The Washington Nationals’ offseason needs to start with the bullpen, and it needs to start fast.
This is a group that has not finished in the top half of the majors in ERA since 2022, when the relief corps posted a 3.84 mark that tied for 15th. Since then, the numbers have only gotten uglier.
Washington ended 2025 with the worst ERA in baseball, then followed that by setting an MLB record for blown saves in a single season in 2026. That kind of collapse leaves no mystery about what has to be fixed.
The cleanest way to attack the problem is to add a proven closer, and Trevor Megill looks like the kind of arm that could change the whole shape of the bullpen. According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, “[Trevor] Megill, who’s projected to earn $8 million next year, will definitely be shopped, and likely moved before opening day,”
That fits the Brewers’ usual playbook. Milwaukee has made a habit of moving players a year before free agency, and it has done the same with closers before, including Josh Hader in 2022 and Devin Williams in 2024.
Megill would bring real firepower to Washington. He has saved 30 games in each of the last two seasons, and even if the Brewers only make him available for one guaranteed year, that kind of production would draw plenty of interest.
The Nationals’ lack of a dependable ninth-inning answer was obvious this past season. Clayton Beeter led the club with 12 saves, while Gus Varland finished second with six after being optioned multiple times during 2026. No one else came close to the double-digit range, and that helped fuel the team’s trouble finishing games.
Washington used to have Kyle Finnegan handling the back end, and while he had his issues - especially in the second half - he still put together save totals of 28, 38 and 20 from 2023-25. The 2025 season was also affected by his trade to the Detroit Tigers before the deadline.
Adding Megill would give manager Blake Butera a real closer to lean on, which would let him use Beeter, Erik Tolman, Will Dion, Orlando Ribalta and Yovanny Cruz in more specific high-leverage spots instead of asking everyone to cover the final three outs all the time.
The Brewers’ asking price is unclear, but recent history suggests it might not take a massive package to get a deal done. Hader cost the Padres Taylor Rogers, Dinelson Lamet, Robert Gasser and Esteury Ruiz. Williams brought back Nestor Cortes and Caleb Durbin from the Yankees.
That’s why Megill belongs at the top of Washington’s wish list. One year of a legitimate closer could go a long way toward changing the outlook of the franchise.
In Other News...
Nationals Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Next Core
The Nationals have spent the past stretch making their intentions pretty clear, and the latest move only adds to that picture. After locking up right-hander Cade Cavalli recently, Washington turned around and signed center fielder Jacob Young to a four-year contract extension that runs through 2030 and includes a club option for 2031, a sign the organization is trying to secure pieces of its next core before the roster gets any more expensive.
Paul Toboni framed the approach as deliberate, with the club targeting players who bring more than just talent to the field. Young fits that mold as a center fielder whose value goes beyond the box score, and the extension suggests the Nationals see him as part of the foundation they want to build around. The bigger question now is how far this wave of commitments goes, and which other young names might be next. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face Tough Calls That Could Reshape Their Young Core
The Nationals are heading into an offseason where the decisions around their young core could shape the next phase of the rebuild. CJ Abrams and James Wood sit at the center of that conversation, with the front office weighing whether either player fits into a longer-term extension plan as Washington tries to turn its promising talent into a more stable foundation.
Dylan Crews is also entering a more crowded picture after the clubs recent signings, which could cut into his playing time, while Elijah Green remains a reminder of how unpredictable player development can be. There is even chatter that Abrams could become a trade candidate if an extension never comes together, and Wood may eventually settle into a designated hitter role, leaving the Nationals with a set of choices that could alter the look of their young roster in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]
Jackson Kent Showed Nationals Fans Exactly Why He Is Still A Project
Jackson Kents first look in the majors gave Nationals fans a clear picture of both the upside and the work still ahead. After climbing to Washington on the strength of encouraging strikeout numbers and a noticeable jump in velocity in the minors, the young left-hander arrived with the kind of raw stuff that can make a pitcher look like a quick study.
The debut also showed why he remains a project. Kent had trouble finding the zone consistently, and the walks piled up enough to drag down his results in a hurry, leaving him with a rough ERA and WHIP as he settled into big-league life. For the Nationals, the talent is obvious, but the next step is just as clear: better command, sharper pitch quality and the kind of refinement that can turn tools into trust. [Read more 🡒]