Nationals players who could soon be in line for Cade Cavalli-like extension

James Wood and CJ Abrams remain the far-and-away most deserving players, but getting either star to sign a long-term deal looks to be an uphill battle. Not saying that it won't be completed, but it might be in the front office's best interest to get creative with extending other players while waiting on a change of heart from their superstars.

In terms of urgency, the Nationals don't need much to get anything done with Alvarez any time soon. With that being said, what he's done in 2026 to help stabilize the rotation has been nothing short of lifesaving.

It's far from unheard of for teams to lock down consistent arms even with plenty of control left, and the upcoming CBA negotiations leave many discussions open as to how pre-arbitration players' contracts will be handled moving forward.