Many questions remain in the depths of this Nationals offseason. Today, I will touch on the matter of the middle infield. The Nationals have many questions to answer at 2nd base. Will they run with Luis Garcia Jr, or Nasim Nunez? Will they build depth to the thin depth chart? Even more importantly, will they shift CJ Abrams to 2nd base, or trade him off? These are crucial decisions that must be made over the winter.
Who is the Current 2nd Baseman?
As of now, the 2nd baseman is projecting to be Luis Garcia Jr. However, it is not a flashy pick, nor is it a sure-thing. Garcia Jr. batted to a .252 Avg last season with a -6.5 Offensive Rating and a -3.9 Defensive Rating.
It is possible that the Nationals could side with defense at the position, allowing the staff to elevate Nasim Nunez as the starting shortstop. In 2025, Nunez batted in a .239 Avg with a .699 OPS. Nunez did steal 9 bases, which was something nice to see. The best value-add that her offers is his defense — +3.9 Defensive Rating, per Fangraphs.
Jose Tena is going to be a utility that can play both 2nd and 3rd base. He played 50 Games in 2025 with a .243 Avg and a .673 OPS. Tena had a defensive rating of 0.3. He is much more likely to be a utility piece as Nunez would leverage himself in the depth chart with his defense, hopeful to compete with Garcia Jr.
Would CJ Abrams Make the Move to 2nd Base?
It has been long discussed that Abrams could move to 2nd base. This would shakeup the infield quite a bit. If this were to happen, we may see someone like Nunez at shortstop. The Nationals have no prospects at the position that are due up anytime soon. In moving Abrams, they would be running the position thin.
The common expectation is that Abrams is probably going to stay at shortstop. This seems to be the theme when Paul Toboni and Blake Butera have had the matter brought up.
Trade Market: CJ Abrams
In a recent article piece by Jeff Passan of ESPN, he projected the trade probability of many top MLB players. He listed off Abrams as an option, but at 35%. This implies that he would stay for the start of the season, and I would agree with him.
The Nationals can surely get moderate returns for Abrams, but it would be a risky move. They need to secure their infield, and to keep Abrams would be the most move in the short-term. The concern around Abrams has been his defensive metrics. He had a -3.3 Defensive Rating in 2025, per Fangraphs. Abrams also batted in at an average of .255. He stole 31 bases, but this only matters so much when considering all necessary factors into what constitutes a valuable baseball player.
Free Agency Rumors: Middle Infield
There are no real free agency rumors lingering. This is even more of a reason to expect Abrams at Shortstop, alongside Garcia Jr/Nunez at 2nd base. We will keep our ears peeled to any new rumors that may arise in the coming weeks/months.
How do you think the Nationals should model their 2026 infield? Let me know on X @jetbets17