Should We Buy or Should We Sell Now - Trade Deadline 2026

[imref]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49082474/ranking-mlb-trade-deadline-candidates-top-100-skubal-chapman-peralta-arraez

Lists us as potential fits for RHP Joe Ryan from Minnesota, LHP Reid Detmers & RHP Jose Soriano from the Angels, 2B Luis Arraez & 3B Matt Chapman from SFG,

On the other side, he says we'd need a huge return to move Abrams at this point and lists Griffin and Littell as potential players to trade.

[Slateman]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/49082474/ranking-mlb-trade-deadline-candidates-top-100-skubal-chapman-peralta-arraez

Lists us as potential fits for RHP Joe Ryan from Minnesota, LHP Reid Detmers & RHP Jose Soriano from the Angels, 2B Luis Arraez & 3B Matt Chapman from SFG,

On the other side, he says we'd need a huge return to move Abrams at this point and lists Griffin and Littell as potential players to trade.

We can work backwards here

Chapman is albatross waiting to happen. He's owed another 4 years, 100 million, and he's having one of the worst seasons of his career. And his expected stats indicate he's actually getting lucky. At 33 years old, do we really want to add this to the team?

If we trade for Arraez, can we also get Ron Washington? Seriously though, I wonder what he would cost. Arraez has always been cheap, but he's also always been seen as a defensive liability. Well, he's not now.

Soriano will be somewhat overvalued at the deadline. He's fine for middle of the rotation.

Joe Ryan will cost a premium and is on the same free agency timeline as Gore. Feel like we'd have to give up a Gore-like package to get Ryan, which begs the question, why did we give up Gore?

Detmers is my favorite on this list. He's basically re-vitalized himself without help from the Angels. I'd love to see what he could do with a good developmental/coaching staff. And he is on the same free agency timeline as CJ. By the 2029 season, Rossario, Syroka, Susana, and Perales should all be on the MLB roster. Detmers should cost a lot, but I'm hoping the Angels can get suckered.


None of this fixes the bullpen though ...

[Slateman]

Separate question: Does Curtis Mead's performance at 3B make Brady House expendable?

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

Separate question: Does Curtis Mead's performance at 3B make Brady House expendable?

No.

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

This team has no business being buyers. Fun to watch but it could implode at any moment.

[Count Walewski]

I don't know that the Nationals have the depth of farm system to get these guys like Detmers or Ryan who have that extra year of control: and it only makes sense for the Nationals to trade for pitchers with additional years of control. You don't want to go all-in on 2026, you want to keep building a team for 2027 and 2028.

[Slateman]

I don't know that the Nationals have the depth of farm system to get these guys like Detmers or Ryan who have that extra year of control: and it only makes sense for the Nationals to trade for pitchers with additional years of control. You don't want to go all-in on 2026, you want to keep building a team for 2027 and 2028.

Willits gets you anything you want. Even beyond that, they have five prospects in MLB's top 100, plus Gavin Fein and at least one outfielder you don't "need."

Nats have the farm system to make a deal like that if they want to. Now do they want to (or should they), that's a separate discussion.

[Slateman]

This team has no business being buyers. Fun to watch but it could implode at any moment.

We're 72 games in, do we not think the offense is at least somewhat sustainable? I mean, we're two relievers with sub 4.50 ERAs away from being in the first WC seat.

[varoadking]

Separate question: Does Curtis Mead's performance at 3B make Brady House expendable?

Absolutely...I was gonna post this same thought last night.  BUT...I think House has to improve before he can bring a worthwhile return...hopefully in the form of pitching.

[Slateman]

Absolutely...I was gonna post this same thought last night.  BUT...I think House has to improve before he can bring a worthwhile return...hopefully in the form of pitching.

Not how prospects work, but okay

[varoadking]

Not how prospects work, but okay

Well in that case, keep him, because nobody is gonna give up anything worthwhile for him at this point...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Well in that case, keep him, because nobody is gonna give up anything worthwhile for him at this point...

he mashes lefties already. I suspect his problems against righties aren't fixable (that is, developing an adequate contact skill), but his other weakness that they wanted him to work on, fielding, I think was just a short term issue. House would be a nice trade chip  to any team that thinks they can fix his contact problem. 

[imref]

he mashes lefties already. I suspect his problems against righties aren't fixable (that is, developing an adequate contact skill), but his other weakness that they wanted him to work on, fielding, I think was just a short term issue. House would be a nice trade chip  to any team that thinks they can fix his contact problem. 

there's been some chatter that the team views him long-term as a first baseman.

[IdahoNat]

The team has been lucky in that they have had very few injuries apart from Irvin, and you could argue the roster injection bolster shot could come from within from the minors (King/Morales) or players returning from injury (Herz/Williams, etc.). But with the surplus of infielder prospects who are peaking and may or may not regress next season, now is the perfect time to be bold and take a few risks. The only prospects I would say are untouchable in a deal would be Willits and Sykora. Every one else I'm willing to deal.

[welch]

Carefully consider buying a relief pitcher. Parker can go back to the minors, to Harrisburg to work. Irvin will return some day or other, leaving Alvarez as a lefty long reliever. Seaver King is OK at Rochester (hitting .281 with .813 OPS in 22 games). If he improves over the next few weeks, then Tena can go to Rochester as King "plays" DH with the Nats. Maybe the Nats don't need an extrta utility infielder with Vivas. Or bring up YoYo for DH and 3B.

Herz is working up, so that's a respectable starter to replace Littell, maybe.

Otherwise, the prospects are pretty good. Let them develop for Washington. 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I'm hoping Susana makes it back and can throw his 2 primary pitches. I'd be interested in seeing if he could be bullpen help down the stretch this year with the idea that he could go back to starting next.

[welch]

I'm hoping Susana makes it back and can throw his 2 primary pitches. I'd be interested in seeing if he could be bullpen help down the stretch this year with the idea that he could go back to starting next.

Agreed. Do we have much info on his recovery?

[Smithian]

Ask me in a few weeks.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Sam Sallick tosses 3 hard-throwing righty relievers that have flaws but great stuff and might be available at the price of Christian Franklin and Alex Clemmey:
https://www.federalbaseball.com/washington-nationals-analysis/91990/three-high-velocity-relievers-washington-nationals-target-at-deadline

Three high velocity relievers the Washington Nationals could target at the deadline

Sam Bachman, Caleb Kilian and Jaden Hill are three power arms Paul Toboni could go after to add stuff to the bullpen

[GataNats]

Have to buy a hard throwing righty setup guy

[readonly]

The last 6 years the team has not been as bad as the coaching/management, the fans are sick of losing, time to buy and give us something to watch.

[aspenbubba]

I think they should attempt to upgrade the bullpen with at least one quality righty as a potential closer. It will give the fan base a signal that ownership cares and wants to put a quality product on the field. A good acquisition will help sustain the positive momentum shown in the first half of the season.

[imref]

Maybe Franklin and Pickney could get us something?

[varoadking]

The last 6 years the team has not been as bad as the coaching/management, the fans are sick of losing, time to buy and give us something to watch.

I was just thinking last night how much more I would have enjoyed the team these past several years...win or lose...if they had simply decided to keep Schwarby.  Even moreso since they have nothing to show for having traded him.

Can't help but think things may have played out differently if they weren't saddled with that albatross of a Strasburg contract...

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I was just thinking last night how much more I would have enjoyed the team these past several years...win or lose...if they had simply decided to keep Schwarby.  Even moreso since they have nothing to show for having traded him.

Can't help but think things may have played out differently if they weren't saddled with that albatross of a Strasburg contract...

I'm not sure having Schwarber here would have made as much of a difference as getting a manager with more than rudimentary respect for data. I'm just amazed at how Butera is able to get more out of the crud sandwich of a pitching staff he's been given, and, on the hitting side, just how much better the same guys or cast-offs from other organizations are now than they were then.