From CJ Abrams’ consistency to potential trade chips and young talent development, Washington’s second half offers plenty to track beyond the standings.
Coming back from the All-Star break, the Washington Nationals are 38-58 and among one of the worst teams in all of baseball. With so many questions surrounding the Washington Nationals’ front office, there are even more questions to be answered for the on-field production.
James Wood and MacKenzie Gore became first-time All-Stars this season, and CJ Abrams has improved tremendously since last season. There is no question who the future of the franchise is, but the supporting cast is filled with question marks.
Washington is not as bad as their record indicates, leading some people to believe there is room for improvement in the second half of the season. There are many different storylines to keep an eye on during the second half, and these situations could make or break the Washington Nationals, not just in 2025 but also in the years to come.
Here are key storylines for fans to keep an eye on in the second half of the 2025 season.
Abrams Aims to Avoid a Second-Half Slide
The star shortstop made his first All-Star game in 2024, playing like a top shortstop through the first half of the season. However, his offensive production began to drop off. In the first half, Abrams slashed .268/.344/.489 and had a wRC+ of 129, making him a premier offensive shortstop. However, in the second half, Abrams slashed .203/.260/.326 with a wRC+ of 64. This could be caused by several circumstances, whether that is playing fewer games or being sent down to Triple-A due to off-the-field issues, but the point still stands.
Abrams is currently having the best season of his career, already holding the highest WAR of his career. With a statline of .287/.353/.483 with twenty stolen bases, posting the same stats during the second half may insert him into being considered as one of the top shortstops in all of baseball.
Time to Cash in on Vets?
Heading into 2025, Washington was looking to improve from their seventy-one wins from the past two seasons. They are currently 38-58, on pace to have fewer wins than years past. Washington is not in a playoff position; however, they have some veterans that other teams would love to add to their roster before the trade deadline. Players signed to one-year deals this past offseason, such as Josh Bell and Michael Soroka, could be priorities for teams trying to fill holes late in the season.
The big name to trade is Kyle Finnegan. With 18 saves and a 3.12 ERA, Finnegan would fit well in a bullpen that needs a great non-closer. It is hard to determine what kind of value Washington would receive in return, due to Finnegan becoming a free agent in 2026. If you are Washington, bringing in a prospect with upside would be a great return for Finnegan.
House Hunting for an Offensive Breakout
In just twenty-three games, House has shown flashes defensively and the capability to be a starting third baseman in the MLB. The offensive approach needs improving, especially with his plate discipline, striking out twenty-three times to just four walks. House is currently slashing .258/.286/.376 and has two home runs (hit in the same game) and five doubles.
Washington is hoping to see the continuous progression from House, and hopefully, they will keep giving him plenty of opportunities. With DeJong on the roster, it may be hard to find consistent playing time for the 22-year-old. However, DeJong could hold value to another team looking for a right-handed bat and could be a potential deadline trade piece.
Crews’ Comeback Tour Begins
Washington has shown they are patient with Dylan Crews’ injury and are hoping he can come back better than ever. Heading into the 2025 season, Crews was the favorite for the National League Rookie of the Year. However, Crews started the season horrendously, but was finding his footing in the lineup. In the two games before his injury, he had notched three hits, two of them being home runs. With an oblique injury, Washington has been concerned and not rushing Crews back into the lineup, and the patience could be to fix the offensive approach.
At 23 years old, Washington will be asking a lot out of the former top prospect in 2026. With the emergence of James Wood and CJ Abrams, Washington could have found the future core in their lineup. Crews has started his rehab assignment and will get the opportunity to show the potential improvements to his game later in the season. If Crews’ approach can improve, Nationals fans should be ecstatic heading into 2026.
CONCLUSION
There are many storylines to watch for in the second half of the 2025 season. Most important is the youth movement continuing and seeing improvement from key future assets. Hopefully, Washington can cash in veteran bats and arms and keep improving the farm system. Regardless, it will be quite the second half. I expect to see an improved Washington team, as they are not as bad as their 38-58 record indicates.