The Nationals’ extension of Jacob Young has a ripple effect that goes well beyond one player. Paul Toboni’s four-year, $23 million deal with a fifth-year option locks in the center fielder and, in turn, sharpens the focus on Dylan Crews.
Washington now has James Wood, Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews and Young under team control into the 2030’s. That’s a strong outfield core on paper, but it also gives the Nats something else: a surplus. And Toboni has already shown he’s willing to deal from that kind of strength, most notably in the Curtis Mead trade when he sent a bat out and brought Connelly Early back.
Before this offseason, Crews and Young both looked like possible trade chips. They’re similar in a lot of ways: athletic, defense-first right-handed outfielders who handle left-handed pitching better.
Crews brings the more enticing offensive upside because of his pedigree, raw power and bat speed. Young, though, is the steadier defender and posted an OPS 45 points higher last season.
With Young now extended, that kind of move is basically off the table.
That leaves Crews as the name other teams will circle. And there’s no question why.
He hasn’t hit the level many expected yet, but the traits are still there. His bat speed, hard hit rate, barrel rate and average exit velocity all sit above the 60th percentile, and he added value with both his glove and his legs.
That’s enough to make him interesting to clubs hunting for outfield help, and there would be plenty of them willing to take a shot on the 24-year-old former top prospect.
A Blue Jays fan account, which the source described as smart content, even said it wanted either Crews or Young. That kind of fit exists for other teams too.
Still, Young’s extension does not make a Crews trade inevitable. Last season showed the Nationals can find enough at-bats for both players. Their DH rotation often let Wood, Crews, Lile and Young all get into the lineup together, and there’s no reason that setup can’t work again.
It also doesn’t mean the front office is done with Crews. At $5.75 million per year, Young isn’t being paid like a locked-in everyday fixture. He’ll play plenty, but this deal doesn’t automatically hand him every day in center field.
What it does do is make clear that Young is part of the long-term plan. If the right offer comes along for Crews, Toboni would likely listen. That doesn’t mean Crews is being shopped, but it absolutely means his name is one to watch.
Crews’ 2026 season was frustrating. There were good moments, but not enough consistency to build on them.
The clearest example came after he delivered the Nationals’ first walkoff hit in August. It looked like a possible turning point, but he went 0 for 11 in the next three games.
That’s been the story so far: flashes, then stalls. And while Crews is only entering his age 25 season, the production hasn’t matched the expectations that came with being the former second overall pick. In 225 big league games, he has a .217 average and .648 OPS.
So the Nationals are staring at a real offseason decision. Do they give Crews another chance and keep rolling out an outfield built around Lile, Young and Wood? Or do they cash in while he still has value?
With the lockout less than a month away, the answer could come soon. There are arguments on both sides, but after the Young extension, teams are going to call about Crews. Whether Washington moves him or keeps waiting, this is now one of the more interesting calls on Toboni’s desk.
In Other News...
Nationals Have Three Intriguing Arms Fighting For 2027 Roles
The Nationals spent 2026 getting a better look at three arms who could matter a lot more a year from now, and each one arrived there in a different way. Will Dion handled a multi-inning relief role and showed the kind of performance metrics that make a club take notice, Josiah Gray made his late-season return from injury out of the bullpen, and Ribalta put together a breakout year even while dealing with injury setbacks.
What makes the group interesting is how much of the conversation now turns to fit as much as talent. Washington is heading into the offseason with health as a priority and with role adjustments very much on the table, which leaves the 2027 picture unsettled for all three pitchers. Dion, Gray and Ribalta have each put something on tape, but the Nationals still have to decide how best to turn those flashes into something more permanent. [Read more 🡒]
CJ Abrams Just Became Part Of A Bigger Nationals Dilemma
The Nationals are already looking ahead to 2027, and the shortstop picture is anything but settled. Manager Blake Butera said the job is undecided, even with CJ Abrams still viewed as a player who can handle either shortstop or second base. For a club trying to map out its next core, that matters because the position is tied not just to one player, but to the broader timeline Washington is trying to build around.
Abrams also sits at the center of a separate layer to the conversation, with a report citing Jon Morosi saying he would want assurance he stays at shortstop before agreeing to an extension, though neither he nor his agent has confirmed that. The Nationals have other possibilities in-house, including Nasim Nunez and prospect Seaver King, and they are also weighing the development paths of younger players such as Eli Willits. For now, the organization is left sorting out both the future of the position and the future of one of its most important players. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Youngs Extension Just Raised The Pressure On Dylan Crews
The Nationals locked up Jacob Young with a four-year extension that covers his arbitration years and the first season he would have been eligible for free agency, with a club option for 2031. It is a clear sign the organization values his defense, speed and role in the outfield, and it also gives Washington some cost certainty as it looks ahead to a young core that includes Daylen Lile and James Wood.
For Dylan Crews, though, the timing adds a little more heat. Washington is planning to keep a similar outfield mix in 2027, with Young still in center, which leaves Crews needing to force his way into the picture by making real progress. There are no immediate changes coming, but if he does not take a step forward, the Nationals could eventually have a tougher conversation about his future. [Read more 🡒]