In an article posted on Bleacher Report by Kerry Miller just a couple days ago, he made his latest batch of predictions for the next crop of MLB free agents since a couple of the top names like Juan Soto and Max Fried are off the board.
While the Washington Nationals have been tied to some of the remaining big names like Anthony Santander, Alex Bregman, and even Pete Alonso, there is one name that they have been connected to the most. That would be Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker, who seemingly checks all of the boxes that the Nationals need moving forward. We know that the team has already made their interest known in the veteran, and he checks a ton of boxes for this club.
Between the team's utter lack of power and not having any sort of established veteran protection in the lineup to support Dylan Crews, James Wood, CJ Abrams, and the other young Nationals' hitters, Walker would be an immediate fit in that regard. He also provides Gold Glove defense in the field as well, which is a very underrated part of his fit for the Nationals. Due to shaky defense from CJ Abrams, Luis Garcia Jr., and whoever the team decides to play third base, having a steady presence at first base like Walker would be a welcome addition.
Here is what Miller had to say regarding the fit of Walker, and what it would likely take for the Nationals to secure his services among other teams: "The Yankees are probably the best bet here given their first-base situation, but this could be a fantastic spot for the Washington Nationals to join the offseason proceedings with perhaps a modest overpay." He then goes into further detail about the leadership aspect that Walker could bring, "Not only have the Nats needed a first baseman for a while now, but Walker could be the veteran leader of a roster where possible closer Derek Law (34) and reserve outfielder Alex Call (30) are the only players not in their 20s."
These are very key points, but as Miller also noted, the potential for Walker's production to begin to fall off given his age is definitely a very real possibility. He noted that Paul Goldschmidt and Jose Abreu, who both suffered a major regression from their career numbers in their age 36 seasons, could serve as a warning for any team looking to sign Walker. However, I would still love the fit of Walker with the Nationals, but 3 years, $75 million (as predicted by Miller) could be a steep price.
Do you think the Nationals should overpay for Christian Walker? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.