The Washington Nationals might be at home on the couch watching the the 2026 MLB Postseason unfold like the rest of us, but that doesn't mean that things aren't still hapenning with the organization.
As we all can just sit and wait for the 2026 offseason to unfold with the likely impending lockout, some players are already getting a head start on some key career decisions.
Riley Adams declares free agency after 2026 Nationals' season concludes
One of those players is a former backup catcher of the Nationals, Riley Adams, who spent several years with the big-league club, appearing in several games and even earning prolonged starting instances as well. There was a point in time when he was thought of as a potential long-term option in tandem with Keibert Ruiz, but it appears as if those days are done now, with Adams declaring free agency.
After originally making his way to Washington via a trade back in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Brad Hand, Adams had some ups and downs during his time with the Nationals. Overall in parts of 5 seasons, the 30-year-old catcher slashed .215/.291/.361 with a .651 OPS, and also clubbed 21 homers across 819 plate appearances.
The issue with Adams offensively was always his inability to get on base consistently, as he only had 1 season with an on-base percentage above .300, and he had a pretty severe tendency to swing and miss. This was evidenced in particularly by his tough 2025 season in which Adams slashed .186/.252/.308 across 83 games, by far the most games played in his career, while he only walked 18 times compared to a whopping 110 strikeouts.
He was re-signed last offseason for depth by the new Nationals front office, but unfortunately for his sake was unable to make it out of the minor leagues, sticking with AAA Rochester for the entirety of the 2026 season. Even after Drew Millas' injury, the Nationals chose to promote Harry Ford rather than Adams, a move that signaled that Adams was merely organizational depth at this point.
Given he is a minor league free agent, Adams was able to declare free agency earlier than MLB free agents will be able to, and now will be looking for his next opportunity. Given his relatively solid defense and power, he likely will be able to earn at least a minor league deal elsewhere, but it remains to be seen where that will be.
Where do you think Riley Adams will end up signing during this offseason? As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.
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