The Washington Nationals traded reliever Dylan Floro to the Arizona Diamondbacks just before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
The Nationals received Triple-A infielder Andres Chaparro in the deal.
Floro won’t have to travel far to join his new team — the Nationals are already in Arizona for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks.
Washington’s players, including Floro, didn’t learn about the trade until after the deadline passed. Floro told reporters that he thought it was a joke when he learned he’d be joining the Diamondbacks.
Floro was an obvious trade candidate for general manager Mike Rizzo and the selling Nationals. The 33-year-old is eligible to become a free agent this offseason and his timeline doesn’t suit the future-focused front office.
Floro was a reliable presence in the Nationals’ bullpen this season, posting a career-best 2.06 ERA in 51 appearances.
Chaparro, 25, has played at both corner infield positions during his time in the minor leagues. This year, the native of Venezuela has averaged .332 with 19 home runs for Triple-A Reno.
Though they made three other trades this month, Floro was the only National shipped out on deadline day. Closer Kyle Finnegan was considered another likely trade candidate, but a deal never materialized.
Reporters around the league noted that Washington’s front office maintained a steep asking price for the All-Star closer. One unnamed executive told MLB.com’s Mark Feisand that Rizzo was “asking for the moon” in Finnegan’s trade discussions.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
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