The 2025 season has proven that the Washington Nationals need more starting pitching. Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker showed some flashes in 2024, but 2025 has shown that they are not good enough to be relied on. One way the Nats can upgrade the rotation is in free agency. However, I will not be looking at the big names today, instead I will look at under the radar targets.
While I would love for the Nationals to land a Dylan Cease, Michael King or Framber Valdez, recent history suggests that is unlikely.
Even if the Nationals offered big money, these guys are likely to prefer to play for a contender unless the Nats blow them out of the water. It would be a big statement of intent if the Nats signed one of these players, but I want to look at the next tier.
There are three mid tier pitchers that I think the Nationals should consider this offseason. None will have a qualifying offer attached to them and the Nats will have a buy-low opportunity. Those three pitchers are Chris Bassitt, Zach Eflin and Dustin May. Let’s break these guys down.
The Veteran Work Horse:
He flies under the radar, but Chris Bassitt has been one of the most reliable starting pitchers of the 2020’s. Bassitt has never been an ace, but he has been the definition of a reliable middle of the rotation arm.
Since 2021, Bassitt has averaged 175.2 innings per season and has pitched to a 3.65 ERA in that time. He has made at least 30 starts in each of the last four seasons and has been remarkably consistent. In an era where pitchers are less durable than ever, Bassitt takes the ball every fifth day and provides quality innings.
Despite being 36 years old, Bassitt is not slowing down much. He has a 3.90 ERA in 166 innings and all his peripherals suggest that is no fluke. Despite sitting in the low-90’s, Bassitt actually gets a good amount of strikeouts. This is due to his deep arsenal.
Bassitt throws an insane 8 pitches, which keeps hitters off balance. They never know what is coming because Bassitt will throw any pitch at any time. This junk balling style has let Bassitt age gracefully. There is no reason why Bassitt shouldn’t be at least a solid 4 starter despite his age. For the Nats a solid 4 starter would be their number 2 or 3 starter.
He would also provide a young Nats pitching staff with much needed leadership. Bassitt has seen it all in his long career. He has played with guys like Max Scherzer in his career. Unlike some other veterans the Nats have signed, he still has good baseball ahead of him.
Going into his age 37 season, Bassitt will cost more than recent Nats free agent signings, but they won’t have to break the bank either. Right now Bassitt is making $21 million a year. A two-year deal at about $17 million a year would make sense for both sides.
The Command Artist:
Zach Eflin is less of a sure thing than Bassitt. However, he has shown similar upside in the past and is five years younger. In 2023 and 2024, Eflin was one of the most underrated starters in all of baseball.
For those two seasons, Eflin averaged 172 innings per season and posted a 3.54 ERA. The most impressive thing about Eflin is his control. He has walked fewer than two batters per 9 innings every season since 2021. That is truly elite stuff.
However, 2025 has been a very difficult season. Eflin has dealt with injuries and has been ineffective when he has been on the mound. This year, he has posted a brutal 5.93 ERA. He allowed 18 homers in 71.1 innings and batters have hit over .300 against him.
This makes Eflin a risk, but also an opportunity. If he gets back to what he was in 2024, Eflin would be a major bargain. However, that is also a big risk. That risk is amplified by the fact he just had back surgery. Eflin said he should be ready to go in Spring Training, but back surgeries are no joke.
If the back surgery works, Eflin could be pain free and a better pitcher than ever. However, there is a chance that this could be a real problem for him moving forward. It will be risky, but if the Nationals want to roll the dice on a high upside one-year deal, Eflin is an intriguing option.
The Next Big Thing:
The final pitcher I am going to talk about is Dustin May. He has been an enigma in his career. When you watch May, it is easy to see the vision. His fastball sits in the mid-90’s and gets insane movement. May also throws a nasty sweeper that also has ridiculous movement. He is one of those guys who looks un-hittable when you watch clips of him.
However, those clips don’t tell the whole story. So far in his career, May has been pretty disappointing. He has either been injured or underwhelming. Despite debuting in 2019, May had thrown fewer than 200 career MLB innings before this season.
May’s career has been insanely injury filled. He had two elbow surgeries, a Tommy John Surgery in 2021 and a flexor tendon surgery in 2023. Then in 2024, May was rushed to the hospital after tearing his esophagus from simply eating a piece of salad. The emergency surgery he had to undergo cost May the rest of the 2024 season.
In 2025, May has finally gotten back on the mound and has been relatively healthy. He is out with a minor injury right now, but his body has largely held up this season. With the Dodgers and Red Sox, May has thrown a career high 132.1 innings.
However, the results have been middling. His ERA is a mediocre 4.96 and he has not been quite as electric as he was before all the injuries. However, I think May is worth taking a chance on with a one-year deal.
It is a similar situation to Michael Soroka last offseason. An injury prone guy who has shown flashes of excellence in the past. Soroka turned himself into a trade chip for the Nats and gave them solid innings. I think May can do the same.
He is a very young free agent at just 28 years old and still has good stuff. His fastball averages 95 MPH and he has a nasty sweeper. He could be a project for the new regime to use as a Guinea Pig. If his arsenal can be optimized, I believe May can be an effective pitcher. Not an ace, but a solid part of a rotation.
Wrapping Up:
Fans will want the Nationals to go big game hunting. However, there is little recent evidence that ownership has any interest in doing that. Even if they did, it takes two to tango.
If Dylan Cease has two similar offers from the Nationals and the Padres, why would he choose to go to the Nats? The Padres have proven they can build a contender and have the talent to build around him. The Nationals have not proven they are capable of doing any of that, at least recently.
That means the Nats need to shop in a different market, at least for now. If the Nationals take strides in 2026, they will become a more attractive destination. However, that is not the case right now.
The Nats need to look for high upside guys that will not cost a lot of money. Guys who need to rebuild their value, but have more upside than the dumpster diving signings they have made in recent years. Chris Bassitt, Zach Eflin and Dustin May are three guys that fall into this category.
