2023-24 MLB Offseason Recap: Washington Nationals

After a massive selloff in 2021 and 2022, the Washington Nationals didn’t have that bad of a 2023 campaign. The Nationals won 71 games last season, a significant improvement from the 55 won by Washington a year earlier. So, what did Washington do to improve their team in the winter? Here’s our 2023-24 Nationals offseason recap.

Notable Additions

RP Richard Bleier (Minor League deal)
RP Dylan Floro
1B/OF Joey Gallo
INF Nick Senzel

The Nationals hit big with Jeimer Candelario last season after Washington took a flier on the switch-hitting third baseman. Washington will look to do the same in 2024 with Nick Senzel.

Senzel was the second overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft but hasn’t been able to live up to lofty standards. The 28-year-old hit a career-high 13 home runs over 104 games last season, and he’ll look for a fresh start on a team that could use pop.

Speaking of power, Joey Gallo joined the Nationals on a one-year deal. Gallo could boost the slugging percentage category but expect a ton of strikeouts as always.

Now, here’s a look at the subtractions part of our Nationals offseason recap.

Notable Subtractions

While one flier last offseason did work for Washington, first baseman Dominic Smith didn’t. The former first-round pick was a regular first baseman in the Majors for the first time in his career in 2023. However, Smith posted a .692 OPS, the third-lowest among primary first basemen (min. 60% GP) who accrued at least 450 plate appearances.

Only Jake Cronenworth (.689) and Jose Abreu (.680) had lower OPS figures than Smith in 2023.

Additionally, Washington cut bait with several relievers from their 2023 squad, including Carl Edwards Jr. Edwards Jr., who walked 17 batters over 31.2 IP, posted a 3.69 ERA/3.86 FIP in 2023.

What to Expect in 2024

The Nationals’ 2023-24 MLB offseason was a quiet one and that shouldn’t come as much of a shock. However, it’ll be interesting to see how the Nationals approach things come the 2024-25 offseason.

Young pitchers Josiah Gray and MacKenzie Gore showed promise in 2023 and there’s more to come on the pitching front. And offensively, Lane Thomas had a breakout campaign, while CJ Abrams established himself as a building block. And thanks to a strong late-inning combo of Kyle Finnegan and Hunter Harvey, the Nationals finished 2023 with a 28-21 record in one-run games.

Heading into 2024, many eyes will be on James Wood and Dylan Crews. Both are on the cusp of the Majors, with Crews being the closer of the two. The Nationals selected Crews with the second pick in the 2023 MLB Draft and he’s got the chance to be a cornerstone piece thanks to his bat.

If some of the Nationals’ young pieces begin to coalesce into a formidable unit, Washington’s position as a rebuilder could change very quickly.