The Washington Nationals have been busy Tuesday.
Just this morning, the team flipped two key contributors in 2018, second baseman Daniel Murphy (.783 OPS, .142 ISO in 205 PA) and infielder/outfielder Matt Adams (1.0 fWAR, .358 wOBA, 123 wRC+ in 277 PA) in separate deals.
Murphy was sent to the Chicago Cubs while Adams joined the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Nats announced the moves in a tweet Tuesday.
Washington entered play on Tuesday with a 62-63 record and a 7.5 game chasm sitting between them and division-leading Atlanta.
What’s more, the Nats are 6.5 games back of the second Wild Card spot, which is currently being occupied by three teams (the Phillies, Rockies and Cardinals) in a three-way tie.
The Dodgers and Pirates are also ahead of Bryce Harper and company in the Wild Card standings.
While a +59 run differential—that’s bested only by the Dodgers among Wild Card contenders—suggests the Nationals are a bit better than their record, the team was still in a tough position.
A 3-7 record in their last 10 games certainly didn’t help, so the team has opted to go with a quasi-tear down this month.
Just how many pieces they move remains to be seen, but they’ll more than likely be hanging on to players like Juan Soto, Trea Turner and others who are under team control.
Know Hitter has you covered with the list of players the Nationals could trade next.
Below is expert from our MLB August Trade Primer laying out and going into comprehensive detail about the 105 MLB players who could be traded this month, including 11 Nationals.
Here’s a sampling.
Additionally, all salary information is via Spotrac.
What’s more, this was written immediately following the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, so all stats and speculation (Murphy and Adams are mentioned) are as of that date.
It should also be noted that the Trade Primer includes Bryce Harper, whose section is still included below.
Now, per tweets from both Fancred’s Jon Heyman and The Washington Post’s Chelsea James, it looks like Harper isn’t going anywhere.
sources: waivers have expired on Bryce harper. he is staying with nats.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 21, 2018
Just heard Harper will be staying. No deal with team that claimed him.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) August 21, 2018
Bryce Harper
If Washington falls out of it more, a Bryce Harper trade could conceivably happen. But will it? Despite his $21.625 million salary, a chance to claim one of the game’s best players may be to hard to pass up for a rebuilding team, even if it’s for a month or two.
Translation, Harper being claimed by a team who is a feasible fit for him isn’t the easiest scenario to envision.
Matt Wieters, Matt Adams, Mark Reynolds, Gio Gonzalez, Jeremy Hellickson, Kelvin Herrera, Ryan Madson, Tommy Milone, Joaquin Benoit and Carlos Torres
The Nationals will likely contend again in 2019, what with a core of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, Trea Turner, Juan Soto, Adam Eaton, Michael Taylor and Victor Robles.
However, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the organization part with any of its expiring contracts for some kind of prospect return this August.
At worst, any prospects acquired for the rentals could be flipped in the offseason for Major League additions.
Of the group, Gonzalez would likely command the most significant return.
Daniel Murphy is also a free agent this winter, but the if the Nats want to re-sign him, they seem likely to keep him around for the rest of the season.
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