The Washington Nationals remain in the midst of a rebuild that began following Juan Soto’s departure a few seasons back. The team has faced significant challenges in securing victories, primarily due to several unfavorable contracts that have affected their performance over the last four to five years.
As they approach the 2025 season, the organization must persist in their rebuilding efforts. The front office will need to make some difficult choices, but these decisions are essential for steering the team in the right direction.
Which upcoming free agents will they decide to part ways with this offseason?
3. OF Joey Gallo
Joey Gallo has managed to remain on MLB rosters thanks to his natural slugging ability. While he is considered one of the stronger pure power hitters of his generation, his performance has reached a point where he is no longer playable at the major league level unless he makes significant adjustments.
At 30 years old, Gallo posted a slash line of .161/.277/.336 with 10 home runs in 223 at-bats this season. His .613 OPS is the lowest of his career, aside from his brief 17-game stint in 2016. As a player who has typically hovered around a .200 batting average, he needs to find ways to contribute to the team. In the past, Gallo has done this through home runs and decent defensive play.
However, Gallo is not the hitter he once was. With unrestricted free agency approaching and after finishing with a .161 batting average for the Nationals, it’s highly improbable that they will choose to re-sign him.
There is a possibility that Gallo could join a team that believes it can help him regain his former hitting prowess. Some minor adjustments might help him reclaim his prior success, but the Nationals are uncertain about what those changes might be.
It seems likely that Gallo has played his final game with the team.
2. RHP Trevor Williams
When discussing free agents who are unlikely to return to a team, it usually stems from the team’s desire to move on for various reasons. In this case, the first and third players on this list are likely here because the team may not want to allocate a roster spot to them next season. However, Trevor Williams is in a different situation; he is expected to leave the Nationals in search of a team that can offer him a better salary and a chance to compete for wins when it counts.
At 32 years old, Williams made 13 starts for the Nationals this season, posting an impressive ERA slightly above 2.00 and a WAR of 2.6. He finished with a 6-1 record, which is particularly commendable given the team’s overall struggles.
As he enters the latter part of his career, Williams has limited opportunities to enter free agency with the chance to be a valuable asset for a postseason contender. This is a crucial time for him to choose where he wants to play, and it’s reasonable to assume that he would prefer to join a competitive team rather than one that is rebuilding.
While there is a possibility that the Nationals could offer him a substantial contract to keep him, it’s not the most probable scenario.
1. LHP Patrick Corbin
Patrick Corbin has likely played his final game as a Washington National. Throughout the later stages of his tenure with the team, he struggled to compete at the MLB level. Despite this, the Nationals continued to use him due to his contract and the state of the franchise. However, given his respected status within the organization, it’s best to keep the reasons for his departure brief and focus more on his memorable moments with the team.
Corbin won’t be returning because he is no longer an MLB-caliber pitcher, and the team is looking to move in a different direction with a young core of starting pitchers. That sums up the reasons for his exit.
During his time with the Nationals, Corbin made 170 starts and played a crucial role in the team’s 2019 World Series championship, pitching ten innings and earning a win in the series against the Astros. He also finished 11th in Cy Young voting that season.
For the last few years, he has been a reliable innings eater, making at least 31 starts in each of the past four seasons.
While his overall experience with the Nationals had its challenges, the 2019 World Series victory makes it all worthwhile.
Leave a Reply