After patching up other holes in the lineup, third base is the only glaring spot that needs massive improvement
The Nationals have made a couple signings to bolster their lineup. They brought back former fan favorite Josh Bell in free agency, and traded for Nathaniel Lowe. However, one big hole remains, and that is third base.
The two current potential occupants are Jose Tena and Trey Lipscomb. Given what he showed last year, Lipscomb absolutely cannot be the starter. While Tena showed more flashes at the plate, his defense was rough at third base, looking more comfortable in his brief cameos at second base. Ideally, Tena is a bench bat, and Lipscomb starts the season at triple-a.
There are still a few options available that should intrigue the Nationals. The dream option would be Alex Bregman, but that feels highly unlikely, so we will move on from that. The next best thing that is more possible is trading for Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon. He is one of the best defensive third baseman in all of baseball, and also provides some power. McMahon has three years left on his current contract, where he makes $44 million. He would cost the Nationals some solid prospects, but none of their top guys.
An interesting free agent option is Yoan Moncada. He has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness over the last few years, but has a lot of pedigree, and has shown flashes. He is still only 29 years old. While Moncada is unlikely to repeat his breakout 2023 season, something like his 2021 season could be attainable if he avoids injuries. He will likely accept a fairly cheap one year deal.
Paul Dejong is another free agent, who will be cheap, and will bring a solid combination of defense and power. Dejong hit 24 home runs last year, and had four outs above average between third base and shortstop. Dejong does not bring much outside of defense and some home runs, those are things the Nats need. While Dejong is a flawed player, his skillset has some desirable traits. He will also take a cheap one year deal, probably something similar to the six million that Josh Bell got.
While none of these options are perfect, they represent upgrades for the Nats. Most of them also substantially raise the Nationals floor. They may not get the Nats to the playoffs, but they bring competence, which is something the Nationals need while they keep the seat warm for the eventual arrival of Brady House. The goal of 2025 should be to add to the win total and start pushing towards a return to the playoffs.