Which Player Is Washington Nationals Best Trade Chip Ahead of the Deadline?

Who is the best trade chip the Washington Nationals have to dangle ahead of the trade deadline?

Jun 6, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan (67) tosses the rosin bag before a pitch during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Nationals Park. | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

The light at the end of the tunnel moves nearer for the Washington Nationals, but they are still at least one year away from contending for a playoff spot in the National League.

An impressive core is being built up, headlined by left fielder James Wood, shortstop CJ Abrams and emerging ace MacKenzie Gore.

That trio will be the foundation of the franchise for years to come; now the front office, led by general manager Mike Rizzo, has to find the right pieces to put around them to build up the rest of the roster.

There are a lot of youngsters moving through the minor league system who have a lot of promise that could be long-term building blocks.

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If things go right for the franchise over the next few weeks, they will have even more pieces to develop and rely on.

Not only do the Nationals own the No. 1 pick in the 2025 MLB draft, but they have several veterans on their Major League roster who could garner a lot of attention ahead of the trade deadline.

Who is the most intriguing trade chip they possess?

That would be closer Kyle Finnegan, who is putting together another stellar campaign after being selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2024.

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“Finnegan is no stranger to trade buzz and has been one of the Nats' trade chips for a few seasons now. The Nationals closer is on a one-year, $6 million contract, a team-friendly deal that could be appealing to a contender,” wrote Jessica Camerato of MLB.com.

After being non-tendered early in the offseason and not having his market develop, Finnegan returned to Washington on the aforementioned one-year deal.

He has made the most of the opportunity, with his 18 saves being tied for third in the MLB. His performance since the calendar flipped to May has been elite with a 1.64 ERA over 11 appearances.

One of the issues that plagued Finnegan at points in his career was surrendering home runs. He has gotten that in check, not allowing a long ball dating back to Aug. 3, 2024.

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With their playoff hopes virtually non-existent, it is a matter of when, not if, Finnegan is on the move.

Given how they handled things with him this past winter, it is fair to say the franchise doesn’t view him as a long-term piece, turning 34 years old in September.

With how the relief pitching market currently looks, there is a chance Finnegan is the best bullpen arm available ahead of the deadline.

That would be great news for the Nationals, who will have several contenders making calls to them. A bidding war ensuing would be best for business.

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