Nationals Reportedly Aren't Entertaining Offers for Their Breakout Slugger
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The Washington Nationals were seen as a team that would buy and sell ahead of the trade deadline.
With them now firmly in the wild card mix heading into August, buying is fully on the table. But just how aggressive the front office is going to be isn't clear, especially when considering the low odds they have to actually make the postseason. That's why there is a belief that the Nationals could still move some of their best assets, as they try to further rebuild their farm system or add controllable relievers who can help them win now and in the future.
Because of that, first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. was seen as someone who could get dealt. But based on this report from The Athletic (subscription required), it sounds like Washington might hold onto the breakout slugger.
Nationals Not Taking Offers on Luis Garcia Jr.
"The Nationals, however, are holding off on entertaining offers for Garcia as they wait to determine their exact course, according to people briefed on their plans," The Athletic reported.
President of baseball operations Paul Toboni got the Nationals' trade deadline started when he flipped Curtis Mead to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for 24-year-old left-handed pitcher Connelly Early. Toboni drafted Early during his tenure with the Red Sox, so when he had a chance to add the high-upside lefty to Washington's roster, he jumped at that opportunity.
But now that the Nationals accomplished their goal of adding a long-term piece to their rotation, they are able to sit back and further evaluate how they want to go about things ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline. And based on the performance of Garcia this season -- and because he has another year of team control and he's well-liked in the clubhouse -- the ascending slugger could be held onto despite organizations around the league having interest in him.
Of course, the other end of the spectrum could take place, too. Just because they are not entertaining offers for Garcia right now, that doesn't mean they won't be offered something before the deadline that causes them to trade him. And with two first base options in Triple-A Rochester knocking on the door -- Abimelec Ortiz and Yohandy Morales -- that could push Washington towards the selling end of things when it comes to Garcia.
Still, this report is notable. It paints the picture that Toboni and his front office are considering becoming more aggressive ahead of the deadline, or at least not selling as many of their assets, to help this group push for the playoffs this year.
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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