Nationals Star Foster Griffin Predicted To Be Traded, Why That Likely Will Happen
In this story:
The rumor mill is in full swing right now ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, and the Washington Nationals will likely be right in the middle of it before too long.
While CJ Abrams appears to be off the table right now, that doesn't mean that other notable names won't get moved. Luis Garcia Jr. is already generating interest from teams around the league, and the likes of Foster Griffin, Curtis Mead and Jacob Young could all be viewed as valuable pieces for contenders looking to fortify their rosters.
The Athletic (subscription required) made some predictions about which player from each team they believe will be wearing a new uniform after Aug. 3. For the Nationals, the pick was Griffin, and there's a good chance that prediction will come true.
Why Nationals Could Ultimately Decide to Trade Foster Griffin
The most obvious reason is that he is set to become a free agent after the season. And because he's in the midst of a breakout campaign, that could result in him getting a contract on the open market that Washington can't match. So instead of losing him for nothing, the Nationals would flip him when his value is at its peak to continue accumulating building blocks for the future.
Of course, the decision isn't that black and white. Griffin has been a key reason for this team's success this year, and without his 2.68 ERA and 11 wins, one could only imagine where Washington would be if he wasn't in this rotation. There was a report that they are considering holding onto Griffin for the entirety of the season since they're in the middle of a playoff push, or even that they might extend him. However, the smart baseball thing would be to find a suitor for the left-hander, especially when looking at one of his underlying metrics.
While Griffin's ERA is a dazzling 2.68, his expected ERA is 3.90. That's still a good number, but it does show that there could be some regression coming for the 30-year-old at some point this season. It's not a given that it will come this year -- or even that it will happen during his career -- but it would be a huge blow for the Nationals' rebuilding efforts if Griffin's performance fell off a cliff after Aug. 3 and they decided to hold onto him instead of trading him.
The next few days are going to determine a lot for what Washington ultimately decides to do. With a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks -- who currently own the final NL wild card spot -- set to get underway on Friday, a good showing in that matchup could cause the front office to add pieces instead of selling them. But if the Nationals falter, then a sell-off could be coming. And that might result in Griffin getting shipped out of town before the deadline.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
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