Nationals Weighing This Important Factor When it Comes to Possible Foster Griffin Trade
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With two full days until the Aug. 3 trade deadline, the Washington Nationals still haven't decided whether they are going to trade Foster Griffin or not.
Much of that likely hinges on if the two sides can agree to an extension. After it was reported that those talks ended quickly, the Nationals apparently have not given up hope that something can get finalized, as they reportedly are continuing to work on getting something done with the left-hander. And per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), "both outcomes are possible."
That gives some hope that a key figure in Washington's starting rotation will remain with the team for at least the rest of this season. However, the insider also gave more information about what might cause the Nationals to trade the breakout star ahead of the deadline.
A Lucrative Offer Likely Will Cause Nationals to Deal Foster Griffin
"The decision ultimately might rest on whether the Nats deem the value of a trade to be significantly greater than that of an extension," Rosenthal stated.
He then added that The Athletic speculated that Griffin could receive a three-year deal in the range of $36 million to $42 million. It wasn't mentioned what was discussed during their previous negotiations, but based on the fact that talks ended quickly, it seems like the figure wasn't in that ballpark.
All of this suggests that there is a lot going on with not a lot of time to figure things out. For one, Griffin is not at the top of the totem pole when it comes to starting pitchers available. Because of that, Washington will have to wait for the market to develop before they get a clear idea about what the lefty might net in return. That carries a risk since it's never clear what other teams are going to do, and that's not even factoring in whether or Griffin and the Nationals can even work out an extension.
That's why it feels like things could go either way when it comes to what the front office decides to do with the 2026 All-Star. Because, after Washington lost Friday's contest to the Atlanta Braves, they have now dropped three in a row. Luckily for them, the Philadelphia Phillies are in a full-on tailspin, which puts the Nationals just 2.5 games out of the final NL wild card spot despite their 55-56 record.
If Washington loses their next two games in Atlanta, however, then the front office might just pull the plug on trying to push for the playoffs. That could result in Griffin being traded, even as they are in the midst of extension talks.
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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