As the trade deadline creeps closer, the Cubs should have a clearer sense of who’s actually available. For now, though, the market is still a little foggy, and that’s partly because surprise contenders keep complicating the picture. That’s where the Washington Nationals come in.
Washington enters the second half at 48-49, sitting eight games back in the National League East and only four games out of the final Wild Card spot. Even with that kind of position, the Nationals still look like a team that could move rental pieces before August 3.
If they do, Foster Griffin is the name that jumps out. Pitching always gets attention at the deadline, and Griffin is shaping up as a starting arm who could draw interest.
Griffin was a first-round pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2014, then spent the last three seasons overseas before landing with Washington on a one-year deal last offseason. So far, that move has looked like a major win for the Nationals.
Through 19 starts, Griffin has posted a 2.77 ERA and struck out more than 24% of the hitters he’s faced. The numbers around the numbers are strong too: a 1.02 WHIP, a .209 opponent batting average, and a 44.5% ground-ball rate. That last piece matters for Chicago, where a pitcher who keeps the ball on the ground can fit nicely behind the Cubs’ defense.
There is a catch, though. Griffin’s 4.03 FIP points to the possibility that some regression could be coming over the final two months.
That’s why he probably shouldn’t be the first name the Cubs chase. If Chicago wants a rental, Freddy Peralta returning to form might be the better swing. And if the Cubs are after a more established rental option, Robbie Ray of the San Francisco Giants would fit that description too.
Still, the bigger picture is that the Cubs may be aiming higher than a short-term fix. Controllable starting pitching makes sense as a priority.
In that context, Griffin may not be the ideal answer. But if the Cubs are trying to set a modest bar for Jed Hoyer ahead of August 3, the Nationals right-hander could be the easiest one to clear.
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