"A turbulent offseason for the Nationals has seen a number of players depart, and yet, the team has still not signed on a hitter to a major league contract. It's a puzzling development; the Nats front office is forthcoming about its uncompetitiveness in 2026, but teams without playoff hopes still frequently sign players to one-year deals with the upside of flipping them to a contending team for prospects come the trade deadline if they perform well."
"Goldschmidt of his own admission is ready to play in 2026. We've talked on this site at length about the Nationals first base situation; while the team has endless depth now at the position, there's nobody ready to run away with the everyday job there. The Nats signed Amed Rosario last year to fill a specific role: build up his value as a short-side platoon bat, get a little production out of him, and flip him to a contender for prospects at the deadline. Goldschmidt, who somehow found over 500 plate appearances with the Yankees in 2025, could fill that role in 2026."
"There's a stark difference between his wRC+ against righties (74) and lefties (169) in 2025, and taking a limited playing role while also serving as a veteran presence in the clubhouse could go a long way as the Nats continue to get younger on the field and in the front office. Goldy could hypothetically enter a first base platoon with Luis García Jr."
The Washington Nationals have not signed a hitter to a major league contract despite a turbulent offseason and several departures. The front office accepts an uncompetitive 2026 season, yet teams often add one-year rentals to flip at the trade deadline if they perform. The Nationals acquired Foster Griffin in a flipable move. Paul Goldschmidt is ready to play in 2026 and could serve as a limited platoon option at first base alongside Luis García Jr. because of extreme splits versus handedness. Amed Rosario was used as a short-side platoon asset to build value. Signing Marcell Ozuna would provoke fan backlash because of prior legal issues.
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