Josh Bell came back to Washington this offseason, but given his results to date, fans were definitely expecting him to be dealt. In a season that is being left in the past, the Nationals cannot accumulate enough prospects and long-term assets. Bell, a key veteran, very well could have provided a nice bat to contending team. Yet, he will remain a Washington National following the trade deadline.
Season-to-Date
Despite a slow start, Josh Bell has actually picked up the pace. Earlier in this season, Bell was batting below .150 at one point — worse than some pitchers had done in the past. As he reaches 94 games played, he has managed his way up to a .228 batting average with a .708 OPS. Most fans were hoping that this performance uptick would translate to trade value, but nothing materialized.
Josh Bell now sits on a bottom-of-the-league team on a 1-year deal, and all he can do is make a case for his next contract. Of course, the Nationals strive to be competitive down the stretch, but it seems Bell is just along for the ride at this point. Michael Soroka, in a similar situation, got dealt. It would have been nice to see the same with Bell.
Fan Discussion
To be frank, Nationals fans seem to be done with Josh Bell. He has had an uptick, but it does nothing for the future of this team. The fanbase wants to see the future, and Josh Bell is nothing but the past.
The fans may be hard on Josh Bell, but his is appreciative of every opportunity he has gained. Without that drive, his stats would have stalled even further, and any hope of a trade possibility would have been washed away. I am not sure what Bell can really provide at this point, but an effort will not be in question.
Josh Bell reflects on what the Nationals organization has meant to him in light of tomorrow's trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/EkTYNBbQuv
— Nationals on MASN (@masnNationals) July 30, 2025
Replacing Josh Bell/Nathaniel Lowe
Another name that fans had wished was traded was Nathaniel Lowe. He has been an all-out disappointment this year, and playoff hopes could have sat somewhere else. As both players list as 1B, the future will settle with someone else. This someone else will likely become Yohandy Morales. The season he has put together has been very impressive, and this team must angle towards upside to achieve NL East wishes.
Ultimately, we shall see what the last two months bring us. Management made the moves that they were able to, and the rest stands as maintaining competitiveness and looking to the future in 2026.