The Washington Nationals have been active in the free-agent market recently, but will the spending continue? The organization recently added starting pitchers Mike Soroka and Trevor Williams and sluggers Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell. Soroka, Williams, and Bell were free-agent acquisitions, and Lowe was acquired through trade from the Texas Rangers.
Two big-name free agents, Alex Bregman and Anthony Santander, fit the Nationals' needs. Bregman provides consistency both in the field and at the plate. Santander would bring power to the lineup that Washington has lacked for the past three seasons. Do the Nationals have a chance to bring either of these players to Washington? In short, no. Let's discuss why.
Washington's front office has shown little to no willingness to spend money. They've given their fair share of minuscule deals but have yet to dive into their checkbooks. This offseason feels much like the previous two: signing a few cheap deals and intending to trade them late in the season. While it may be an issue to many Nats fans, it's simply too early in the rebuild to spend what it would take to acquire Bregman or Santander.
I don't believe the Nats are ready to compete yet. There are more questions than answers surrounding roster construction. Shoveling out $175 million to Bregman or Santander only solves so many problems. The Nats need another season to figure out the contenders or pretenders. This means younger players need more chances to prove they're a part of the future—players like Jackson Rutledge, DJ Herz, Zach Brzykcy, Jose Ferrer, and Jose Tena. Some players like Keibert Ruiz need to step up after a struggling season. The golden boys, James Wood and Dylan Crews could use more time to get experience in the big leagues. Starting pitcher Cade Cavalli will return from injury in the 2025 season.
I expect the Nationals to improve in the 2025 season, improving enough to make next offseason the time to spend. A year from now, tough questions will have answers. Is CJ Abrams the shortstop of the future? What does Luis Garcia Jr.'s future hold in D.C.? Will Dylan Crews force the Nationals to trade Jacob Young? How will the Nats solve their productivity issue at the catching position? Some of these issues are more pressing than others. Nonetheless, these are all interesting storylines to follow in the 2025 season.
There are too many holes in the Nationals roster to justify spending $175 million on a free agent, regardless of their position. While I agree that adding Alex Bregman would add at least five wins to the Nationals' total, one year of his expensive contract would be wasted while struggling to compete. The difference between winning 75 games versus 70 is insignificant. Another year focused on prospect development is far more valuable, especially since the Nats have the first overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. Washington could become an attractive free-agent destination if the front office plays its cards right. A trio of Crews, Wood, and the 2025 first-overall pick sounds enticing. While it may hurt to read, Nationals fans likely have to wait another season for big spending, but it should be worth it.