape.
Scherzer boasts a history of success, consistently striking out batters, winning three Cy Young Awards, including two with the Nationals, and throwing two no-hitters in the same season. Most importantly, he helped the Nationals bring their first World Series Championship to DC. "Mad Max" would be a great mid-rotation starter.
2. Dylan Cease
He will be 30 once Opening Day comes in 2026, and Dylan Cease is just beginning his prime. He led all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts per nine innings this past year with 11.5. Consistently a pitcher who doesn't allow many runs, Cease is often above league average in ERA+, meaning he has a score above 100. This year, he was right on the brim, but just below league average with a 94 ERA+. But he is a pitcher who overperforms, can strike out batters, and has a history of success, including a huge 2022 season in which he posted a 14-8 record, a 2.20 ERA (180 ERA+), and 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
Hopefully, the Nationals will invest in their ace, allowing Toboni to build a winning culture from the start. Starting pitchers, of course, only pitch every five games, but it just takes one star player for more to come. Having pitched a no-hitter at Nationals Park in July 2024, and given that baseball players are highly superstitious, seeing him come to DC might be in the cards, because of the luck the stadium brings. Cease, with his incredible strikeout numbers would be a great addition to the front end of the pitching staff.
3. Ranger Suarez
Ranger Suarez has been on some great Phillies teams in recent memory. The Nationals are very familiar with him, as he has been with their National League East rival since the start of career in 2018. He is dominant on the mound and a fan favorite in Philadelphia--he will surely be one in DC. Consistently an above-league-average pitcher, he is also a strikeout machine. While he has struggled with a few injuries in recent years, he has maintained relatively good health. Suarez would make a great front-end starter to propel the pitching staff.
The Nationals need experienced pitchers, yes, these pitchers will cost the Nationals more money per year than what they have been paying their recent players, or what they would have to pay them if a star player were to become a free agent, like we saw in 2021 with Max Scherzer, and his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, the Nationals have a fresh mind and set of eyes at the helm of their front office in Paul Toboni. He helped build up the Boston Red Sox farm system to lead it to where it is now, with players who can help the Red Sox win for many years.
While this article focuses on free agent starting pitchers the Nationals should target, Toboni's scouting background can help the team draft extremely well and build a new core of up-and-comers contributing to the Nationals' future success. Veterans on the roster who have experience on winning teams and have won awards will help build that winning culture the Nationals had back when all the stars were on the team, from Bryce Harper to Juan Soto to Scherzer, and more. The Nationals need a refresh, and it starts with Toboni making moves to kick off their rebuild.