What Stage Of The Rebuild Are The Nationals In?

Washington Nationals Preview

What is there to say about the Washington Nationals? Honestly, I don’t know. They are a team that has struggled quite a bit in recent years, and despite the thought that they would compete last year, it was still a disappointment. They want to be a competitive franchise, but they are missing too many pieces to make it work this year. Can the Nationals win this season, or are they going to have to further bottom out? 

Last year recap:

I think it is best to sum up the Nationals 2025 campaign with one fact: The Washington Nationals were never over .500 last year. At the All-Star Break, they were 20 games under .500. Their longest winning streak was four games, and they ended the year with 96 losses. That means they were 30 games under for the end of the year. The good news for them is that they got to look at some prospects, but this team has a long way to go if they want to make progress. 

Offseason moves: 

The team traded away most of their players last year during the season, but there were some guys that still had value. They traded away the biggest name, MacKenzie Gore, to the Rangers. That was the goal, though. They wanted to get prospects and they did receive those in return. 

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Washington Nationals pitches to the Miami Marlins during the second inning at Nationals Park on June 14, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

Roster:

Go ahead and pull up the Nationals roster. If you recognize five names, then maybe you should write this article. Dylan Crews is the only guy that I recognize as someone to rely on or with any real talent. They have some decent arms in the rotation, but most are place holders. Miles Mikolas was my guy for a while, but he is now slated to be their fifth starter – if he has any success he will be traded. Josiah Gray is okay, and Zack Littell is about the same. Again, these guys are all players that have some potential, but are likely to be gone because they aren’t part of the long term solution. 

Betting outlook: 

If you want to believe in the Nationals and bet that they will win enough games to make the playoffs, you can get paid 16:1. I think that’s terrible value. And, the no is -5000. Do you think they will lose 100 games? I think it is possible, and probably even likely that they miss it. They have a line of 65.5 for the year and I think the under is a good look. I just don’t see how this roster is going to perform well enough, especially in their division, to win 66 or more games. The Nationals to finish 5th in the division is -250, and while it is juicy, I think that’s a winner. 

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024