The Washington Nationals are coming off of one of their most pivotal days in the last few years following yesterday's blockbuster deal with the Texas Rangers. While the Nationals have been waiting to find a suitor that would match their high asking price for months now, they finally found a match in the Texas Rangers.
Of course, that deal was centered around 2025 All-Star lefty MacKenzie Gore, who had long been looked at as one of the most talented pitchers that could be had via trade. While losing him certainly stings a lot and was disappointing to Nationals fans who envisioned him being part of the next contention window, it was a necessary move for the future of the organization.
But lost in the shuffle of yesterday's blockbuster was the fact that the Nationals actually made another move outside of just the Gore deal that had consequences for a longtime backstop who had been a mainstay for the club.
First of all, the Nationals claimed reliever Gus Varland off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday, but due to the team not having any spots remaining on the 40-man roster, they said goodbye to catcher Riley Adams, who was coming off the worst season of his career by a mile.
For his career, Varland owns a 4.82 ERA and 1.736 WHIP in 42 career games, which are not exactly the most impressive numbers to speak of, but nonetheless Varland will have an opportunity to compete for a bullpen spot in spring training. With the Nationals' bullpen situation pretty wide open, he definitely has a chance to crack the roster.
The simultaneous move was to designate catcher Riley Adams for assignment, who had long been the backup catcher for Keibert Ruiz, dating back to 2021. Adams posted just a .560 OPS in 83 games while failing to get his batting average above the Mendoza Line, finishing at .186 for the year. He also regressed defensively, and with the acqusition of Harry Ford, Adams became expendable.
Washington will roll into the 2026 season with Ford, Ruiz, and Drew Millas, who flashed a lot to end last season, all competing to factor into the equation at catcher. None of the 3 have proven much of anything to this point, so it will be interesting to see how things shake out. Adams will likely spend a lot of time with AAA Rochester, where he can stay ready in case he is called upon.
What do you think of the Gus Varland claim and the simultaneous Riley Adams DFA? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.