Only way Hosmer becomes a Nat is if the Padres took Corbin and we swapped bad contracts.
Probably, but I'm not sure that's actually the smart approach.
Hosmer's contract was awful, but it was very frontloaded and is significantly less bad after this year - the last 3 years are $13m each, and he's owed a little less than $9m for the rest of this year. Those are too much for what he produces, but $13m in particular isn't so out of bounds as to be unworkable (especially given that the Nats will have a giant hole at 1B anyway). He's basically on a 3.5 year, ~$48 million contract that expires right when Soto would need a gigantic raise (Corbin also expires then).
If I were in Rizzo's chair, I would be very willing to swap Bell for Hosmer plus Hassell and a couple lottery-ticket or overage arms (i.e., someone with some promise but who needs to go on the 40 this winter).