A decade ago, the Washington Nationals were a driving force in the National League. However, the former Montreal Expos hit the skids following the franchise’s first World Series title in 2019.
But there are signs of life in the nation’s capital as the Nationals managed not to finish in the National League East cellar for the first time in five years last season.
After four years of fifth-place division finishes, Washington moved into fourth after posting a 71-91 record in 2024.
The Nationals did so with the not-exactly-mesmerizing combination of Joey Gallo, Joey Meneses, and Juan Yepez manning first base. Any hopes of advancing from fourth place and possibly cracking the top three of a division that includes the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves will require an upgrade at first base — among other positions.
Not everything can be fixed at once, given that Washington does not have the financial willingness of their NL East overlords, but Newsweek’s Zach Pressnell projects the Nationals as one of the most likely landing spots for free-agent first baseman Christian Walker.
Walker, a 10-year Major League Baseball veteran who has come into his own over the past three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, is a coveted free agent who has drawn the eye of both New York ballclubs, among several others.
The New York Mets may be looking for a replacement for free-agent first baseman Pete Alonso, and Walker actually out-WAR’d Alonso 6.8-5.0 across 2023-24.
Spotrac projects Walker to receive a three-year, $66.1 million contract in free agency based on his calculated market value.
“A team like the Nationals will likely only go after one big-name free agent this winter,” Pressnell noted. “Washington could overpay in a spot that the Yankees or the Mets may not be willing to overpay.”
On paper, Walker would be a better first baseman than the Nationals had even when they won the World Series — when Matt “Big City” Adams played the majority of the games at the position.
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