2025 marks the sixth anniversary of the Washington Nationals’ 2019 World Series victory. The team capped off their eighth consecutive winning season that year with a trophy to show for it. Now, after five consecutive losing seasons, it’s time to stop mourning the past and win.
Washington rounded out the 2024 season 71-91, 24 games behind the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies. Needless to say, they missed the playoffs. The Nationals have made some solid offseason moves to fill in their offensive gaps.
Areas of strength: base stealing (led the majors in stolen bases in 2024) and young talent.
Areas of weakness: somewhat inexperienced roster (now supplemented by veteran players).
CJ Abrams, heralded as the Nationals’ promising young shortstop after arriving from the Padres in 2022, is expected to be in the starting lineup again this year. Despite leading the 2024 Nats in extra-base hits, he finished the season with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate team. His demotion was not for his diminishing offense towards the end of the season but for a late night at a Chicago casino before a day game versus the Cubs. Manager Davey Martinez stressed that, at the time, the situation was an opportunity for growth.
Notable offseason acquisitions include Nathanial Lowe (1B) from the Rangers, the Royals’ Paul deJong (3B), the Reds’ Amed Rosario (OF), and the Diamondbacks’ Josh Bell (DH). Lowe has a Gold Glove, deJong is a former All-Star, Rosario is a run-generator, and Bell is a former National. This will be the sixth team Bell will have been with in the four years after leaving the Nationals alongside Juan Soto for the Padres in 2022. It seems that after they left Washington, they lost any sense of franchise loyalty to the Nationals or any team.
Thankfully, two new players are making their way up in DC. James Wood and Dylan Crews, MLB drafts #7 and #17, debuted for the Nationals last summer. The duo, aged 21 and 22 respectively, harken in a new era of the Nats’ rebuild—a feasible end to the losing seasons, centered around these youngsters, appears within reach. Last Friday, a Wood solo homer tied their spring training game against the Minnesota Twins 8-8 in the bottom of the ninth. Following up with a hard single, Cruz drove in the walk-off winning run.
After playing their first series together last August, Martinez said in a press conference that “[the rookies are] going to grow together,” and what a treat that would be. Cruz has prowess in the outfield and speed on the bases. Wood has already displayed his power-hitting and impressive discipline at the plate. He had his first career multi-homer game last September, becoming the fifth-ever Nat/Expo to do so before his 22nd birthday (in company with Juan Soto and Bryce Harper). He grew up in Rockville, Maryland–a local success story. Hopefully, their spring training at-bats and the tasting of last season will have them set up to start the season strong.
Offensive improvements aside, the Nationals’ pitchers could go either way for the season. Despite a rough stretch in the summer, MacKenzie Gore pulled off a 1.26 ERA in 28.2 September innings for a 3.90 season ERA—not too shabby. Josiah Gray and Trevor Williams both suffered long-term injuries, a major hit to the starting rotation. Some bright lights are the arms in the bullpen, like lefty Derek Law. With 38 saves over 75 appearances, he has had a consistent, positive effect on the team. Prospect Brad Lord, with a 98-mph fastball, is also joining the bullpen after an offseason working at Home Depot.
In related news, the Nationals released new City Connect jerseys on Sunday. The jerseys, named “District Blueprint,” feature an interlocking D and C underlaid by a deep blue grid of the city streets. The past jerseys prominently featured DC’s iconic cherry blossoms against a gray background. The popular flower motif only appears on either side of the Washington “W” on their baseball caps and a small sleeve patch. They will be showcased for the first time on the Saturday and Sunday of Opening Weekend (March 29 and 30), just in time for peak Cherry Blossom bloom.
The Nationals begin their season today, March 28, at 4:05 PM against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C.
