For Nationals fans, the 2026 season is already in the rearview mirror. But the playoff chase hasn’t completely lost its local flavor, with a few familiar names still hanging around the bracket - some of them easier to forget than others.
One of the more interesting ones is Alex Call, who was dealt from Washington to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. He ended up helping the Dodgers capture their second straight World Series title last season, going 4-for-11 in the 2025 postseason. This year, though, Kyle Tucker’s addition cut into his role, and Call spent plenty of time as a bench piece.
Over 88 games with Los Angeles this season, Call posted 38 hits in 163 at-bats. He finished with 9 doubles, a home run, 20 RBIs and a .233 batting average.
He’s not a star, and his postseason status is still uncertain because the Dodgers have not yet announced their NLDS roster. Josue De Paula could end up getting that spot instead.
Erick Fedde is another former National who has found himself in the spotlight. Drafted originally by the San Diego Padres before eventually signing with Washington after the Nationals took him in the first round of the 2014 draft, Fedde is appearing in the MLB Postseason for the first time. He spent parts of six seasons with the Nationals from 2017 to 2022 and went 21-13 with a 5.41 ERA during that stretch.
After that, Fedde spent a season in the KBO before returning to the United States and moving around to different teams. Now back in a second stint with the White Sox, he contributed two scoreless innings in Chicago’s Wild Card series sweep of the Houston Astros.
He didn’t allow a hit, gave up one hit-by-pitch and struck out three. The White Sox have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises in 2026, and Fedde is right there with them.
Then there’s Derek Hill, a name that may take a second to register for Washington fans. He appeared in just 13 games for the Nationals in 2023, but he’s now with the Philadelphia Phillies, who were set for a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Atlanta Braves with a spot against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS on the line. At the time of writing, that game was only hours away, leaving open the possibility of another former National still alive in October.
Hill’s time in Washington was brief and quiet. In those 13 games, he went 8-for-47 with a double and an RBI, which goes a long way toward explaining why his Nationals stint is easy to overlook.
And while these three are the focus here, they’re not the only former Nationals still involved. Blake Treinen is among the others, and so is Craig Stammen, now the manager of the San Diego Padres, who are set to face the Brewers.
In Other News...
Jarlin Susana Is Giving Nationals Fans A Huge New Pitching Debate
Jarlin Susana has already forced his way into the conversation around the Nationals future staff, and it has happened in the loudest possible way. The 21-year-old right-hander has been touching velocities over 103 mph, setting records for the fastest pitches thrown in both the postseason and the Arizona Fall League, a jolt of power that makes every outing feel like a scouting report in motion. After working back from a Grade 1 UCL sprain, Susana has logged innings across multiple minor league levels and is now building up his workload in Arizona, giving Washington a closer look at just how electric his arm can be.
What makes Susana so intriguing is not just the radar-gun reading, but the broader picture the Nationals are trying to sort through as he develops. President of baseball operations Paul Toboni has pointed to Susanas rare physical traits and upside, while also noting the ongoing adjustments to his pitching approach that come with harnessing that kind of stuff. For a rebuilding club hungry for impact arms, the debate is less about whether Susana has attention-grabbing talent and more about how quickly he can turn it into something sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Still Have One Lineup Problem To Solve At First Base
Since Ryan Zimmerman's retirement, first base has remained one of the Nationals most unsettled spots, with the club cycling through internal options rather than settling on a long-term answer. Luis Garcia Jr. handled the position effectively before being traded, while Abimelec Ortiz flashed early before the bat cooled, leaving Washington still searching for the right mix as it plans ahead.
The front office appears to be weighing a few different ways to clean up the position for 2027, including a more deliberate platoon approach and the possibility of adding a left-handed bat from outside the organization. Whatever path the Nationals choose, the goal is the same: better balance in the lineup and a little more tactical flexibility at a spot that has been a problem for far too long. [Read more 🡒]
Daylen Lile Just Gave Nationals Fans A Real Reason To Believe
Daylen Liles season took a meaningful step forward in left field, where the Nationals outfielder turned a rough defensive showing from a year ago into one of the more encouraging developments on the roster. His numbers moved from negative territory in 2025 to positive values this season, a sign that the work showed up not just in the box score, but in the fielding metrics that help separate a solid defender from a liability.
That improvement has now put Lile among the three finalists for the National League Gold Glove at left field, alongside Jackson Chourio and Ian Happ. It is a notable nod for a player who has clearly made progress, even if Happ remains the favorite based on his stronger defensive profile. For Washington, though, Liles inclusion alone is a reminder that there is real value in the kind of growth that can change how a player is viewed going into next season. [Read more 🡒]