"Many questions remain in the depths of this Nationals offseason. Today, I will touch on the matter of the middle infield. The Nationals have many questions to answer at 2nd base. Will they run with Luis Garcia Jr, or Nasim Nunez? Will they build depth to the thin depth chart? Even more importantly, will they shift CJ Abrams to 2nd base, or trade him off? These are crucial decisions that must be made over the winter."
"It is possible that the Nationals could side with defense at the position, allowing the staff to elevate Nasim Nunez as the starting shortstop. In 2025, Nunez batted in a .239 Avg with a .699 OPS. Nunez did steal 9 bases, which was something nice to see. The best value-add that her offers is his defense - +3.9 Defensive Rating, per Fangraphs."
The Nationals lack a settled starter at second base, with Luis Garcia Jr. currently projected to start but offering modest offensive and defensive metrics. Garcia Jr. hit .252 last season with a -6.5 Offensive Rating and a -3.9 Defensive Rating. Nasim Nunez provides stronger defense (+3.9 Defensive Rating) but lower offense (.239 average, .699 OPS) and some baserunning (nine steals). Jose Tena is positioned as a utility infielder able to play second and third, hitting .243 with a .673 OPS in 50 games. The organization is considering whether to shift CJ Abrams to second base or keep him at shortstop, which would affect roster depth and trade possibilities.
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