Teams Interested in Dylan Crews, History Shows Nationals Could Actually Trade Him
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There was an interesting report coming out of the general managers' meetings that put the Washington Nationals right into the spotlight.
Spencer Nusbuam of The Athletic was one of the reporters who revealed that teams around the league are interested in acquiring Dylan Crews. Per the insider, the conversations are "ongoing" and they have not taken him off the table when it comes to discussions.
That, of course, comes after the Nationals extended Jacob Young at the beginning of the offseason. With Daylen Lile and James Wood looking like staples of the franchise in left and right field, respectively, the fact they committed to Young in center created some murkiness about the future of Crews in the nation's capital.
But does the fact that teams are interested in Crews mean he will actually be dealt? History from this front office regime shows that they could ship out the former No. 2 overall pick.
Trading Away MacKenzie Gore and Jose A. Ferrer
The headlining move from president of baseball operations Paul Toboni's first offseason in charge last year was the fact that he traded away left-handed ace MacKenzie Gore to the Texas Rangers for a haul of five top-30 prospects.
Gore was rumored to be dealt once Toboni took over, so not a lot of people were surprised that a deal took place. However, it was the one that happened just over a month prior that shows that Toboni and his front office aren't afraid to make aggressive moves.
On Dec. 6 in 2025, Washington dealt rising left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer to the Seattle Mariners. They got back top catching prospect Harry Ford in return. This move came after Ferrer emerged as a closing option for the Nationals in the second half of the 2025 campaign, and he appeared to be poised to take over that role on a full-time basis going forward.
But Toboni saw an opportunity to improve the roster by acquiring Ford, and he decided to use one of his best trade pieces to do so. Naturally, that hurt Washington's bullpen this past season, as went on to set the record for most blown saves in a singular major league campaign. But they also might have their catcher of the future if Ford reaches his projected high ceiling.
Now that the Nationals are committed to Young for the long haul, it wouldn't surprise anyone if they now view Crews in the similar light as they did Ferrer: a talented, young player who other teams might give up key pieces to acquire.
Shipping Out Luis Garcia Jr. and Curtis Mead
Another key indicator for how Toboni and his front office regime is going to operate came ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.
While rental players like Foster Griffin were circled as pieces who likely would be moved, it wasn't clear just how aggressive the Nationals were going to get. But roughly a week before the deadline, Toboni decided to send breakout infielder Curtis Mead, who still had multiple years of club control, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for rising star left-handed starting pitcher Connelly Early.
That was a notable one-for-one swap, even if Early didn't pitch for Washington in 2026 due to injury. Again, Toboni used one of his notable players to address another weakness on the roster, which is something he did with Luis Garcia Jr. ahead of the deadline.
The Nationals didn't have to trade Garcia. The resurgent slugger had another season of club control, and there was no rush to ship him out of town based on his standing in the clubhouse. But Washington got back two top-30 prospects and two big league relievers, who could all factor into the team's plans at some point during the 2027 campaign.
It was an aggressive move, and it's one that could pay off in the long run or come back to haunt Toboni. But either way, he once again showed that he's not afraid to make a deal that he believes is in the best interest of the franchise's long-term health.
Could Dylan Crews Be Traded?
All of that brings us back to the original question: Could Dylan Crews actually be traded?
I believe, yes.
Toboni has proven mutliple times that he is not afraid to make high-profile trades. He did it immediately once he took over. Then, he made another notable deal that was followed by a deadline-day blockbuster in the middle of the 2026 season.
If the price is right, then Crews could very much be playing for a new team in 2027. Whether or not that actually happens is yet to be determined. But don't be surprised if it does.
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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