The Nationals have had a fairly quiet offseason, adding third baseman Nick Senzel and right-hander Dylan Floro on one-year deals. If the club is planning to make an impact addition anywhere, TalkNats reports that it won’t be outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, who the club is seemingly not part of the sweepstakes for. The report goes on to suggest that the club is in search of a lefty-swinging power bat to add to their lineup.
That’s not necessarily a surprise, given previous reports of Washington’s interest in a reunion with switch-hitting third baseman Jeimer Candelario prior his three-year deal with Cincinnati and the subsequent addition of Senzel, who the Reds had non-tendered just weeks prior, to the D.C.’s infield mix. MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato adds that the club’s pursuit of a left-handed bat could specifically focus on a player who can be added to the first base and DH mix alongside the likes of Joey Meneses and Stone Garrett. Adding lefty power to the lineup is a worthy goal for the Nats, considering the club’s brutal production from the left side last season. Their left-handed hitters combined for a wRC+ of just 82 last season, the worst figure in the NL and bottom-three in the majors. That’s due in large part to a minuscule .123 isolated slugging that ranks ahead of only the White Sox.
The market for left-handed power is, of course, headlined by center fielder Cody Bellinger. After a pair of injury-marred seasons in Los Angeles, the 2019 NL MVP rebounded in a big way with the Cubs this past year to post a 134 wRC+ while clubbing 26 homers in 130 games. Though primarily an outfielder, Bellinger has plenty of experience at first base as well with 258 career starts at the position including 59 appearances with Chicago this past season. Certainly, Bellinger would be a strong fit for the club’s needs and add some star power to a team that lost 91 games in 2023. While Nationals ownership has found success in negotiating with Bellinger’s agent, Scott Boras, in the past when landing players such as Max Scherzer, it would be something of a surprise to see GM Mike Rizzo’s front office commit to a pricey, long-term contract for Bellinger even as the club is still in the midst of what has turned into a lengthy rebuild.
Setting aside Bellinger, there are a handful of other options available on the free agent market who could fit the club’s needs. Veteran slugger Brandon Belt is coming off a strong season with the Blue Jays during which he crushed 19 home runs in just 404 trips to the plate, while the likes of Joey Votto and Joey Gallo are among the other lefty options available who could play first base for the Nationals next season. The likes of Joc Pederson and Eddie Rosario could provide left-handed power, though both players would likely be limited to DH or left field.
The likes of Josh Naylor, Max Kepler, and Dylan Carlson are among the players who bat from the left side rumored to be available on the trade market, though Kepler and Naylor would be shorter-term acquisitions who wouldn’t line up cleanly with Washington’s competitive timeline while both Kepler and Carlson derive much of their value from their ability to play quality defense, making them questionably choices for a DH role. Barring a more aggressive shift towards contention, the Nationals seem unlikely to part with quality prospects or young players to acquire lefty power via trade when so many mid-tier free agents could fulfill the same role for only money.
Should the Nationals ultimately fail in their quest to add a lefty power bat, the club has added a pair of first base/DH options on minor league contracts this offseason in Lewin Diaz and Juan Yepez, though only Diaz hits left-handed of that pair and the 27-year-old sports a weak slash line of just .181/.227/.340 in 343 trips to the plate.
Don’t. Just don’t do anything.
Then and the other 3/4 of the league
I hear that Soto kid is pretty good
LOL!!!!
I hear Joey Gallo is available for the right price….
Gavin Sheets a better choice!
The left-handed version of Jake Burger. Just needs more AB’s to blossom.
Spare change you found in the sofa?
Try eBay!
Nats looking for a cheap short term contract of LH power bat. That they can trade at deadline for more prospects.
Belli in DC? He’d hit at least .211 with 17 jacks…
Dodgers would have taken that production in his last two years in LA.
The Dodgers club house is a toxic one. They can’t pull quality out of anyone.
That’s a take of all time
Nothing backs up that jealous fantasy
Except for the two guys who came in the top three in MVP balloting this past season. LOL
Right Bigfred! lol. And the 4 100 RBI players for the first time in Dodger history and only the 15th time in mlb in 80 years… but other than all that
Because the voting occurred before the playoffs.
Any interest in giving up a quality arm for Nathaniel Lowe? Not looking to get rid of him but if the right deal came along….
“Sweepstakes” for Teoscar Hernandez? What is this game coming to?
He is a top 25 (top 10?) free agent on MLBTR’s Top 50 list. I don’t see it but if Martin Maldonado can land a big league deal, then Teoscar Hernandez can have a “sweepstakes” going for his services.
It’s a turn of phrase used by sports writers for decades. The game isn’t coming to anything that wasn’t set off by the first free agents in 1975.
Yeah, no crap it’s a term that’s been used for decades, but it used to be used for actual stars, not aging, declining players.
Seriously
Well call the Brewers on Joey Weimer. I’m sure the Nationals have a possible mlb ready starter that they could line up with them in a trade. He has monster power that they may be able to unlock.
Weimer isn’t a Lefty
Aah crap that’s right it’s Mitchell that is a lefty
That is cute that they want a “left-handed power bat” and all, although they need to be reminded that beggers can’t be choosers! And they are indeed dirty lil beggers.
Which starting pitcher are the Nats willing to give up for Max Kepler?
Patrick corbin
They’re going to need a left handed bat stretcher. (One of my favorite stories on the Moth.)
If it’s power you want, Dylan Carlson isn’t the answer.
I do think Juan Yepez could be a very nice pick up for them.
How about Joey Gallo? I haven’t heard his name in a while. Teams love rebound candidates.
I guess great minds think alike (Re:Gallo)!
Edwin Rios is still available
I’m not sure the Nats rebuild is that lengthy just yet. After all, they started at the trade deadline in 2021. It just feels lengthy to Nats fans, especially considering that the upcoming season looks to simply be an extension of it.
This FA class sucks. The only thing that matters is the development of CJ/Ruiz/Cews/Wood/House/Gore/Gray/Cavalli/Irvin. Save the money for next offseason when Corbin’s off the books and the kids are finally up. Amazing FA class next summer
Amen, brother.
Sometimes doing nothing is the best move
No sense for them to ink any multiyear deals. But still worth spending some 2024 money on a couple more bounce-back candidates to potentially flip at the deadline.
Excuses excuses … need to be competitive & that means need a few veterans to steady the ship. Bellinger is exactly what they need + a really good FA SP Ace.
We’re going to have to overpay big time for Belli. That contract has disaster written all over it even before the overpay. See what you have before you go out and spend stupid money. They will be in play for 2-3 big names next year if the young guys make a jump this year
Instead of waiting add a few pieces now to guide the young players as they gain experience & steady the ship. 2-3 yr contract 4 lefty w power bellinger without breaking the bank should be doable + a SP ACE should get them out of the cellar. PLUS this would increase ticket sales bigtime!
Call the Os for Santander. They have too many outfielders
I don’t see these teams making a deal.
Either way, Nats don’t have enough to offer to get Santander.
Why not?
O’s only need a frontline starter.
Nats don’t have one.
Is Barry Bonds still interested in playing?
Only if he can continue his stringent “vitamin “ regimen.
Clip, Flintstones + Centrum Silver thrice daily! He swears by it!
I started taking that exact vitamin pack and all of the sudden, I could steer with no hands.. haha.
Normally that is a side effect of taking “The Clear.” Pebbles and Bam Bam were on the package you took right Clip?!??
Yeah, Bonds could play for the Washington Nads, unfortunately his own have shrunk to microscopic size…
Nyuk Nyuk Curly old sport! Hope your holidays have been going swimmingly my man.
What’s one more fossil in DC?
Speaking of fossils; Adam Dunn had a run of fun in DC.
I don’t think getting one power bat will get the Nationals out of last place in the NL East in 2024.
Hahahahah aren’t we all..
Barry is interesting in playing. He just picked up more of “the cream and the clear” to help out.
5gallon drums
What, is he living in it like Darth Vader in a bacta tank?
Gallo has his name written all over
Maybe Belt if they want a 1B
Rowdy woulda been perfect
Jake Cave
What a weird move then to bring in Nick Senzel and declare him the starter at a premier power position, when he’s right handed and has no power.
Oh now they want a left handed bat smh.. they shouldn’t had traded Soto u think! Smh lol
Young LH hitter with power who doesn’t play good D? They should call KC about mJ Melendez. His best position is the batters box.
How about luken baker,Dylan carlson and prieto for a reliever or pitching prospect? Carlson and baker both hit from the left or can hit from the left. Baker has power but with goldy around will not crack the roster. With plenty of playing time carlson may turn into a good piece also. Prieto is a good defender with a good contact bat and cards have a ton of utility types already. Cards need relievers and pitching prospects badly.
Baker is a righty hitter. I think Prieto will find a role in St. Louis this summer. But the Cards probably do need to make one more trade and the Nats have some interesting relievers.
Alec Burleson was a good left handed power bat through the minors. I think he will hit in the majors. I’m sure a trade for a bullpen arm would work for the Cardinals. Carlson’s biggest problem is not hitting from the left side of the plate. They really don’t want him.
The Cardinals won’t trade Burleson, a cheap LH hitter with a history of good contact and decent pop, for a reliever. I can see him in a larger package to Cleveland or Miami though, but I don’t know of a Nats reliever with enough upside and control to make sense giving up Burleson for. I need to look harder, but I think you’re undervaluing Burleson a bit. Not that he’s worth an Ace, but he’s worth more than a relief pitcher IMO.
Trade for Gavin Sheets
They wanted one last off-season too… they ended up with Dominic Smith.
You say that like it’s a bad thing.
They’ll keep hiring former reds, votto to the nationals
Don’t know why, probably watching his swing last year after surgery, but I don’t see Joey getting the playing time he wants.
So it will come down to either retiring or accepting a part time role. He might just retire or sit out the year hoping for a chance due to injury and then retire.
Would be tough to see Votto suffering through so many years of Cincinnati’s rebuild, only to sign on with the 2024 Nationals. But it could provide a chance for getting flipped to a contender at the trade deadline.
Bring Soto back after 2024?
If only the Nationals had a 6’6”, 240lb, left-hand power hitting OF who was scheduled to arrive in 2024. Someone like James Wood. Wait…
Probably 2025. Needs to cut down on the swing-and-miss.
When Otani and Yomanto sign, the off season will spiral out of control with activity, lol
Greg Bird may be available.
Eddy Rosario is probably available at the right price
I just hope that someday, as I’m performing a task at 30% effectiveness, someone will swoop in and offer me $millions to do the same for them….
pederson is still out there – he was pretty terrible last year so he is cheap and available
Matt Mervis for Hunter Harvey?
Seth Brown from Oakland. .
Can we offer you a shiny new Estavan Florial
Go Cubs Go!!!
Pederson makes a ton of sense. Until Crews and Wood are ready, there’s playing time in LF for a left bat. Garrett is coming off a dreadful leg injury so really shouldn’t be counted on as a full time LF. Even if Garrett is ready, there’s is playing time for Meneses at 1st and Pederson at DH. I don’t get Cammerato’s emphasis on 1B as the hole for a lefty when any one of the 3 positions (LF / DH / 1B) could accommodate a lefty bat.
As a Giants fan not sure why they or anyone else would not want Brandon Belt.
Dude can even play good defense at 1B
6 years ago it would be a virtual guarantee the Nats would spend big on Bellinger (heck, they would probably have made a run at Ohtani too), however that is no longer the case. Joc Pederson makes sense here as does Joey Gallo. Neither should break the bank and Gallo offer plus defense which is something Pederson doesn’t.
Giants have Conforto if Nats are interested
Nah don’t think so… 40yr old votto hit .202 last year & .205 the year b4 that…Nats already have a 3b that hit .198/.200 they need a player w an average + power at 1st.
How about Kerry Carpenter and Keider Montero from the Tigers for House, Millas, Corbin and Made. Carpenter provides the Nats with a long term power hitter solution in the OF/DH. Montero is up and coming at AAA and takes Corbin’s spot, freeing up cash to sign more players. The Tigers have too many LH outfielders, extra pitching and they need catching and SS depth, plus more long term starting 3B options. Tigers have a group of players just around the corner for OF replacements (i.e. Malloy, Bigbie or even Leonard).