As the Washington Nationals head into the offseason, there are going to be a lot of important decisions about what is the next step for the franchise. 

In 2024, the Nationals might have had an identical record to the season before, but it felt like it was a step in the right direction. A lot of the young and talented players for Washington played a lot of games, and some of their elite prospects began to make an impact. 

From the Juan Soto trade a few years prior, the Nationals had CJ Abrams make the All-Star team, James Wood come up and produce very well for half a season, and MacKenzie Gore emerged as the best pitcher on the staff. 

Even though there are a lot of young players with a lot of upside on the team, the Nationals are lacking veterans. That could be an area that they will try to address this offseason, but they could also wait another year before trying to compete in order to let their young talent continue to develop. 

If they choose to wait, moving one of their veteran assets would be a wise move. Even though he was an All-Star last year and the closer for the team, here are three reasons why Washington should trade Kyle Finnegan. 

Anytime a good relief pitcher becomes available, he is usually a hot commodity among contending playoff teams. As shown in the playoffs this season, with multiple teams playing bullpen games, relief pitchers are becoming more and more valuable. 

While Finnegan isn’t an elite closer, he is a very good relief pitcher who could help a lot of teams. If he was to become available, there would be plenty of suitors for him this winter. 

With the value of a good relief pitcher to a team being so important, the return in a trade for one is also good. Last campaign, the right-hander totaled 38 saves and a 3.68 ERA on a 71-win team. Finnegan will be under contract through 2025 before hitting free agency, as moving him with a full season to play compared to a half of season obviously increases his value. 

Even though it feels like the Nationals are getting close to competing again, 2025 might not be the season. Next year, players like James Wood and Dylan Crews will be looking to play in their first full seasons in the Majors, as being a playoff team next campaign might be unrealistic. 

Barring some big moves in trades or free agency, 2025 will more than likely be another year of development for some of the young players, with hopefully a nice increase in wins. If the team doesn’t make some moves to compete in 2025, there is no reason to hold on to their veteran closer.