Following the addition of former Washington National Josh Bell and the acquisition of Nathaniel Lowe from the Texas Rangers, the Nationals' lineup will look considerably different in 2025. Are the Nats done adding hitters in free agency? Time will tell, but for now, we can project the Nationals' starting lineup for Opening Day 2025.
My Starting Lineup Projection
1. CJ Abrams, Shortstop 2. Dylan Crews, Right Field 3. James Wood, Left Field 4. Nathaniel Lowe, First Base 5. Josh Bell, Designated Hitter 6. Luis Garcia Jr., Second Base 7. Jose Tena, Third Base 8. Keibert Ruiz, Catcher 9. Jacob Young, Center Field
The additions of Bell and Lowe could add 30-40 home runs to a lineup that struggles to hit for power in 2024. The team struggled in almost every hitting category. In 2025, the Nats look closer to competing, but development is still at the forefront. CJ Abrams, Dylan Crews, and James Wood lead the charge of youth in D.C. The Nats need to get these three players as many at-bats in the 2025 season as possible. Why? They are the future of the franchise. Crews and Wood are still in the early stages of their Major League careers, arguably the most critical phase in the big leagues. It's the time for them to establish themselves as capable players. They should be playing just about every day.
Question marks begin to arise in the 7-8-9 parts of the batting lineup. Can Jose Tena manage third base defensively? Will Keibert Ruiz live up to his contract? Will Jacob Young be a Washington National for long? Tena is a fascinating player who can handle the bat well but struggles in the field. His natural position is second base, but Luis Garcia Jr. is coming off a career-season. Garcia Jr. should have second base locked up. Tena saw time at third base in the 2024 season but struggled. The Nats will likely give Tena another shot at the hot corner in 2025, but the stint could be short-lived. Another fascinating situation is Keibert Ruiz, who signed an 8-year extension with the Nats before last season. While the yearly AAV is not high, it was the largest contract the Nats had given out in years. Ruiz must pan out.
For the first time in a few years, there's more certainty surrounding the Nationals' lineup than questions. Abrams, Crews, Wood, Bell, Lowe, and Garcia Jr. will likely be in the lineup daily, providing the Nats with consistency, unlike in previous seasons. This could leave no excuse for coach Davey Martinez and his staff, who have struggled since the World Series victory in 2019. The notion of "no power" in the lineup has been squabbled a bit with the additions of Bell and Lowe. It's time for the Nationals to take a significant step forward in every hitting category, starting with the coaching staff.