The Washington Nationals have been rebuilding for seemingly their entire 20-year existence, outside of their World Series Championship in 2019.

After that run, the team immediately went back into rebuilding, though this current stint in the doldrums has not been near as long as the ones that came before, and the team looks primed to be powerful spoilers in the National League East in 2025.

Their current trajectory certainly makes people scratch their heads in confusion at their refusal to add any big-name talent through free agency this offseason, something the Los Angeles Dodgers have continued to do after winning the 2024 World Series.

The Dodgers shopping spree has drawn the ire of MLB fans across the nation, with many claiming that they are ruining the sport.

While the excessive deferrals through a loophole of the current CBA are something that needs to be addressed in the next CBA, the excessive spending is not ruining the sport as much as teams like the Nationals’ refusal to do so is.

“By way of an influx of young talent led by top prospects James Wood and Dylan Crews,” writes Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, “the ’24 squad bore a resemblance to the 2010 team that ultimately got upgraded with Jayson Werth.”

“A repeat of that maneuver might have put the Nationals on the fringes of the wild-card race. Since the team has only made ripples, 2025 is instead looking like another rebuilding year.”

While Rymer is more pessimistic in his assessment of Washington’s standing and how their young core will take another step forward in 2025, he is spot on that the club should have added any number of big-name veterans through free agency to expedite the process.

The Nationals needed a first baseman this offseason, perhaps their most pressing need, and instead of signing the best name on the market in Christian Walker, they opted instead for Josh Bell.

Bell is no slouch and can periodically go on stretches of solid production at the plate, but Walker would have provided the club with far better defense while consistently producing at a high level offensively.

There is still time, and the club could add a veteran like Jack Flaherty to their rotation to improve its depth.

However, as things stand, Los Angeles has become an even better unit this winter than they were in 2024 while Washington has remained mostly stagnant with their refusal to spend, and that refusal to spend is ruining the sport far more than another team overspending.