Following a disappointing series finale loss to the Texas Rangers on Sunday, the Washington Nationals began to make roster moves as the team searches for ways to improve their team in many different ways. While Andres Chaparro was recalled from Rochester to take the place of Nasim Nuñez, many fans were wondering when the Nationals will realize enough is enough when it comes to one player in particular.
That player actually started Sunday's finale, but as usual, struggled to do his part in helping the team win. Righty Trevor Williams, who the Nationals chose to make 1 of very few players to give a multi-year contract to, continued an abysmal 2025 season, with no real hope of turning things around anytime soon. His 2-year, $14M contract is not expensive by any means, but when compared to the rest of the roster, is an albatross deal.
Williams now owns a 5.91 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and 3-7 record in 13 starts, and has only managed to complete 64.0 total innings in those starts, which doesn't even calculate to 5 total innings per start. Since he is known as a guy who can't face lineups for a third time, being able to get him through at least 5 innings per start is crucial to his value, as he is a true "5-and-dive" pitcher.
Knowing that your bullpen is going to have to be counted on for significant work every time Williams takes the mound is just not a smart way to construct a big league rotation, but the Nationals are seemingly stuck with him at this point. With the club having moved Brad Lord into a relief role for this season, and not having a ton of prospects down in the minors that could step in and take the ball every 5th day at the big league level, the Nationals don't have much of a choice other than to stick with Williams.
However, there is one option who could take Williams' spot in the rotation soon, in former Top 100 Prospect Cade Cavalli. The righty, who hasn't taken a big league mound since 2022, has been working up his pitch count down in AAA, and is looking more and more ready to return to the majors soon.
The one issue with Cavalli is that he is on a strict pitch count and innings limit for the rest of this season, so the Nationals will have to be careful about when they choose to bring him back to the majors. Davey Martinez and Mike Rizzo have been adamant that whenever Cavalli is ready to come back to the big leagues they will want him to finish the season in the majors, so it is possible that he doesn't get brought back up until later this summer.
Cavalli has pitched in just 37.1 innings so far this season, and has a 2.89 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in his 9 starts. Nobody really knows yet what his limit will be for the season, but we can only hope that he gets brought up soon so that the Nationals can move Williams to a relief role, where his skillset is much better suited.
What do you think the Nationals should do with Trevor Williams? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.