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

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Call up House or King. Crews is the 4th OFer. Or send him down and roll without one. Nunez, King, and Tena can fill in for a couple games.

not sure  why you have more faith in House than Crews. Bad fielder. He's hit since he was sent down, so I'll assume he's not a disaster against RHP in the minors (unlike  the majors).

[Slateman]

The pitching just isn't there. In addition to the bullpen, the Nats are probably coming up on a innings limit for Cavalli. Couple that with probably trading Griffin and this is done.

[Slateman]

The other thing I want to know is can Toboni actually add a substantial amount of payroll and under what circumstances.

For instance, I'm wondering right now how much the Blue Jays would like to get out of Jeff Hoffman's contract. Could we pair taking that with Kevin Gausman (free agent at the end of the year). Say Luke Dickerson and Yeremy Cabrera?

[welch]

Christian Franklin seems stuck in AAA. Not good enough to break into the Nats OF, but could help some rebuilding team. Same with Andrew Pinckney. Trey Lipscomb is also doing well. Of course, they are the solid core of Rochester, along with Brady House and Abimelec Garcia.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Christian Franklin seems stuck in AAA. Not good enough to break into the Nats OF, but could help some rebuilding team. Same with Andrew Pinckney. Trey Lipscomb is also doing well. Of course, they are the solid core of Rochester, along with Brady House and Abimelec Garcia.

I think those guys are mostly org filler.  Useful to fill out a roster, especially Lipscomb given his defensive versatility, but I doubt anyone sees any of them as worth giving up anything useful for.

[Slateman]

I think Franklin should have Crews' spot as the 4th OFer

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The pitching just isn't there. In addition to the bullpen, the Nats are probably coming up on a innings limit for Cavalli. Couple that with probably trading Griffin and this is done.

if they do decide to pull the.plug, the deals could be spectacular.

[imref]

I think Franklin should have Crews' spot as the 4th OFer

Why? Franklin has been pretty mediocre this season and can't hit LHP. If you are going to promote anyone I'd argue Pickney has earned the call.

[imref]

Toboni tells 106.7 he has been trying to trade for relievers: "There have been some guys that've been traded that we’ve been deep in conversations with to try and get. It hasn’t worked out to date. We’re still going to be active in those conversations."

[Elvir Ovcina]

if they do decide to pull the.plug, the deals could be spectacular.

It'd be hard to do an extreme sell when they're this close.  As in, trading Abrams when you're in this position for anything less than an overwhelming return would be crazy and would piss off even casual fans. 

Outside of that and beyond Griffin, who's at what's likely the deepest position in the trade market this year (and which is likely to just wait until the Tigers decide what to do with Skubal), what would really bring back much of value?  Garcia maybe, but he's got one more year of team control at a price that many teams likely won't want to pay, so I'd expect a lot of teams to see him as a rental with an arb option that's iffy.  That's still worth something, of course, but maybe not what folks would hope or what would make sense for a team on the edge of a playoff spot.

I mean, look, this thread is a month old and they're still in almost exactly the same spot.  Sure, this isn't a World Series team, but even a Wild Card loss could be huge.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I would think they would be getting calls on CJ, Garcia, Young, and Griffin. Lots of reporting on the first two. There's 3 or 4 contenders with bad CFs that might consider a defense first guy who you don't have to platoon (or can) and sit at the bottom of your order to be an upgrade or finishing piece. As for Griffin, he's on quite a roll. A guy who could start a playoff game, not just back end.

The fanbase might get angry, and I expect the business side to weigh in on baseball operations, but mostly, I think there's value in a young team trying to compete the last two months. I don’t expect all those guys to be gone, but I don't expect a rebellion if Young and Garcia or Griffin were moved

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

I would think they would be getting calls on CJ, Garcia, Young, and Griffin. Lots of reporting on the first two. There's 3 or 4 contenders with bad CFs that might consider a defense first guy who you don't have to platoon (or can) and sit at the bottom of your order to be an upgrade or finishing piece. As for Griffin, he's on quite a roll. A guy who could start a playoff game, not just back end.

The fanbase might get angry, and I expect the business side to weigh in on baseball operations, but mostly, I think there's value in a young team trying to compete the last two months. I don’t expect all those guys to be gone, but I don't expect a rebellion if Young and Garcia or Griffin were moved

I have been on the trade Griffin bandwagon for a while because I don't think he cares if he's here or not. Plus I worry he's a pumpkin. Garcia I would be hurt. Won't lie. I'm not nearly as high on Young as others and would be fine with it. Abrams would piss me off beyond belief to the point where I probably think about moving on from the team.

[Slateman]

I think its more likely Garcia is a pumpkin than Foster. At worst, Foster becomes a good LHP reliever.

Garcia has basically been replacement level his whole career.

[imref]

Garcia should be traded given we have Ortiz ready to step right in.

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

I think its more likely Garcia is a pumpkin than Foster. At worst, Foster becomes a good LHP reliever.

Garcia has basically been replacement level his whole career.

I don't have much of an argument against you here. Just a gut feeling more than anything but you have more of a chance of being correct here than I do.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

For Garcia, I would look at teams that have weak 1B because of troubles with RHP. I don't know what contenders that describes. I suppose I would also look at similar DHs.

There was talk about the Red Sox. As a dh, he would push one of Duran or Yoshida out of the lineup. Maybe let them move Duran.

[Slateman]

Garcia should be traded given we have Ortiz ready to step right in.

Depends on which Garcia you think is the real one. Ortiz is a different kind of player, with more of a 3 true outcomes aspect to his hitting.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I will eventually move some of this to an "if we sell" thread.

[Slateman]

For Garcia, I would look at teams that have weak 1B because of troubles with RHP. I don't know what contenders that describes. I suppose I would also look at similar DHs.

There was talk about the Red Sox. As a dh, he would push one of Duran or Yoshida out of the lineup. Maybe let them move Duran.

The Tigers, Mariners, Diamondbacks, and Rangers are all posting sub-100 wRC+ against RHP from 1B. Boston and Arizona getting just as little production at the DH spot.

[aspenbubba]

Garcia has basically been replacement level his whole career.

I have followed the criticsm of Garcia for years on this site ranging from calls to DFA's to outright releases. I admit his defense at 2B was horrid from lack of range to errant throws and some bonehead decisions. I believe I never participated because primarily who were we going to replace him with in our system. I thought he had potential to hit but it was only in spurts when he did. Under the new regime and the move to 1B he has performed adequently in the field and his offense has shocked us all. From what I observe he is one of the most liked player on the team as he is one of the first players to congradulate a teammate on a HR. I'm not sure you would get much more than prospects in a trade and certainly no immediate help to our woeful BP. And who would replace him on the strong side platoon?

[Natsinpwc]

Ortiz is our #25 prospect.  Why do people think he is some surefire replacement?  Also he would be a 5'10" 1B.  Doesn't seem optimal. 

[imref]

Ortiz is our #25 prospect.  Why do people think he is some surefire replacement?  Also he would be a 5'10" 1B.  Doesn't seem optimal. 

Nobody says anyone is surefire, but Ortiz has hit well at AAA (especially recently with a .969 OPS in his last 16 games, including 3 home runs).

(and he has a career .500 BA in the majors . )

[Slateman]

Ortiz is our #25 prospect.  Why do people think he is some surefire replacement?  Also he would be a 5'10" 1B.  Doesn't seem optimal. 

Nobody says anyone is surefire, but Ortiz has hit well at AAA (especially recently with a .969 OPS in his last 16 games, including 3 home runs).

(and he has a career .500 BA in the majors . )

No reason not to use the rest of the season to see what Ortiz can do.  Its not like Garcia has a ton of control. One more season and he's a free agent.

[Natsinpwc]

No reason not to use the rest of the season to see what Ortiz can do.  Its not like Garcia has a ton of control. One more season and he's a free agent.

Sure but that is definitely a sign you're throwing in the towel for the season.  It's not like you can trade a guy with a 133 OPS+ and think you will plug someone from the minors in and expect the same results. 

[Slateman]

Sure but that is definitely a sign you're throwing in the towel for the season.  It's not like you can trade a guy with a 133 OPS+ and think you will plug someone from the minors in and expect the same results. 

I assumed it was understood that the Nationals are not actively trying to compete this year. This team needs way too much pitching, and trading some role players like Young, isn't going to fix it.

Minimum of one decent starter and two bullpen arms are needed. That likely means dealing at least 4 prospects out of your top 10, with at least two being in MLB Pipeline's top 100. And I just don't see TOboni blowing up his farm so quickly after he set us on a path of hard rebuild. I'd love him to, but I don't see that happening, particularly with an ownership group that doesn't want to spend money.

So yea, you cash in on Garcia now, at his highest.