Washington Nationals 2024 offseason preview: Are the Nats ready to get back to contending, or are they still one year away?

2024 season: Eliminated on Sept. 14, 4th in NL East

Let’s take a look at the season that was for the 2024 Washington Nationals, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for 2025.

Read more: 2024 MLB offseason previews: White Sox, Rockies, Angels and more

Things that went right

The Nationals’ rebuild turned a corner in 2024. Although the team didn’t make a major improvement in its final record, the Nats were one game below .500 on June 21 and sat six games out of a wild-card spot at the All-Star break. They also made strides with their run differential.

The best part of Washington’s improvement is that it was primarily keyed by ascending players who will be on the team for years to come. CJ Abrams made his first All-Star Game appearance as he continued to build on his 2023 breakout season. Luis García Jr. followed up four mediocre campaigns by taking a sizable step forward. And James Wood posted strong rookie-year numbers after being promoted July 1.

On the pitching side, Jake Irvin made vast improvements in his second season, while Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz turned in strong rookie campaigns.

Things that went wrong

With so many pitchers taking a step forward, MacKenzie Gore stands out as one man who did not make progress. The left-hander can use an unlucky BABIP and strand rate as a partial excuse, but the bottom line is that after a solid start to the season, Gore struggled throughout the summer.

Keibert Ruiz stands out as the one position player who is a key part of the team’s future but he took a step back in 2024. Like Gore, Ruiz dealt with an unfortunate BABIP, but he is also responsible for notable drops in his barrel rate and average exit velocity. In fairness to Ruiz, despite struggling in the first half, he looked more like himself at the plate after the All-Star break.

Overall, Washington could’ve fared much better in the field, especially for a team with plenty of athleticism. The club was among the league leaders in errors, and the Nats also fared poorly in advanced defensive metrics such as UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) and DRS (Defensive Runs Saved).

Offseason plans

As is the case with most ascending teams, the key members of this year’s improvement are all under contract for 2025 and beyond. Wood, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews, who debuted late in the season, will form a young, dynamic outfield trio. García and Abrams have the middle infield covered, and Ruiz will be the man behind the plate. José Tena flashed potential in a late-season audition at third base, and though he lacks power, Juan Yepez can hit for average as the first baseman.

If the front office adds a veteran hitter, first base is the most obvious spot for an upgrade. The team could spend big on a middle-of-the-lineup presence, such as Pete Alonso or Christian Walker. However, this team on the rise might not be ready to hand out massive contracts to players moving out of their primes.

The 2025 rotation already has four members, with Irvin, Gore, Parker and Herz. The organization will finally be out from under the six-year, $140 million Patrick Corbin contract, which opens up payroll space to add a starter, and there will be ace-level hurlers available, including Corbin Burnes and Max Fried.

Like most teams, the Nats could add to their relief corps as well. Kyle Finnegan was better than expected as the team’s closer, but after dealing Hunter Harvey at the trade deadline, there is a need for another high-leverage arm in Washington.

Overall, the Nationals need to decide if this team is ready to contend or they need one more year of growth before adding expensive free agents to fill their roster holes.

Prospects on the horizon

Washington had a terrific farm system early in the 2024 season, but the promotions of Wood and Crews have made it more of an average group. Still, it’s good news for the organization that its two stud outfielders made it to the majors on time.

The top remaining prospect is 2021 first-round draft pick Brady House, who arrived in Triple-A over the summer. House didn’t set the league on fire, which is a good sign that he needs more seasoning before he makes his MLB debut. Still, his presence, along with that of Tena, is enough of a reason for the organization to think twice before agreeing to a long contract with a veteran third baseman.

Cade Cavalli made one start for the Nats way back in 2022 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2023 and threw very few innings this year, which makes him a talented question mark for 2025. A first-round pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, Cavalli will start next season in Triple-A but could return to the majors by the summer. The organization’s other top prospects, including 2024 first-round pick Seaver King, are ticketed to debut in 2026 or beyond.

Goals for 2025

The Nats should have the goal of posting their first winning record since they won the World Series in 2019. And with three available wild-card spots, having a winning record should also mean challenging for a postseason berth.

With the addition of a couple of key free agents and the continued development of youngsters such as Wood, Abrams and Crews, this team could put a scare into the top NL franchises. At the same time, free-agent failures sometimes tie up an organization, as we saw with Corbin. For that reason, Washington might choose to wait one more year before making larger financial commitments.

One thing is for sure: The Nats will not back their way into a postseason spot. The NL East is one of baseball’s toughest divisions, as the Phillies and Braves should have strong rosters for several years, and the Mets have some pieces in place and an owner willing to maintain a high payroll.

Fantasy focus

With his ability to rack up homers and steals, Abrams has the perfect skill set for fantasy stardom and will be a top-30 pick in 2025 drafts. Wood will also be a coveted asset, as his successful debut at age 21 will spark excitement that he can rapidly ascend to being one of baseball’s top hitters. García will be an appealing middle-round option who needs to improve his ability to hit lefties before he’ll climb any higher on fantasy rankings. Irvin will also be a middle-round pick, and opinions will likely be all over the map on Crews, given his elite prospect status and limited major-league experience.

Manager Dave Martinez saw the baserunning potential of his young lineup and let the Nats run wild all season. Fantasy managers love that philosophy, which will add to the 2025 appeal of Abrams, Young, Wood, García and Crews in roto formats.