Looking Ahead: A guide to important dates for the Nationals offseason
As the MLB Postseason chugs onward, the Nationals have a trajectory-defining offseason ahead of them. Here's some dates any Nationals fan should know while tracking the moves they make.
What Nationals fans hope will be a busy offseason for the club has technically already begun, but it really kicks into gear after the World Series ends. Eligible players file for free agency the day after the World Series ends, and can begin signing contracts elsewhere four days later. Before that point, all contract options must be decided upon by either clubs, players, or both parties.
This season, the Nationals have three players approaching free agency in pitchers Trevor Williams, Patrick Corbin, and Jacob Barnes, while first baseman Joey Gallo is likely to also reach free agency, as his mutual option will almost certainly be bought out by the team for $2.5 million. None of the four are likely to receive the $21.05 million qualifying offer. Other players in the minor leagues will also be eligible for minor league free agency, including Adonis Medina, Erick Mejia, and Rochester closer Rico Garcia.
Five Nationals will be eligible for arbitration this upcoming offseason: Relievers Kyle Finnegan, Tanner Rainey, Derek Law, as well as infielder Ildemaro Vargas, all of whom are entering their third and final years of arbitration; and second baseman Luis García Jr., who enters his second of four arbitration years after qualifying for the Super 2 in 2023. Rainey and Vargas are potential targets to be non-tendered, which means that they are not offered a contract or arbitration and instead enter free agency. The deadline for non-tendering a player is mid-November. Any player who is tendered a contract must either come to an agreement with the team before mid-January, or submit a figure for a desired salary and proceed to an arbitration hearing against the team, who submits their own figure, in February. The arbitrators consider each side's argument and award the player either his submitted figure or the team's. It's unlikely the Nationals will enter arbitration with any of their players, as most arbitration-eligible players sign one-year extensions to avoid it well before a hearing is scheduled.
The Winter Meetings take place from December 9 to 12 this year in Dallas, Texas. During that time, several things happen. The draft order, for one, is determined. After selecting Dylan Crews 2nd overall in 2022, the Nationals were ineligible to select in the top 9 this past Draft. That's back on the table this year, as the Nationals finished with the fourth-worst record in MLB, and thus are given 13.25% odds to collect the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 Draft. It's advantageous to avoid drafting around fifth or sixth, as those are (obviously) lower value picks that still disqualify the team from selecting in the top 9 in 2026.
Another important Winter Meetings happening is the Rule 5 Draft, where teams can bring in players currently active in other organizations provided those players are not on the organization's secondary, 40-man roster. The Nats will have room to work with to add players to the 40-man once free agents file, and can continue to free up spots by designating players currently on the roster for assignment, and placing them on waivers in the process. Several of the team's top 30 prospect per MLB Pipeline are currently vulnerable to the Rule 5 Draft, most notably Robert Hassell III, one of the pieces included in the July 2022 trade that sent Juan Soto to the Padres. Him and any other eligible minor leaguers the Nationals wish to protect, must be added to the 40-man roster before the day of the Draft in order to be shielded from it.
Of course, the biggest feature of the Winter Meetings is the allure of deals being made. Trades, signings, and other negotiations are abuzz during this time, as it's one of the few times this many baseball players and executives all occupy the same space. Who are some players you think the Nationals should target this offseason, be it in free agency or via trade? Do you think the Nats will be active on the waiver wire? Who could be on the trading block from the organization's camp? Let us know your thoughts by replying to us on Twitter @DistrictOnDeck, or reaching out to me directly @TheOttSpot.