Who will start in left field for the Nationals on Opening Day?
The Nationals are entering the third year of their rebuild and have done very little this offseason outside of signing three veteran outfielders. Now with Opening Day just two weeks away, the Nationals have a decision to make about who their left fielder will be.
Signed to a minor-league contract last week, Eddie Rosario is the favorite to be the Nationals’ everyday left fielder. In his third season with the Braves last summer, the 32-year-old batted .255/.305/.450 with 21 home runs over 142 games. Rosario has spent most of his career in left field, where he has posted a .978 fielding percentage with 11 defensive runs saved. His minor-league contract doesn’t guarantee him a roster spot, but Rosario’s defense and left-handed bat are a good fit for the Washington lineup.
"I'm really glad he's here," Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of Rosario when speaking to the media on Monday.
Washington could also turn to veteran outfielders Joey Gallo or Jesse Winker, who both signed with the club over the winter.
Joey Gallo signed a one-year deal in January after spending the 2023 campaign with the Minnesota Twins. Gallo is a two-time Gold Glove outfielder, but made as many starts at first base as he did in left last season. The 30-year-old slugger played a perfect first base last season committing no errors over 51 games and 322 innings. Gallo has yet to play the outfield this spring and seems destined to serve as first baseman/designated hitter for the Nationals upcoming.
Jesse Winker signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals in February and seemed like a safe bet to make the team before the Nats signed Rosario. It wasn’t that long ago that Winker was one of the league’s better hitters, but he has struggled to stay healthy since leaving Cincinnati in 2021. The 30-year-old veteran has looked good so far this spring, batting .350 with a pair of doubles and three RBI. Winker has split time between left field and DH and could still break camp with the Nationals, but it seems unlikely that he’ll win the starting job even if he does make the Opening Day roster.
The Nationals will open the season against the Cincinnati Reds on March 28.
More must-reads: