The offseason has been quiet so far in D.C., but a recent ESPN article pointed to a potential move that could make sense for the Nationals’ bullpen.
In a Jan. 9 article on under-the-radar free agent fits, ESPN’s David Schoenfield listed right-handed reliever Seranthony Domínguez as a match for the Nationals in the bullpen depth section.
Domínguez, 31, is coming off a strong 2025 season. He posted a 3.16 ERA over 67 appearances with 79 strikeouts in 62.2 innings. The Orioles traded him to the Blue Jays in July, and he pitched in high-leverage spots and made 12 postseason appearances for Toronto, including in the World Series.
His stuff jumps off the page. Domínguez sits in the upper 90s with his fastball and can touch 100. His Statcast metrics were elite almost across the board. He ranked in the 90th percentile or better in whiff rate, expected batting average, fastball velocity and strikeout rate. The exception, and it’s a big one, is control. He walked 13.8% of the batters he faced in 2025, which ranked in the 1st percentile leaguewide. The control issue has plagued him throughout his career.
Domínguez didn’t even begin pitching until age 13. Growing up in the Dominican Republic, he was overweight and “slow afoot,” so at a tryout camp, he picked pitching because he possessed a strong arm and knew his lack of speed would hold him back as a position player. His unusual full name, Seranthony, came from something his parents once heard on TV, and they gave his brother the equally unique name Chrisanthony.
Domínguez debuted with the Phillies in 2018 and made the Baseball America All-Rookie Team after an exceptional first season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 but has been durable in the years since. When he’s on, he can dominate. He has a 3.50 ERA in 322 games, with 360 strikeouts, 40 saves and 306 innings pitched.
He’s pitched in two World Series, first with the Phillies in 2022 and then with the Blue Jays in 2025. During that 2022 run, he delivered one of his signature moments with a rare six-out save in Game 3 of the NLCS, closing out a 4-2 win to give Philadelphia a 2-1 series lead.
The Phillies traded him to the Orioles at the 2024 deadline, and he eventually took over closing duties in Baltimore. He went 10-for-11 in save opportunities with the Orioles, proving he could handle the ninth inning effectively. A year later, he was dealt again, this time during a doubleheader between the Orioles and Blue Jays. He switched dugouts mid-day and pitched for Toronto that same night against his former team. He became a key late-inning arm for the Blue Jays the rest of the way.
In his piece, Schoenfield wrote: “Of the 13 pure relievers in the top 50, only Dominguez remains unsigned. Most of the top secondary types have signed as well. Dominguez had some control issues last season, but he throws hard and his Statcast page, other than his walks, is a whole bunch of red. He's not a guy you want to trust as one of your top high-leverage relievers, but he's a solid depth option and could be a player the Nationals sign as a closer and then look to flip at the trade deadline.”
That strategy sounds familiar for Washington during the rebuild: sign short-term veterans, let them build value, then trade them for prospects in July. It worked with players like Jeimer Candelario and could work again with Domínguez.
The bullpen needs help. It’s lingered as a problem for far too long, including last season, and still lacks stability. After trading Jose A. Ferrer, no clear-cut closer remains on the roster. Signing Domínguez would offer the team a very talented bullpen arm and a potential ninth-inning option. He’d also give the new coaching staff a veteran with experience in big spots and the ability to get strikeouts.
Multiple outlets have projected Domínguez’s deal to land somewhere in the $7–10 million AAV range. He checks every box for what the Nationals need right now and looks like a perfect fit. It’s time to start investing in the bullpen and time for the Lerners to start spending in free agency.
Of course, the acquisition poses some risks. The walks present a real concern, and he performs somewhat inconsistently. But Domínguez is still one of the best relievers left on the market. For a team looking to stabilize its bullpen without a long-term commitment, this would be a smart move.
Nationals fans know Domínguez from his Phillies days, when he regularly faced Washington in NL East matchups. If Schoenfield’s prediction is right, they could soon be watching him close games instead of facing him.