Which is fair. But this is no more a solution to 3B than last year's $2 million lottery ticket, Nick Senzel. Left-side infield defense looks ready to give up plenty of runs this year.
to me, the most intriguing guy still out there is Yoan Moncada. He is coming off an injury, but it was a left abductor muscle and he did make it back for a PA at the end of the year. 2023 he had a .260 /.305 / .425 line, which is kind of average but was a bounce back from a bad 2022 and is much better than anything we ran out at 3rd base the past few years. He started 2024 hitting well before the injury, but it was only 44 PAs. He'll be 30 in May, so he's not past prime age-wise. He hasn't played much second base, but came up as an MI and historically and recently has been an average to good defender and, thinking longer term, could shift there if needed. Switch hitter with balanced career numbers but slightly more power hitting lefty.
He's not regarded as a premium FA and he's coming off a multi-year deal signed after 1 full season into his career that was an overpay by a lot. That said, I suspect he's looking for a pillow contract to reestablish his health and value, but that pillow probably should be in the mid-7 figures. I'd love it for the Nats to offer him a $5 million contract with a second year team option at $12 million and a $2 million buyout. My thought on the option is that, if things go well and House / Wallace / Morales is ready to take over 3rd base, it opens the ability to deal LGJr. and have Moncada slide over to 2nd while Seaver King and Dickerson develop; we also would have Tena available for 2nd.
