Nationals Reportedly Targeting 'Expiring and Controllable Relievers'
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Things can change in a hurry ahead of the trade deadline, and that's exactly what has happened in regards to the Washington Nationals.
They have lost four games in a row, including three against the Atlanta Braves heading into Sunday's finale. The Nationals are now two games under .500 and 3.5 back from the final NL wild card spot. That could impact things when it comes to how president of baseball operations Paul Toboni attacks the trade deadline, as it was previously reported that he was looking to acquire major league help. All signs point to that still being the case, but following this skid, the first-year executive might also look to sell off some of his best assets to try and thread the needle.
Who might Washington go after if they were to buy? According to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic (subscription required), they are casting a wide net for relievers by targeting both expiring and controllable bullpen arms.
Nationals Have Plenty of Bullpen Options to Choose From
The good news is that there seems to be plenty of options out there for the Nationals to pursue. ESPN put together their list of the 100 best trade deadline candidates, and 38 of them were relievers. That number reduced to 37 after the Pittsburgh Pirates traded for Camilo Doval on Saturday, but Washington still has an ample number of alternatives to choose from.
Out of that group of 37 who ESPN listed, 24 of them have another year of club control remaining. 15 out of the 37 are under club control for multiple seasons, which puts 13 out of those 37 in the category of an expiring rental.
It should be pointed out that six of those players are Miami Marlins. And because the Marlins sit just 1.5 games back from the final NL wild card spot, it's not clear if they are going to sell. However, they are always looking to make a deal, so it wouldn't surprise anyone if they traded away one or more of their relievers.
As for the Nationals, it's unknown who they might target. Colorado Rockies starter-turned-reliever Antonio Senzatela has been listed as a fit for them. But there has been nothing concrete regarding who Washington is interested in, especially when it comes to the controllable types of arms they desperately need.
So, with the trade deadline right around the corner, fans will be waiting to see what Toboni ultimately does during his first year on the job. And with an opportunity to make some long-term upgrades to this bullpen, it sounds like he'll look to take advantage of that.
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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