Breaking Down Nationals Trading Alex Call in Potential Sneaky Good Move for Dodgers
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With the Washington Nationals once again struggling, it was no surprise to see them as sellers at the trade deadline.
Despite some higher expectations than in recent seasons coming into the year, the Nationals have once again not been able to improve in the win column.
While there are multiple reasons for the struggles of the organization, a lot of that attention has been on the starting rotation and some young players not developing the way the franchise would have hoped.
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With the team being sellers at the trade deadline, it has freed up a lot of space for some young players to get a chance in full-time roles in the Majors. The second half of the campaign should be all about trying to figure out who can be part of the franchise moving forward.
Even though they moved most of their veterans on expiring contracts, they also moved a talented outfielder who was still under team control.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about former Nationals outfielder Alex Call potentially being a sneaky good move for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Call quietly excelled in a part-time role with the National last season, hitting .343/.425/.525 for a 169 OPS+ over 113 plate appearances, and he is having another productive season as a role player.”
Call was a name that was starting to pop up a bit just before the trade deadline, with his strong performance as mostly the fourth outfielder for Washington.
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However, some of the best young talent in the outfield, like James Wood, Dylan Crews, and Robert Hassell III, moving Call made sense for the Nationals. The Dodgers sent two top 30 prospects back in return for the 30-year-old, with Washington getting pitchers Eriq Swan and Sean Paul Linan.
The Dodgers needed an outfielder after they dealt James Outman at the trade deadline, and Call was a nice addition for them.
So far in 2025, the slugger has slashed .273/.369/.384 with three home runs and 26 RBI. However, where he thrives is against left-handed pitching. Against southpaws, he has slashed .310/.354/.437 with two home runs and 11 RBI in 71 at-bats.
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When figuring out where he will fit in Los Angeles, going into a platoon role with Michael Conforto makes a lot of sense. However, he has proven a bit on the Nationals that he can be a borderline every-day player.
Call will be joining one of the best teams in the league and should be a significant contributor for them in the second half of the year. While the Nationals trading him made sense, this could be a sneaky good move for the Dodgers.
For more Nationals news, head over to Nationals On SI.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.