The cherry blossoms are blooming, and Nationals baseball is on the horizon. However, with the hours counting down to Thursday’s season opener, Washington manager Blake Butera and President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni have yet to finalize their roster.
“Things have been changing every day, it feels like,” Butera said Monday. “I probably had seven or eight different lineups that have been written and torn up. We’ll get it figured out, but a lot goes into it.”
The first-year manager also cautioned fans and media against reading too heavily into the early roster and lineup decisions.
“What our opening day lineup looks like, game two will look different,” Butera said.
That hasn’t stopped fans from speculating. With opening day rapidly approaching, here’s a final roster projection for the rebuilding Nationals.
Catchers: Keibert Ruiz and Drew Millas
This decision was finalized when the Nationals optioned fellow catcher Harry Ford to Triple-A last week. Washington acquired Ford, who played for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic, from the Seattle Mariners this offseason. The former first-round pick flashed promise in spring training but lacked the experience to make the opening day roster as an everyday catcher.
Ford made just one start with the Mariners after making his MLB debut last summer.
Ruiz, whose work framing pitchers and challenging calls through the new automated strike zone impressed during Monday’s spring training finale, is expected to start the bulk of Washington’s games this season.
Starting infield: First baseman Luis Garcia Jr., second baseman Nasim Nunez, shortstop C.J. Abrams, third baseman Brady House
The likely infield combination solidified over the course of spring training. Abrams, a returning All-Star, was a shoo-in at shortstop. House is a former first-round pick who has spent years rising through the minor league ranks. He’s the first clear option that Washington has had at third base in years.
The remainder of the infield is less obvious. Garcia impressed the coaching staff as he moved from second to first, while Nunez split his time between the middle infield spots during spring training.
Utility infielders: First baseman Andres Chaparro, infielder Jorbit Vivas, infielder Jose Tena
Chaparro will likely grace the opening day lineup as a designated hitter. The Venezuelan corner infielder dominated during his 48-game stint with Triple-A Rochester last season, recording 14 homers and 45 RBIs alongside a .275 average and a .577 slugging percentage.
He didn’t excel during a brief stint in the majors last season — his batting average and slugging percentage dropped to .182 and .258, respectively — but Washington will likely bet on Chaparro to rediscover his power-hitting ways.
Vivas was the latest addition to the Nationals’ roster, joining the team via trade with the New York Yankees on Sunday.
“We’re excited to get him, pretty fired up, someone that we are pumped to have with us. … Does a tremendous job getting on base, can play all over the infield,” Butera said. “There’s some intangibles and things underneath the hood that we really liked and think we can tap into if we give him a runway and a chance to showcase himself.”
Outfielders: James Wood, Jacob Young, Daylen Lile, Joey Wiemer
The surprise demotion of former top pick Dylan Crews opened up a spot on Washington’s outfield, which has seen a surge of promising prospects rise through the farm system.
Wood made his All-Star and Home Run Derby debuts last season thanks to an early-season power surge, though his numbers tapered off toward the end of the season. Meanwhile, Lile found his stride late in his rookie campaign. The 23-year-old posted a .391 average with six home runs, 19 RBIs and 20 runs scored during a 25-game stretch in September.
In center field, Young has established himself as one of the premier defensive players at one of the sport’s most crucial positions. His most acrobatic catches and home-run robberies have gone viral, even as his offensive output sputters below the league averages.
Crews’ demotion has allowed Wiemer to stake a claim on the Nationals’ opening day roster. The 27-year-old has bounced around the league since debuting with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, including stints with the San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlins, Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds.
Starting pitchers: Cade Cavalli, Jake Irvin, Zack Littell, Miles Mikolas, Foster Griffin
The Nationals led an overhaul of the pitching staff after trading All-Star MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers this offseason. Littell and Mikolas signed with Washington during spring training, while Griffin agreed to a one-year deal in December after an All-Star campaign in Japan’s NPB in 2025.
Cavalli will be the opening day starter after taking a major league mound just 11 times in his career. Arm injuries derailed the former top prospect’s career, leading to a lengthy recovery following his MLB debut in 2022.
“It feels very special. I’m super grateful for the opportunity,” Cavalli said. “It’s been a long road. There’s a lot of days in Florida at the complex where you’re like, ‘Man, is my time ever going to come?’”
Fellow National Josiah Gray could probably relate. The 2023 All-Star will start the season at Triple-A as he continues to rehab an arm injury. He could rejoin Washington’s big-league rotation during the upcoming season.
Bullpen: Brad Lord, Cole Henry, PJ Poulin, Andre Granillo, Clayton Beeter, Ken Waldichuck, Cionel Perez, Gus Varland
Washington’s bullpen is the biggest question mark for the franchise heading into the regular season. It’s unclear what role any reliever would play, and Butera hasn’t identified a closer. It’s still possible that the Nationals add another arm through waivers or free agency before the season begins.
The Nationals open the campaign in Chicago against the Cubs on Thursday afternoon.
This season, Washington’s games will stream live through Nationals.TV, a new partnership with MLB. The games will be available through an online livestream on MLB.TV or through local cable providers. The Nationals have not yet announced which cable providers would carry the network.
Based on past carriage agreements for other franchises with MLB-produced broadcasts, cable information may not be revealed until opening day.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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