Former MLB Executive Thinks Nationals Could Be Quiet Ahead of Trade Deadline
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The Washington Nationals have outperformed preseason expectations thus far.
Sitting with a record of 25-26 after taking two out of three against both the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles before splitting their four-game series against the New York Mets, the Nationals continue to be a surprise. That is a good thing as they push this rebuild forward under a new front office regime. And as they prepare for the upcoming trade deadline, it's a good thing they are getting solid performances from multiple players in the first half of the year since they'll want as many coveted assets as possible to get a strong return.
However, former MLB executive Jim Bowden isn't so sure the Nationals will be busy this time around when he dove into where each team stands when it comes to their trade deadline outlook.
Nationals Aren't Seen as Having Tons of Attractive Trade Assets
"Likely sellers," Bowden wrote for The Athletic (subscription required). "Though the big question is: What do they have to sell at the deadline? All indications are it won't be [James] Wood or [CJ] Abrams."
Trading James Wood is not going to happen. At 23 years old, the slugging outfielder has flashed his high-end upside once again after struggling in the second half of the season in 2025. And based on his potential and how well he fits the timeline, Washington is not going to move the fan favorite.
As for CJ Abrams, it seemed like he was for sure going to be traded. However, the Nationals might hold onto him through the deadline as they continue to work with him on his defense to either further increase his trade value or even to hold onto him by coming to an agreement on an extension.
Without Wood or Abrams on the trade block, the number of coveted assets they can sell to contenders is low. Cade Cavalli also won't get dealt. Daylen Lile is staying put. Dylan Crews and Brady House appear to be long-term fixtures despite their struggles. And tons of their bullpen arms have multiple options remaining.
Who the Nationals Could Deal Ahead of Trade Deadline
The two most obvious answers when it comes to who could be traded are Foster Griffin and Zack Littell. With both being one-year rentals, being able to flip them to a contender shouldn't be hard to do, especially based on what Griffin showed to start the season and how Littell has started to perform in the month of May.
Jacob Young is another player to keep an eye on. If Crews performs well, then Washington could look to trade Young while his value is high based on his power surge at the plate. Jose Tena, Jorbit Vivas and Luis Garcia Jr. could all be options, as well. With multiple top prospects coming up the pipeline, sending that trio to teams looking for left-handed hitters could net the Nationals something in return.
But if Washington isn't going to trade any of their high-profile players, then it seems like Bowden's early hypothesis that this might be a muted deadline for the Nationals could come to fruition.
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Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai