Several Nats free agents still searching for new homes in 2025

It’s been a slow offseason, not only for the Nationals but across the sport. Though teams began to get more active before the holidays, hundreds of free agents remain unsigned as the calendar shifts to 2025.

This isn’t anything new; the market seems to get slower and slower each winter, with more and more players forced to wait until February (or even March) to find out where they’re going to play that season. And we could be headed down a similar path over the next two months.

We’ve talked about the players the Nats have added so far this offseason. We haven’t talked a lot about the players they lost. Most of them remained unsigned at this date, with Trevor Williams (who returned to the club on a new two-year deal last week) a notable exception.

Here’s a look at the seven other members of the 2024 Nationals who became free agents at season’s end, either because their contracts expired or the team decided to part ways with them …

JACOB BARNES
The veteran reliever became a free agent after going 8-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 63 games, serving in a variety of bullpen roles. Barnes, who turns 35 in April, hasn’t signed anywhere yet, with the market for relievers having yet to take off. The Nationals could show interest in bringing him back, though he may have to be willing to accept another minor league deal.

PATRICK CORBIN
His six-year, $140 million contract finally expired, Corbin is a free agent for the first time since after the 2018 season. He’s 35, coming off four consecutive poor years, but he’s as durable as they get and could probably churn out another 150-plus innings for someone (albeit for much less money than he made under his previous contract). Given their addition of Michael Soroka and re-signing of Trevor Williams, there’s little reason to think the Nats would be interested in a reunion.

KYLE FINNEGAN
The Nationals surprised everyone when they non-tendered the All-Star closer in November, abruptly ending his five-year stint with the club. They apparently weren’t willing to pay Finnegan the $8 million to $9 million he was expected to receive via arbitration. The question has long been: What kind of offers will other teams now give him as a free agent? If someone isn’t willing to match that annual salary, would anyone try to entice Finnegan with a multi-year contract? And if he remains unsigned well into the winter, is there any chance he’d come back to the Nats at a lower price?

JOEY GALLO
It was a frustrating year for the veteran slugger, who was plagued by multiple injuries and never found any rhythm at the plate. The former All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner had already settled for a $5 million salary from the Nationals, and it’s tough to see anyone offering him that much in 2025. He may have to agree to a minor league deal elsewhere, lest his career be over at 31.

JOEY MENESES
The popular first baseman’s time with the Nationals clearly was over when they demoted him to Triple-A Rochester in July and then never called him back up. Sure enough, he was removed from the 40-man roster after the season ended and became a free agent. The Mets quickly scooped Meneses up, though, on a minor league deal. Whether he has much chance of making that star-studded roster is debatable, the Nats probably will see him in spring training at minimum.

TANNER RAINEY
The Nationals were remarkably patient with Rainey as he struggled last season, keeping him on the active roster all year. He began to pitch better (albeit in low-leverage spots) by August and September, but they still opted to non-tender him in November. The 32-year-old caught on with the Pirates on a minor league deal and will now try to make Pittsburgh’s Opening Day roster with a strong spring.

ILDEMARO VARGAS
With several younger utility infielders in the organization now, the Nats decided to part ways with the popular Vargas in November. One month later, he got a call from the Diamondbacks and agreed to a minor league deal, reuniting with the team for whom he made his major league debut in 2017.