The Washington Nationals already have the kind of offense that can keep them in the conversation. What held them back was everything behind it.
A bullpen that blew 42 saves in 2026 turned too many winnable nights into damage control, even as the club still managed 75 wins. That’s the opening for 2027: the bats are there, and the roster has enough young talent to dream bigger - if ownership is willing to spend.
The path starts with the bullpen, and it starts fast. Washington needs a true closer, and Eric Tolman isn’t being blamed so much as recognized for what he is: not the answer at the very back end.
Adrian Morejon fits the profile of the arm they need. He posted a 2.25 ERA and 2.8 WAR, leaning on a high-velocity, left-handed sinkerball approach.
The price tag won’t be small, either, with his value expected to land around $15 million annually and possibly climb to about $20 million. But if the Nationals had trimmed their blown-save total to 28, they would have been in the postseason picture.
That still wouldn’t be enough on its own. Washington also needs a setup man, because the whole relief group was a mess in 2026, finishing with a 4.99 ERA and -3.3 WAR.
Alex Vesia is another name that makes sense. The Dodgers reliever put up a 2.64 ERA and 1.2 WAR in 2026, and over the last three seasons he has combined for a 2.45 ERA.
He’s not cheap, but neither is trying to win with a broken bullpen.
The rotation needs a jolt, too. One frontline starter alongside the recently extended Cade Cavalli could change the shape of the staff.
Freddy Peralta is the kind of arm who fits that bill, even if the commitment isn’t long-term. He’d cost north of $20 million in average annual value, but that’s the going rate for pitching that matters in October.
His 2026 season started rough in New York, then he found his footing after the Mets sent him to the Tampa Bay Rays. In ten starts with Tampa Bay, he has a 3.25 ERA and 1.01 WHIP.
From 2020 to 2025, he also posted a 3.33 ERA, a track record of steady production.
The biggest money decision may be the easiest one to understand: keep CJ Abrams in Washington. The market figures to be brutal.
Teams like the Yankees and Red Sox will be in the mix, and that pushes the price up fast. Abrams was the Nationals’ only All-Star starter in 2026, while James Wood made the team as a reserve.
Even with trade chatter swirling all summer, Washington held onto Abrams, and he delivered. That refusal to move him said plenty about how the organization views him.
He’s the kind of player who can force a franchise to open the checkbook. A deal could top $30 million in average annual value, but that’s the cost of keeping a centerpiece bat in place. Abrams should be treated as a cornerstone, the kind of hitter who helps push an offense back toward top-five territory.
If Washington lands the pitching and keeps the lineup intact, the ceiling changes quickly. The average MLB team blew fewer than 30 saves in 2026, and if the Nationals get anywhere near that mark, they’re looking at a win total in the high 80s.
Go beyond average, and the conversation shifts even further. The front office has work to do, and the blueprint is clear.
In Other News...
Nationals Face A Tough Young-Core Trade Debate This Offseason
Washington spent the deadline straddling two timelines, sending out players such as Curtis Mead and Luis Garcia Jr. while bringing back arms like Connelly Early and Will Dion. It was the kind of move that kept the organization from fully choosing a lane, and it also sharpened the bigger question hanging over the winter: which members of the young core are truly part of the Nationals next contender, and which ones could be used to accelerate the climb toward 2027?
CJ Abrams sits near the center of that debate, since his strong 2026 season only increases his appeal around the league while the clock on his control keeps moving. Beyond him, Washingtons middle-infield depth and prospect pipeline leave names like Luke Dickerson, Yohandy Morales, Coy James and Caleb Lomavita in the conversation as possible chips, even if none of that points to an imminent decision. For a club trying to piece together a more complete roster, the hard part is deciding which young talent is the foundation and which can be cashed in for the missing pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Former Nationals Could Put Washington Fans In A Tough Hall Debate
Several former Nationals are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame conversation, and the list offers a familiar mix of franchise staples and short-term additions from recent seasons. The group includes Ryan Zimmerman, Jordan Zimmermann, Wilson Ramos, Jon Lester, Starlin Castro, Jonathan Lucroy, Asdrbal Cabrera, Alex Avila and Will Harris, with the article weighing what each meant in Washington and how much their overall careers might matter once Hall voters take a look.
For Nationals fans, the uncomfortable part is that the ballots are unlikely to produce much suspense. Zimmerman is the one name with even a faint Hall case, but his stay on the ballot should be brief, while Lester stands out more for what he accomplished elsewhere than for his lone season in Washington. The rest figure to be more footnotes than contenders, which still makes for an interesting reminder of how many familiar faces passed through D.C. without leaving a true Cooperstown track. [Read more 🡒]