The Washington Nationals are a team that many people expect to be active during the upcoming offseason to upgrade their roster.

There are clear needs on the team that the front office will look to address. The corner infield is among them and the catcher could be upgraded as well. At the very least, this is a team that needs to add a home run threat to the lineup.

At least the Nationals have some solid young players making up their core, as development from those players will improve the team’s outlook as well.

While fans are likely hoping a spending spree results in multiple starters being acquired, they need to make sure that the pieces fit and mesh well together. Clubhouse morale is important, especially for such a young team.

One player who has excellent leadership qualities is Ildemaro Vargas.

After signing a $1.1 million deal for the 2024 season in September of 2023, the versatile utility man is arbitration-eligible this offseason. No late-season contract this time around doesn’t change the fact that he is someone that the franchise thinks very highly of.

“No matter what your day’s like, you look at him and he makes you laugh, he makes you smile. He’s been incredible. He’s a great teammate, loves to play the game. … He gives me everything he has every time he’s out there. And even when he doesn’t play, he’s the one guy in the dugout that you can hear constantly chirping … and rooting for his teammates. I really feel blessed that he’s with us, that he’s on this team, and I hope we get a chance to bring him back,” manager Dave Martinez said via Mark Zuckerman of Masn.

That is the exact kind of player that teams want on their roster. Vargas is well-respected by everyone in the franchise and is someone who needs to be brought back this offseason.

The camaraderie and positivity he brings to the clubhouse are as important as any production he provides on the field.

Now 33 years old, if he is an everyday player heading into the 2025 season, something went very wrong during the offseason. Ideally, he will be a bench player, capable of filling in at several spots in the infield when a starter needs a breather, providing the team with important depth.

He is an elite defender at third base, solid at second base and holds his own at shortstop. That kind of player is important on a team looking to compete as he can be a late-game defensive replacement even when his bat isn’t hot.

The Washington Wizards are widely expected to be active in trade discussions leading up to the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline. One player to keep a close eye on will be veteran center Jonas Valanciunas.

With that in mind, the Los Angeles Lakers have been heavily connected as a team that could try to acquire Valanciunas from the Wizards at some point this year.

Once again, the Lakers have been connected as a possible trade suitor for the Washington big man. Of course, any trade involving Valanciunas could not be completed until after December 15th.

Michael Saenz of Sir Charles In Charge has listed Valanciunas as a starting-caliber center that Los Angeles could look to pursue via an in-season trade.

“Throughout the offseason, Jonas Valanciunas has been a player consistently linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. On paper, he seems like a natural fit next to Anthony Davis. But after signing a free-agency deal with the Washington Wizards this summer, a path to the Lakers could be complicated,” Sanez wrote.

“Valanciunas is not eligible to be traded until December 15. If the Lakers are willing to wait that long, he could very much hit the trade block again before the deadline.”

There is no guarantee that the Wizards will look to trade Valanciunas. Depending on how the team starts the season, they could look to compete in the Eastern Conference and he will be a big part of that goal.

During the 2023-24 NBA season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Valanciunas ended up playing in all 82 regular season games. He averaged 14.5 points per game to go along with 11.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists. In addition to those averages, he shot 55.9 percent from the floor.

Should Washington struggle to begin the year, Valanciunas would almost certainly be placed on the trade block. If the Lakers haven’t found another option by that time, they could pursue a deal.

Expect to hear a ton of rumors surrounding the Wizards this season. They have quite a few possible trade chips on their roster and Valanciunas will be one of the most popular.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Two crucial mistakes late in the game ultimately cost Fresno State the chance to pull through against Washington State on Saturday, leading to a 25-27 loss. 

With around seven minutes to go in the game, Fresno State held a 17-16 lead and was driving down the field with a chance to put the game on ice. 

But Quarterback Mikey Keene stared down receiver Raylen Sharpe, giving Washington State defensive back Ethan O’Conner the chance to jump in front of the pass and take it 65 yards to the house, giving the Cougars a 22-17 lead. 

Fresno State still had plenty of time left on the clock to drive downfield, but the ensuing kickoff following the pick six was disastrous. Returner Jalen Moss tripped and fell down at the 1-yard line, meaning the Bulldogs would have to go 99 yards to take the lead. 

The ‘Dogs ran the ball up the middle three straight times, only getting out to the 7-yard line before being forced to punt. 

Washington State responded with a field goal and drew the clock down to under two minutes, taking an eight-point lead and giving the Bulldogs a chance to tie the game up despite their late mistakes. 

Those mistakes, however, continued for Fresno State. Starting at the Fresno State 25-yard line with 1:46 left on the clock, Keene led the Bulldogs all the way to the Washington State 31-yard line with 31 seconds to go. 

Facing 4th and 7, Keene hit Sharpe for 13 yards, putting the ‘Dogs in prime position to go for the end zone with enough time left to play. But Fresno State got penalized for illegal use of hands on the play, dropping the ‘Dogs back to the Washington State 41-yard line, proving to be too far to overcome on the last play of the game. 

That costly penalty was emblematic of Fresno State’s performance all game. The Bulldogs committed 12 penalties, costing them 91 yards against the Cougars. 

Head Coach Tim Skipper said after the game that the team simply had too many self-inflicted wounds. 

“The effort was good tonight. It’s all about playing smart. It’s limiting the turnovers. It’s limiting the penalties. Those things are killing us,” Skipper said. “It’s like we got emotionally hijacked, and we’re doing things we shouldn’t do. So we just need to settle in and play ball and take it one play at a time. And like I said, don’t get emotionally hijacked and do stupid stuff – against the rules stuff – 15-yard penalties. Those type of things – you can’t have that to be a good team and win the game.” 

Fresno State had some early defensive lapses to allow Washington State to jump out to a 13-7 lead, particularly struggling to Cougars quarterback John Mateer, who found success scrambling early on. 

The defense picked up the slack and held Mateer to 172 passing yards on the night and 46 yards on the ground – taking into account the yards he lost getting sacked 4 times. 

But kicker Dylan Lynch missed two field goals in the first half that would have put the ‘Dogs in a much different position at the end of the game. 

Keene completed 66% of his passes but only posted 220 passing yards and 1 touchdown, not making up for the 2 interceptions he threw. 

Running back Elijah Gilliam had 1 touchdown and 120 yards, finding his groove to average 6 yards per carry. 

With the loss, Fresno State drops to 3-3 on the season and has a quick turnaround to travel to Reno on Friday to face Nevada. The Wolfpack are 3-4 but are coming off a 42-37 win over Oregon State on Saturday. 

“Ton of adversity, back’s against the wall, and we’re going to see what we’re made of,” Skipper said. “That’s the bottom line. We’re going to see what we’re made of, and we’re going to have to take it one game at a time. It will be a good week that we have to flip the switch, get ready to go play and then see what we’re made of.”