With the Nationals likely to sell at the deadline yet again, here are some assets they could ship off
For a fifth straight trade deadline, the Nationals are going to be sellers. At 33-48, any chance of playing meaningful games in September looks gone. With that in mind, the smart thing to do is to sell off the few tradable assets they have to bolster the farm system. We will break down the names that could be on the move and some potential fits.
Kyle Finnegan on the Block Again:
For a second straight summer, Kyle Finnegan trade rumors will be at the forefront. Despite having fairly similar numbers to last year, Finnegan could be a more attractive trade candidate. Last season teams knew he had a big arbitration number looming in the offseason which made him less appealing.
However, the right hander is a pure rental this year. After being non-tendered in the offseason, the Nats brought Finnegan back on a reasonable 1-year $6 million deal. This cheaper contract will appeal to contenders. Finnegan has a lot of high leverage experience and has been highly consistent over the years.
One team that has had a long standing interest in Finnegan is the division rival Phillies. They have had some major bullpen issues this season, especially after Jose Alvarado got suspended for PED’s. The Phillies have the sixth worst bullpen ERA this season. With an older core, they can’t afford to let a bad bullpen ruin one of the last competitive years of their window.
Their system is a bit top heavy which could complicate things, but Dave Dombrowski is not a prospect hugger, so he could be willing to pay a premium. Some other potential suiters could be the Mets and Reds, both of whom have some bullpen issues. I think the Reds have some interesting prospects for Mike Rizzo to target. For example, a guy like Chase Petty could be blocked with the Reds endless supply of starting pitchers. Anyways, Finnegan is a guy who is likely to be traded and should have a lot of interest.
Could Soroka Get a Surprising Return:
Another rental the Nats have on their books is Michael Soroka. While his ERA is a touch over 5 right now, he has some interesting underlying numbers which could appeal to analytically minded teams. He has a high strikeout rate and low walk rate. Despite his tendency to give up homers and blow up in the sixth inning, the stuff is there.
After showing some interesting things as a swing man with the White Sox last year, Soroka signed a 1-year $9 million deal. Once again, Soroka has been interesting but unable to put it all together. A team like the Brewers, Rays or Guardians could feel that Soroka is a guy who is one tweak away from exploding.
Those are all teams with deep farm systems, so the Nats could get a nice piece here. We know teams are willing to pay a premium for guys with mediocre surface level numbers but interesting pitch characteristics. The Astros gave up a huge package for Yusei Kikuchi, who had a 4.75 ERA in Toronto last year. He was another rental who was a candidate to be unlocked by a smart team.
Soroka could be this years Kikuchi, a guy with mediocre numbers who could get a surprising haul. He was listed as a top 50 trade candidate by Jeff Passan.
Amed Rosario Will be a Coveted Bench Bat:
While he won’t fetch as much as the first two guys, Amed Rosario has done enough to be moved to a contender. He has his warts, but Rosario has an elite skill, he crushed left handed pitching.
This season, Rosario is hitting .314 against lefties with an .890 OPS. That is something contenders will want on their bench. Contenders like the Giants, Reds and Padres have really struggled against left handed pitching. Rosario would be a useful platoon option for those teams.
The Padres are a team that stand out. Rosario would be a natural platoon partner for a guy like Jake Cronenworth, who struggles against lefties. He will not fetch a massive return, but he will get the Nats something.
Could the Nats Move Nathaniel Lowe:
Nathaniel Lowe is the least likely player on this list to be moved. In fact, I would be surprised if he was moved. After being traded to the Nats for Robert Garcia, Lowe has struggled in his first year in DC.
While he has put up good home run and RBI totals, his average, on base percentage and OPS are way down. With Lowe being a potential non-tender candidate this offseason due to his high arbitration number, it is unclear how much interest there will be in the big first baseman.
However, a team could try to buy low on Lowe if they think he is one tweak away from getting back to his Rangers production. Teams like the Red Sox and Mariners have holes at first base that Lowe could potentially fill. Both also have good and deep farm systems. I don’t think he gets moved, but he is a name to watch.