The Nationals are barely into the offseason and already making room.
Washington opened its winter by claiming right-handed reliever Braxton Roxby off waivers, a move that cost fellow right-hander Zak Kent his spot. Kent was designated for assignment, ending his run with the club as president of baseball operations Paul Toboni started the roster churn.
And there should be more where that came from.
With Toboni and his front office expected to chase a few bigger additions while also working through the usual smaller transactions, the Nationals’ 40-man roster is crowded enough to force some uncomfortable calls before Opening Day 2027. The first squeeze point comes with the 60-day injured list, where Mitchell Parker, Ken Waldichuk, PJ Poulin, Matt Waldron and Drew Millas will all need to be activated at some point. That would push Washington to 45 players, well over the limit.
Some of those names look vulnerable already. Parker, Waldichuk and Waldron would be obvious DFA candidates as the Nationals look to rework their pitching staff.
Millas is worth watching too. He made the Opening Day roster in 2026 ahead of prized prospect Harry Ford, and Ford only got his chance because Millas got hurt.
But Millas did not do much before landing on the shelf himself, and Ford has now picked up extended big league reps. With Keibert Ruiz and Ford looking like the catching pair Washington plans to move forward with, Millas could be the odd man out.
There’s also a strong chance the non-tender market gets plenty of action.
When Toboni arrived last year, the expectation was that he would remake the roster right away. Instead, he spent 2026 evaluating the major league team and the organization as a whole. That process appears to be over, and this winter could bring a much more aggressive round of changes.
Jake Irvin stands out as one of the clearest non-tender possibilities. The right-hander followed up a 2025 season in which he posted a 5.70 ERA with a 2026 mark of 5.48. He has now fallen short of an 80 ERA+ in back-to-back seasons, and with Washington needing upgrades across the staff, moving on from Irvin would make sense.
Jose Tena is another name to keep in mind on the position-player side. He spent most of 2026 as a bench bat, and with Yohandy Morales set for more time at third base, Tena could be on the way out early in the offseason.
The bigger picture is simple: Washington has a lot of roster work ahead, and if the Nationals really intend to improve enough to enter playoff contention next year, there’s going to be plenty of movement before the winter is done.
In Other News...
Nationals Young Core Is Starting To Earn Real League-Wide Attention
The Nationals rebuild has started to look a lot less theoretical as award season arrives, with several of the clubs young names showing up on league-wide ballots and shortlists. Daylen Lile is in line for his first Gold Glove consideration in left field, while James Wood and CJ Abrams have both pushed themselves into Silver Slugger contention after establishing themselves as central pieces of Washingtons next core.
There is also broader recognition building around the group beyond the major awards. Jacob Young picked up the Nationals Heart & Hustle honor for a second straight year, Jarlin Susana looks like a strong candidate for the AFL Fall Stars Game, and Abrams, Wood and Cade Cavalli all landed on the All-MLB Team ballot. For a franchise still shaping its identity, it is a useful sign that the attention is no longer limited to what happens in Washington alone. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Deadline Trade Still Hinges On One Risky Rotation Bet
Paul Tobonis deadline move brought Connelly Early back into his orbit in Washington, a familiar name for the Nationals new decision-maker after he drafted the left-hander in Boston. The trade also came with Curtis Mead, whose season was derailed almost immediately by a wrist injury that cost him the rest of the year, leaving the deal to be judged less on what it produced right away and more on what each player can still become.
Early was hurt when the trade was made, but he made it back late in the season and looked effective in a brief appearance, which only adds to the intrigue around how Washington views his role going forward. For the Nationals, the real question now is whether this kind of rotation gamble pays off, or whether the return they got will be defined by the health and development of a pitcher whose path has already been interrupted once. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Linked To Risky Trade Idea Fans Will Debate
C.J. Abrams has become the kind of player who naturally shows up in trade chatter when a club is looking for a jolt, and that is exactly what has happened with Toronto. The Blue Jays have been linked to a speculative idea that would send the Washington Nationals infielder north as a way to help improve their offense for the 2027 season, with Abrams strong 2026 production making him an obvious fit on paper.
The appeal is easy to see, but so are the complications. Any deal for Abrams would likely come with a steep prospect cost, and Toronto would have to weigh whether the upgrade is worth thinning out its depth, especially with defensive questions still part of the conversation around him. For the Nationals, it is the sort of rumor that underscores how valuable Abrams has become, even if the real challenge is knowing what kind of return would ever make moving him worthwhile. [Read more 🡒]