Nationals have pieces to take ‘aggressive’ approach at trade deadline, even with Soto gone

Over the last two years, the Washington Nationals have been the belle of the ball at MLB’s trade deadline. That’s when happens when a team has stars like Juan Soto, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner and is open for business. Everyone wants a dance. 

This season, the Nationals won’t necessarily draw the same level of attention. But they still have enough pieces to take a twirl.

Washington general manager Mike Rizzo said in a local radio interview this week that he expects his team to be “aggressive” at this year’s deadline, adding that rival clubs have already started to inquire about “six or seven” players. Teams have until Aug. 1 to work out a deal. But as the calendar turns to July this weekend, this is the time in which talks typically start to heat up. 

At 32-48, the Nationals are poised to be sellers once again. 

“I think it will be an active, aggressive trade deadline,” Rizzo told 106.7 The Fan. “As always if we see an opportunity to create value in the organization, and to improve ourselves and get better, we’re certainly not afraid to make a move and make a trade. 

“It’s something that I think we’ve seen in the last two trade deadlines that’s really set us up to start taking off with this rebuild.”

Without a Soto or Scherzer to trade, the Nationals won’t haul in bushels of prospects, but the club has several players who could be appealing to playoff hopefuls.

Reliever Kyle Finnegan might be Washington’s most sought-after player on this year’s market. The 31-year-old touts a 3.66 ERA, makes only $2.3 million and is under team control until 2026 — which further boosts his value since he won’t be just a rental. 

Last week, an SNY report suggested that the New York Mets could even be willing to take on the final portion of Patrick Corbin’s massive contract ($35.4 million next season) to facilitate a deal for Finnegan or other relievers like Hunter Harvey (3.34 ERA) and Carl Edwards Jr. (3.69 ERA). But the Mets have been reluctant to part ways with prospects, and owner Steve Cohen suggested New York (36-44) could even become sellers if the team’s season continues downward.

Either way, Finnegan, Harvey and Edwards could all be pursued by teams looking for bullpen help. 

Beyond those three, perhaps the Nationals could look to flip some of the veterans they’ve hit on in free agency. MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted that third baseman Jeimer Candelario “will be popular in talks” due to production and expiring contract. The 29-year-old, who signed a one-year, $5 million deal, is having arguably the best season as he’s hitting .263 with 10 home runs and career-high .809 OPS. 

Infielder Ildemaro Vargas hasn’t seen nearly as much playing time — he has just 69 at-bats this season — but he’s hit .275 and has had 11 RBIs when inserted into the lineup. Morosi, citing an unnamed team official, also suggested that Vargas “could add value” for a postseason club. 

Maybe the most intriguing names that the Nationals could trade this cycle, though, are outfielders Lane Thomas and Joey Meneses. Both have been nice finds for the Nationals over this rebuild and have connected with the team’s fans. But their values have arguably never been higher and trading them now would take advantage of that. 

Thomas, acquired in 2021 from St. Louis in a trade involving pitcher Jon Lester, has a slash line of .298/.346/.513 with 14 home runs and is on track to be Washington’s lone All-Star this year. And while Meneses hasn’t displayed the power he did last season, when he was an unexpected success story in the wake of the Soto trade, the 31-year-old has still been a reliable hitter with a batting average of .289.

From a sentimental standpoint, trading Thomas or Meneses might be tough as they’re among the franchise’s most notable players who aren’t considered to be prospects. 

Then again, after parting ways with superstars like Soto and Scherzer, that hasn’t stopped Washington’s front office from making the tough decisions they deem necessary.

“We’ve got a plan to turn this thing around,” Rizzo said. “We’re implementing the plan, and we have to be true to the plan and it’s something that we take very, very seriously.”