The Washington Nationals finished their up-and-down 2026 season on a high note, winning their last three series and finishing 77-86, their best record since their 2019 World Series title.

The Nationals won two of three against the Mets at home during the last weekend of the MLB regular season.

Manager Blake Butera’s first season was eventful. The Nationals finished as the third highest scoring offense in the MLB, but smashed the record for the most blown saves in a season with 42: a high-powered offense and a historically bad bullpen.

The final series against the Mets determined who would finish last in the NL East. The Nationals entered the series two games above the Mets and held on to fourth place. 

Andrés Chapparo was a monster against the Mets. He went 3-for-4 and hit two home runs in the season finale. He was 5-for-10 from the plate throughout the series. He finishes 2026 with 13 home runs in 86 appearances and 198 at-bats. 

James Wood went 2-for-16 with nine strikeouts and no walks in the four games leading up to the Mets series. He made sure not to leave 2026 with a bad taste in his mouth. He finished 4-for-10 with three walks against the Mets. 

Dylan Crews hit his 13th home run of the season and had three runs in Friday’s 7-6 win. He notched another hit in the season finale to cap off his best season in the MLB thus far. CJ Abrams also drove in three runs and hit a triple to end a rough September. 

The Nationals traded away infielder Curtis Mead for Connelly Early at the deadline. Mead was one of the Nationals' strongest batters, holding an .852 OPS at the time of the trade. 

Both Early and Mead would only play one game for their new teams in the 2026 season. Early was dealing with left elbow inflammation that sidelined him until the Nationals' second-to-last game. Mead suffered a wrist fracture in his second at bat with the Red Sox.

Early looked good in his Nationals debut. He pitched three innings, allowed just one hit, and struck out a batter. He placed the ball well and looked in control on the mound. He threw just 34 pitches in his three innings. 

The Nationals hope Early can be a pillar of the starting rotation for years to come. The 24-year-old finished 2026 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

Chapparo, Alembic Ortiz, and Yohandy Morales shared the first-base and designated hitter spots for the last month of the MLB season.

Chapparo ended the season with a bang, having two home runs in his final two games. He saw time on the Major League roster throughout the 2026 season, playing in 86 games. The 27-year-old hit .268, hit 13 home runs, and posted a .896 OPS. 

Ortiz was acquired in the MacKenzie Gore trade that sent five prospects to DC. He was the first of the five to reach the MLB, and he started off on fire. He was called up for a lone game before the All-Star break, where he hit a double, then returned in August and hit a home run in his first game. He hit five home runs in his first 13 games in August but trickled out. The 24-year-old finished with a .188 average, five home runs and a .572 OPS. 

Yohandy Morales dominated Triple-A throughout the 2026 season. The 24-year-old was called up to the Major Leagues as the rosters expanded to start September. He was 3-for-5 with a home run in his first MLB start. He continued to be productive through September, hitting .255, hitting four home runs, and posting a .851 OPS. 

Barring any moves, it looks like the Nationals might take a similar approach to 2026, when Chapparo and Luis García Jr. shared starts at first base, and have Chapparo and Morales share starts to open the 2027 season. 

The Washington Nationals saw a lot of change from 2025 to 2026, but how much do they see this offseason? 

There are some young players you can count on being back in 2027. James Wood, Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews will likely be the three key members of the outfield. Brady House will likely be the Opening Day starter at third base. 

But the rest of the infield is more up in the air. Many people expect CJ Abrams to be traded this offseason. He has just two seasons left before he becomes a free agent, and he would drive a heavy return. 

Nasim Nuñez and Jorbit Vivas both haven't been inspiring on offense, and the Nationals might want a breath of fresh air. Seaver King could earn an infield spot during spring training and throughout the offseason. 

Catcher will be an interesting spot to look at as well after Harry Ford struggled in his MLB appearances. Keibert Ruiz will likely be looking at another Opening Day start. 

The Nationals have three names filled out for their 2027 starting rotation. Early, Cade Cavalli and Andrew Alvarez. They may look to free agency to fill out the rest of the rotation like they did last offseason with Miles Mikolas and Zack Littell, or look into their farm for names like Josiah Gray and Jackson Kent. 

In the bullpen, the Nationals will likely see significant turnover after a historically bad season. 

Looking forward, the Nationals have a 2.08% chance of landing the No. 1 pick and a 19.9% chance of a top-six pick in the 2027 MLB draft lottery.