The Nationals’ offseason is already taking shape around one clear idea: keep the lineup flexible while filling two spots that didn’t give Washington enough last season. With the club finishing 77-85 and hanging around the playoff picture until roughly the trade deadline, there was plenty to like about the year. The offense held up well for much of the season, Cade Cavalli emerged as a top-of-the-rotation starter, and Washington rewarded him late with a 4-year, $47 million extension.
Even with that progress, two issues stand out. The designated hitter spot didn’t produce enough, and the Nationals also appear headed toward a new shortstop. That combination points to a market where Washington could chase players who do more than one job and help preserve production when James Wood, CJ Abrams, and Daylen Lile need the occasional breather.
At shortstop, the logic starts with what became clear during the season: CJ Abrams is eventually moving to second base. That leaves a gap, and while Eli Willits could be ready by the start of the 2028 season at the latest and Seaver King could potentially get a big-league look as soon as next season, Washington can’t simply bank on that timeline. One name that fits the need is Mauricio Dubon.
Dubon just turned in the best season of his career after going from the Houston Astros to the Atlanta Braves last offseason. He hit .276 with 28 doubles and 73 RBI’s, and he has reached at least 20 doubles in each of the last four seasons.
His value, though, goes well beyond the bat. This year with the Braves, he played shortstop, third base, left field, and centerfield.
He’s also a two-time Utility Gold Glove winner. A deal in the range of two or three years at around $10 million annually is the kind of contract it would likely take to get him.
For Washington, Dubon could handle shortstop in year one and then slide around the diamond once King or Willits is ready to take over. That versatility would also give Blake Butera a way to rest players like Daylen Lile or James Wood without taking too much offense out of the lineup. He would also bring a steady veteran presence to the clubhouse after years around winning teams like the Astros and Braves.
The other obvious place to upgrade is designated hitter, where the Nationals got too little from a spot that was supposed to help carry the offense. Jose Tena handled most of the workload there, appearing in 114 games and batting .222 with seven home runs. That’s not enough production from a position built to hit.
Brandon Lowe would change that quickly. After being acquired last offseason in a trade, he had a strong year for the Pittsburgh Pirates, setting career highs with 152 hits and posting a 5.4 WAR. He’s a left-handed power bat with a track record of homer and RBI production, and at 32 he still has a couple of productive seasons left, especially if the DH role helps keep him fresh.
Lowe would not come cheap. A three-to-four-year deal worth around $70 million total would be needed to make the Nationals a serious player.
He can also handle second base, which matters if Abrams does move there. In that setup, Washington could keep Abrams fresh by using Lowe at second base for a day or two while still protecting the lineup from a major drop-off.
In Other News...
Nationals May Have A Bigger Jacob Young Decision Than Fans Realize
The Nationals offseason checklist is starting to look bigger than just adding help, because Jacob Young has emerged as one of the more interesting trade chips on the roster. New York has already shown interest in the center fielder, and it is easy to see why: Young has taken steps forward at the plate while continuing to give Washington value with his glove in center field.
For the Nationals, the question is whether that combination is better used as part of a deal that can bring back pieces for the long term. Moving Young would also clear a lane for Dylan Crews to see more time in center, which would fit the clubs broader timeline as it tries to build toward a better run in 2027. Even with that logic, deciding to part with a player who has grown into a useful regular is not the kind of move Washington can make lightly. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Lerner Question Fans Are Tired Of Asking
The Nationals have spent the past few seasons trying to claw back into relevance, and last years step forward under new leadership gave the organization a little more room to dream about what comes next. But money still hangs over everything in Washington, where the club carries the smallest payroll in baseball by $25 million and has not made a major free-agent splash since the 2020-21 offseason.
That is why this winter feels different, at least on paper. The improvement from last season has raised the expectation that the Nationals could finally push a bit harder to strengthen the roster, and the looming possibility of a salary floor in a future lockout could add another layer to the decision-making. For fans who have spent years asking when the franchise would seriously spend again, the offseason is shaping up as another test of how far ownership is willing to go. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Face A Tough Jacob Young Decision This Offseason
Jacob Young gave the Nationals something to weigh this winter by taking a real step forward at the plate in 2026. He hit .252 with a .708 OPS and added 10 home runs, a notable jump in production for a player whose value has long been tied to his range in center field. For a club still sorting out its next core, that kind of progress matters, especially when it comes from someone who can already help with defense.
The tricky part is whether that growth is enough to make him part of the long-term plan or a piece that could bring back help elsewhere. Washington has Dylan Crews waiting in the wings as a possible center field answer, which only sharpens the conversation around Young's future. If the Nationals decide to shop him, there should be no shortage of interest from teams looking for a center fielder, with the Yankees among the clubs that could make sense. [Read more 🡒]