The Nationals’ pitching collapse has left a simple question hanging over the offseason: how do they build something that actually lasts?
Washington opened the year with real momentum, enough to shock the baseball world and, at one point in time in 2026, make the club the odds-on favorite on PowerPlay sports book to reach the playoffs. But the hot start didn’t hold. The losses piled up, many of them avoidable, and the season has now drifted to the point where the postseason hopes are all but dead.
The issue, at least from the reporting here, is plain enough. The Nationals have been undone by subpar pitching. They rank 24th in MLB this season in pitching efficiency and last in blown saves, and that kind of profile leaves no mystery about what has to change.
There is still some real talent to work with, though, and that matters. Cade Cavalli has already established himself as the club’s ace, turning in a season strong enough to put him in the back end of the Cy Young Award conversation.
Beyond him, Washington could give Jake Irvin and Jackson Kent another look next season under new coaching and offseason plans. And help may be closer than it looks, with Jarlin Susana and Travis Sykora among the prospects in the developmental pipeline who could be ready for a big-league call-up.
Even with those pieces, the Nationals still need another reliable starter behind Cavalli. That’s the next step, and it may have to come through either a trade or free agency. If Washington wants an immediate boost at the top of the rotation to go with its potent hitting lineup, it will likely have to spend real money or part with a package of highly regarded prospects to land a strong 1A starter.
But there’s a trap in that kind of urgency. The Nationals are negotiating from weakness, and they can’t afford to empty the cupboard for a short-term fix.
A rental with only a year or two left on the contract is the kind of move that can feel bold without actually solving much. If the team makes a trade, it should be for a starter who can stick around.
Otherwise, free agency becomes the cleaner path, even if it means paying up.
That market, though, has its own problems. The top names are going to cost a fortune, and Tarik Skubal may break the bank when free agency opens.
Washington would be smarter to avoid the overpriced veteran tier and look instead for the middle ground: pitchers with upside, a past breakout, or a stock that has dipped because of injury or one bad season. The Nationals may have to overpay to land a legitimate starter, but they cannot afford to spend like they’re buying reputation.
What they should not do is chase a fading name just because the roster needs a quick fix. An aging arm on the downslope might win a few games next year, but that kind of move can crowd out younger pitchers and tie up money that could be used better elsewhere. The cleaner approach is to let the younger group grow through the bumps and build continuity from there.
For Washington, the answer isn’t volume. It’s quality.
In Other News...
Nationals Prospects Just Delivered A Minors Night Fans Will Want To See
The Nationals farm system had one of those nights that reminds you why minor league box scores can be so much fun to follow. Across Rochester, Harrisburg, Wilmington and Fredericksburg, there were solid pitching efforts, timely hits and a few results that kept the affiliates in the spotlight, giving Washington a broad look at how several of its young players handled a busy slate.
Harrisburg provided the most dramatic finish, with Chad Lomavita and the Senators right in the middle of it, while Wilmingtons offense did most of its damage in a different kind of showcase. Jacob Walsh and Ronny Cruz helped power that lineup, and when multiple prospects across the system are driving games like this, it gives the organization a little extra reason to pay attention to what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Young Core Is Running Out Of Time To Claim 2027 Roles
With the Nationals long since out of playoff contention, September has turned into a look-ahead month, the kind teams use to sort through the younger players who might matter when the next real window opens. For Washington, that means giving extended chances to names like Dylan Crews, Abimelec Ortiz, Eddy Yean and Luis Perales, while also acknowledging how uneven this season has been for a club still searching for a clear direction.
Crews and Ortiz have both shown flashes that keep them in the conversation, even if the consistency has lagged, and the same goes for the pitchers trying to carve out a place in the organizations future. The bigger concern is time, because the Nationals are not just trying to judge talent right now, they are trying to identify who can carry real responsibility by 2027, with a potentially long offseason ahead if the looming lockout disrupts the usual rhythm of roster building. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Cut Loose A Veteran Who Still Looked Worth Keeping
Trevor Williams time with the Nationals ended after he cleared waivers and was released, a move that follows last weeks designation for assignment. It is a notable turn for a right-hander who had only recently worked his way back from UCL surgery and still looked like a useful depth arm for a club sorting through the final stretch of its roster.
Williams left a small but solid sample behind in Washington, putting up a 2.65 ERA over 17 innings before the team moved on. For a pitcher in his spot, the timing matters, because he could still land with another team before tomorrows postseason eligibility deadline, leaving open at least one more chance to surface in a meaningful role this fall. [Read more 🡒]