The Nationals have a bright future. Their roster is replete with top-end talent, buoyed by the 2022 blockbuster trade that shipped Juan Soto to San Diego. Their top three players by WAR — shortstop CJ Abrams, ace MacKenzie Gore, and outfielder James Wood — all came over in that deal and portend good things to come in the nation’s capitol. There hasn’t been enough talent around that trio to make a run this year, though, particularly in a crowded NL East. As such, the last-place Nats can be expected to sell once again at this year’s trade deadline, perhaps with an eye to pieces who could help them compete as soon as next year.
On the position player front, Nathaniel Lowe is an obvious candidate to be moved. The first baseman, acquired from the Rangers this offseason, has been disappointing, performing only around league-average with both his bat and glove. Still, his track record on both sides of the ball (Lowe has a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove in his bag) and club control through next season should intrigue teams in need of left-handed pop. Another candidate for a change of scenery is Josh Bell. It would be the fourth straight year in which the nomadic switch-hitter was traded mid-season and, while he’s barely above the Mendoza line, he’s seen major upticks in performance each of the last two seasons after finding new homes. Middle infielder Luis GarcÃa Jr., who has two more years of club control after this season, has performed around league average but his peripherals — including a .309 expected batting average — suggest he has much more in the tank.
His defensive metrics have been dreadful, perhaps opening the door for the Nats to cut bait early and open opportunities for better defenders to get experience at the big-league level. Other potential trade targets include well-traveled infielders Amed Rosario and Paul DeJong, neither of whom has made much of an impact this year but either of whom could draw interest as a depth option.
Among pitchers, the Nationals have at least one arm they will almost certainly look to sell off. Kyle Finnegan, a key cog in Washington’s bullpen since 2020, is in the midst of a career year. He’s posted a 2.53 ERA with 18 saves in 32 innings and is on career-high paces for both home run and walk rates. A free agent this offseason, Finnegan would be a fit for pretty much any contender.
With the Nationals’ team ERA the worst in the NL this side of the Rockies, it should be no surprise that the rest of its potential trade targets on that side of the ball are more reclamation projects than sure things. After posting a 2.03 ERA in 13 starts last year, Trevor Williams has nearly tripled that mark through 16 starts this season. Signed through next year at a reasonable $7 million per annum, the veteran’s expected ERA of 4.30 suggests the truth lies somewhere in between last year’s dominance and this year’s struggles. Journeymen right-hander Jorge López has allowed 18 runs in 24.2 innings but could be a throw-in or jettisoned in a player-to-be-named-later-type move. Andrew Chafin, the 35-year-old pitching for his seventh organization, might be the most attractive reliever aside from Finnegan. He has a 3.18 ERA through 16 appearances and appears close to a return from a hamstring injury. With lefty bullpen arms always in high demand, look for Chafin to find a new home at the deadline for the fifth time in the past six seasons.