The Washington Nationals have put themselves back in the conversation, but the path to upgrading their pitching may be tougher than it looked a few days ago.
After dropping three straight to finish their series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Washington bounced back to take its set against the Baltimore Orioles. That push has lifted the Nationals back above .500 and left them two games behind the final NL Wild Card spot, currently held by the St. Louis Cardinals, who are 3-7 over their last 10 games.
That’s enough to make the deadline picture interesting. The Nationals came into the season expected to sell, but a playoff chase could change the mood fast, especially if the front office decides the rotation needs help to keep this thing alive.
The problem: one of the most obvious trade targets may not be getting to market at all.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY, the Los Angeles Angels are not planning to move their top two starters, Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano. Nightengale reported, "The Los Angeles Angels also plan to retain their key players at the deadline with owner Arte Moreno not wanting to unload starters Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano, or outfielder Jo Adell."
That matters for Washington because both pitchers had been floated as fits. The Nationals have obvious pitching needs, and either arm would have given the rotation a serious boost. There’s also the long view: Detmers and Soriano are both under team control through the 2028 season, so any team that lands them would be buying more than a short-term fix.
Detmers, in particular, would come at a steep price if the Angels ever decide to listen. Nightengale said Los Angeles "could demand a package" that brings back more than what the Detroit Tigers might ask for Tarik Skubal. Detmers is making just $2.7 million this season, and that combination of control and cost makes him one of the more valuable pieces on the board.
For Washington, that kind of ask could be the deal-breaker. The Nationals do have a strong collection of young talent in the system, but they’re still building toward the future, and new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni may not be eager to move a premium prospect package this summer.
So for now, the Angels remain a team worth watching. Whether they hold tight or open the door on Detmers and Soriano could end up shaping what the Nationals are able to do before the deadline.
In Other News...
Tigers Move On From Lefty As Bullpen Reality Sets In
Konnor Pilkingtons latest stop in Detroit ended earlier this week, when the Tigers released the left-hander after a stretch that included time with Triple-A Toledo. Signed to a minor league deal before spring training, Pilkington was brought in as organizational pitching depth, but his performance never fully settled in, continuing a career pattern that has been defined by command issues.
For Washington, the name still carries a little more familiarity than most waiver-wire arm. Pilkington spent time in the Nationals bullpen before being designated for assignment in January, and his profile has remained the same wherever he has landed: live enough to keep getting looks, but with the kind of walk problems that make it hard to trust him in a big-league relief role. The Tigers move simply reinforces the question other clubs will have to answer if they decide he is worth another shot. [Read more 🡒]
Luis Garcia Jr. Is Forcing A Nationals Question Fans Won't Ignore
Luis Garcia Jr. spent the week doing exactly what the Nationals have been waiting to see from him. The first baseman homered twice against the Orioles, then closed out a six-homer week that put him squarely in the middle of the clubs evolving offensive picture. For a team looking for signs of a more consistent middle-order threat, Garcias recent power burst has been impossible to overlook.
The broader question now is how much of that production the Nationals can keep in the lineup going forward, especially with the way their schedule is shaping up. Garcia has been getting limited run against left-handers, but he has still made the most of those chances, and his recent surge only adds to the pressure on the coaching staff to keep the bat in the order while its hot. [Read more 🡒]