It’s not just errors plaguing the Nationals—it’s a deeper defensive disconnect. With poor positioning, limited range, and questionable roster decisions, Washington’s fielding problems go beyond the box score.
Every inning, a team will have the chance to bat on offense and field and pitch on defense. The Washington Nationals have created a young, gritty lineup that has shown flashes of becoming something special offensively. When diving into the stats, Washington’s defense has been a huge reason for the lack of success this season. Pitching has been the issue, but if you look around the league, teams with questionable pitching make sure to prioritize defense (ex. Milwaukee Brewers).
Team Fielding Run Value pic.twitter.com/S8tWw650QW
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) June 13, 2025
Why has Washington’s defense become a liability? Let’s dive in.
DEFENSIVE RUNS SAVED (DRS)
Definition: a sabermetric that measures a player’s defensive performance by estimating how many runs they saved or cost their team compared to the average player at their position.
A great way to assess an overall team’s defensive performance is by looking at defensive runs saved. At the top of the league, division rival Atlanta Braves sit 45 defensive runs saved. Washington is No. 26 in baseball with -24 defensive runs saved. To put into context how poor this is, the Chicago White Sox are a spot above Washington with -18 DFS. The main factor being contributed to a stat like this is how your pitchers pitch. Washington has a plethora of pitch-to-contact pitchers, meaning more balls are put into play, leading to more opportunities for a team to get on base and score.
The worst part about diving into a stat like this is seeing who is the main cause for this stat being so low. James Wood leads the team with 4 DRS. However, the names at the bottom are very concerning. CJ Abrams is at -3 and Nathaniel Lowe is right below him with -2 DRS. It gets worse. Keibert Ruiz is at -7 and the very bottom of DRS is Luis Garcia Jr. at -13.
DEFENSIVE WAR (dWAR)
Definition: A metric used in baseball to estimate a player’s contribution to their team’s wins based solely on their defensive performance.
Defensive WAR in Washington isn’t a glaring concern, with only two everyday starters falling in the negative. The glaring problem is who is the main negative defender in this category. Jacob Young (0.4) and Nasim Nunez (0.2) have been plus defenders this season, leading the team in dWAR. The glaring issue is second baseman Luis Garcia Jr. is at the bottom with -1.2.
The middle infield statistically has not been great in Washington this season, ranking as one of the worst defensive units in all of baseball. The glaring issue is the impact they have on the team’s future. The infield as a whole has been atrocious defensively, but the Abrams and Garcia are the future of the infield in Washington.
OUTS ABOVE AVERAGE (OAA)
Definition: the cumulative effect of all individual plays a fielder has been credited or debited with, making it a range-based metric of fielding skill that accounts for the number of plays made and the difficulty of them. For example, a fielder who catches 25% Out Probability play gets +.75; one who fails to make the play gets -.25.
This is a statistic based solely on the player’s ability to execute plays. In perspective, Jonathan India is last in all of baseball in OAA with -11. What is troubling is three Washington Nationals fall into the bottom twenty. Amed Rosario (-7), CJ Abrams (-7), and Luis Garcia Jr. (-6) are some of the worst defenders when it comes to OAA.
As you look at the list as a whole, you see some notable poor defenders like Nick Castellanos and Luis Arraez, and for Washington, this is where you do not want to see your future middle infield.
CONCLUSION
What is dragging down Washington’s defense? The outfield has been solid this season, with James Wood, Dylan Crews, Jacob Young, and Robert Hassell playing solid defense. Nathaniel Lowe has been right at first base, but it isn’t a premiere defensive position to begin with. The main issue is the middle infield. Statistically, there have been the worst defenders on the team, and some of the worst defenders in all of baseball at their positions. Amed Rosario has been a key contributor offensively and has offered a spark off the bench, however, defensively he is one of the worst baseball has to offer.
The rotation is a concern in Washington, but the defense is the most glaring issue, holding them back from winning close, meaningful games.