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Nationals 'Experimenting' With Position Change for Young Star

Originally posted on Washington Nationals on SI
By Brad Wakai | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 12:01 PM ET

Everything seems to be on the table for the Washington Nationals when it comes to getting out of this current rebuilding phase.

After going into the season with some excitement surrounding the team based on the number of young stars on the roster who were expected to take a step forward, the 2025 campaign has turned into a disaster, with both manager Dave Martinez and president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo being dismissed in the middle of the season following a brutal start to the year.

This has created a bit of a murky future for the Nationals. And because of that, it's hard to truly predict how things are going to look in the nation's capital going into the 2026 season as there could be a completely new front office regime and manager calling the shots.

But as the rest of the campaign dwindles, both interim manager Miguel Cairo and interim general manager Mike DeBartolo have not been afraid to put their stamps on the franchise, with the decision to DFA and then release Nathaniel Lowe being one that stood out.

With him now a member of the Boston Red Sox, first base is a hole Washington will be trying to plug for the rest of the season heading into next year.

Nationals Could Shift Luis Garcia Jr. To First Base

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With Josh Bell set to hit free agency after the season, there isn't a clear-cut answer at first outside of Andres Chaparro -- who hasn't flashed during his limited time in the majors -- and Triple-A player and 19th-ranked prospect Yohandy Morales.

Because of that, it appears like the Nationals are attempting to find a cornerstone at that position by any means necessary, and that includes seeing what Luis Garcia Jr. can do at first base, according to Andrew Golden of The Washington Post (subscription required).

"... as Washington looks ahead to next season, the Nationals are experimenting and exhausting all avenues to improve their roster, including considering giving Garcia a try at first base. There are no immediate plans for Garcia to play at first in a game, though the team asked him to get acclimated to the position," the insider reported.

Garcia Makes His Thoughts Known On Possible Position Change

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This would be a seismic change if Washington decides to go down that path. But it's one that seems like it could be needed based on how he has performed thus far.

For one, Garcia has struggled this season compared to what he did during his breakout last year. Slashing .260/.300/.397 with an OPS+ of 97 in 2025, that is a steep drop in comparison to the .282/.318/.444 slash line and 114 OPS+ he put up in 2024. Furthermore, he has been worth seven outs below average at second base, which is the third-worst among qualified second basemen this season.

Without an offensive game that can make up for defensive struggles, it's not a surprise to see the Nationals exploring all options for how they can keep Garcia in the mix -- he has two years club control remaining -- while also not hurting the team.

As far as what the young star thinks about a potential position change, he made his thoughts known, stating, "I would like to play second, but if I'm going to stay here and they want me to play first, I'll play first."

It will be interesting to see what comes out of this and if Washington actually goes through with this plan or not.