The Washington Nationals are sitting in one of those awkward deadline spots that forces a front office to make a real choice. At 50-50 after the All-Star break, they’re eight games back of the Atlanta Braves in the National League East and two games out of the final Wild Card spot. That leaves first-year president of baseball operations Paul Tobani with a decision that could shape the next step of the rebuild: push in, or cash out.
If the Nationals lean toward selling, they have two names that should draw real attention: CJ Abrams and Foster Griffin. James Wood, the club’s All-Star right fielder, is not available.
Abrams and Griffin, though, have been two of Washington’s steadiest performers, and both earned National League All-Star honors alongside Wood. Abrams made his second All-Star team in five big-league seasons.
Griffin got there for the first time after spending the previous three seasons in Japan’s NPB.
Abrams has turned in a career year at the plate. His batting average sits at .277, his OPS is .869, which ranks 11th in the NL, and his 21 home runs are tied for seventh in the league. He’s also five walks away from topping his previous career high of 40.
Griffin’s season has been just as striking in a different way. He has remade himself and emerged as one of the better pitchers in the National League this year. Though he’s still classified as a rookie, he’s putting himself in the mix for both Cy Young consideration and Rookie of the Year.
Among qualified rookies, Griffin leads the NL in wins with 11, tied for second among all non-rookies. His 2.68 ERA is tied for seventh overall and best among rookies, and his 1.03 WHIP is fourth in the league and also tops among rookies.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand said the next 10 days could help determine whether Washington makes either player available.
“The Nationals are in a tricky spot;[...]being a seller would be a bad sign to both the players in the clubhouse and the fan base,” wrote Feinsand. “But first-year president of baseball operations Paul Toboni is also thinking long-term, and given the seasons both Abrams and Griffin are having, both would generate great interest if they were made available. How Washington plays over the next 10 days could be the deciding factor in the way Toboni approaches the Deadline.”
There’s also a practical case for moving one or both. Abrams is under contract through 2028, while Griffin is headed for free agency after this season and seems likely to land a long-term deal in the offseason. If Washington does decide to sell, both could bring back a meaningful return in prospects or big-league-ready talent.
And with a potential work stoppage looming, the Nationals may view this as a chance to take advantage of what could be the final year of their rebuild. The bullpen has struggled badly, ranking 28th in ERA at 5.17, and the rotation has its own issues, sitting 22nd in ERA at 4.46. Washington also still needs another bat to go with Wood.
That’s why this deadline doesn’t look like a shortcut to contention. But it could be the moment the Nationals decide whether to keep building with their current core or turn some of their best performers into the next wave.
In Other News...
Nationals Draft Signings Just Revealed Something About Toboni's First Class
The Nationals have moved quickly to lock in the middle of their draft class, signing second-rounder Chase Brunson, third-rounder Luke Williams and fourth-rounder Cooper Harris. For a front office trying to put its stamp on the organization early, the deals offer a first look at how Washington is valuing this group, with each player bringing a different background and a different kind of fit for the system.
What stands out is the shape of the money, which says as much about the clubs priorities as the names themselves. Luke Williams landed the biggest bonus of the three, while Brunson and Harris came in at lower figures, a spread that hints at how the Nationals balanced talent, leverage and long-term planning in this first class under Toboni. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Deadline Debate Just Took A Complicated Turn
With the trade deadline drawing closer, the Nationals front office is being pulled in a few different directions at once, and the pitching market is a big part of the conversation. Among the clubs linked to Washington are the Angels, Red Sox, Guardians and Cubs, with the Angels drawing particular attention because Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers are both expected to be available. For a Nationals club still sorting out its long-term direction, that kind of pitching inventory is hard to ignore.
Boston has also stayed in the mix as a possible partner if Washington decides to move Luis Garcia, which would open another lane for the Nationals to reshape the roster. In that scenario, names like Kyson Witherspoon and Rivera have come up as the sort of young arms Washington could seek back, while CJ Abrams has been mentioned as a fit for the Red Sox in the infield, more as an offseason idea than a deadline one. For now, the debate is less about one clean path than which direction the Nationals are most willing to commit to. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Bullpen Search Just Took A Sudden Trade Deadline Turn
The bullpen market got a little clearer for the Nationals with Colorado moving a young right-hander in a deal that brought back outfield prospect Landyn Vidourek and right-handed pitcher Nick Frasso. For Washington, which has been sorting through its own relief options with the trade deadline looming, the move offers a useful glimpse at what clubs are willing to part with for controllable bullpen help.
Seth Halvorsens profile is the kind front offices keep circling at this time of year: a reliever with major league experience, still under team control, and available in a market where late-inning arms are always in demand. Even with the deadline still ahead, the return attached to this deal gives the Nationals another data point as they gauge whether to add, stand pat, or wait for the market to shift again before Aug. 3. [Read more 🡒]