The Nationals’ deadline direction was hard to miss once Sunday’s first move went down.
After sending Luis Garcia Jr. to the New York Yankees for a package headlined by four pitchers - three of them prospects - Washington made it clear it was willing to move some of its best pieces in order to stock the system for later. The next shoe to drop was left-hander Foster Griffin, and according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Nationals did indeed deal their breakout star to the Cleveland Guardians.
Per Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic, Washington got four players back: pitchers Will Dion, Josh Hartle and Kendeglys Virguez, plus outfielder Nick Mitchell.
The deal was not a sure thing for most of the day. After extension talks had already fallen apart, the Nationals were reportedly still trying to work out a new agreement with Griffin that would have kept him in Washington for the next few seasons.
Instead, the front office chose the deadline path that fit where the club stood on Aug. 3: three games below .500 and 4.5 games out of the final NL wild-card spot. In that spot, the move was obvious enough - cash in on a strong market and turn a 2026 All-Star into future value.
On paper, that’s exactly what they did. Griffin was treated like a rental, and Washington came away with four players in return. Hartle was ranked No. 25 in the Guardians’ pipeline, while the others are already at the Double-A level or higher in the minors.
The Griffin trade also fit the timing of another roster move. Before the deal was announced, the Nationals said left-handed pitcher Andrew Alvarez had been recalled from Triple-A Rochester and would start Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
That points to Alvarez stepping into Griffin’s spot in the rotation for now. Connelly Early, the return from the Boston Red Sox in the Curtis Mead trade, is still rehabbing from left elbow inflammation and has been on the injured list since July 1. He’s expected back in early to mid-August, though what the rotation looks like after that remains unsettled.
There’s no sugarcoating the short-term impact. Washington’s pitching staff was already thin, and Griffin’s exit only makes it leaner. He enters the deadline tied for fourth in the majors with 12 wins, and his 3.06 ERA ranks 15th among MLB starters.
But with Griffin set to reach free agency after the season, the Nationals clearly decided this was the moment to move him. For a 30-year-old who could slip from here, selling high made sense.
In Other News...
Red Sox Eye One More Deadline Move To Fix A Lingering Problem
The Nationals may find themselves back in familiar trade territory with Boston, which has already struck twice with Washington over the past nine months. Those earlier deals brought Jake Bennett and Curtis Mead to the Red Sox organization, and now the connection is resurfacing as the deadline approaches and Boston keeps searching for help in a spot that has lingered as a problem.
Luis Garcia Jr. is the latest Washington name drawing attention, and his strong season has only added to the appeal if the Red Sox decide to push again. Any talks would come with real moving parts, with names such as Jarren Duran or Patrick Sandoval floated as possible centerpieces, but nothing has been finalized yet as both sides weigh whether this is the kind of upgrade worth making late in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Just Made A Surprising Bet On Their Pitching Future
The Nationals have spent plenty of time talking about building the roster from the mound out, and Paul Toboni just put that philosophy into action with a move that says as much about the future as the present. In a trade with the Yankees, Washington targeted pitching depth and brought in four right-handed arms, a package aimed at strengthening a staff that still needs help and, in particular, more relief options that can move quickly.
Luis Garcia Jr. had been one of Washingtons more productive bats this season, so parting with him was no small call. But the return fits the organizations broader timeline, with Jack Cebert, Yovanny Cruz, Ben Grable and Jake Bird giving the Nationals a mix of pitchers at different stages of readiness and potential roles, the kind of bet teams make when they think the next wave on the mound matters more than the lineup today. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Still Have A Deadline Problem They May Finally Have To Pay For
The hours leading into the 6 p.m. ET trade deadline have already forced several clubs into hard choices, and Washington is among the teams still weighing how far to go. The Nationals have been a part of a broader market that includes Detroit trying to stay competitive after moving Tarik Skubal, the Angels continuing to shuffle pieces, and Texas looking for answers after a rough stretch, but Washingtons own decisions remain especially relevant as the front office sorts through what can still be done with the roster it has.
One name drawing attention is CJ Abrams, who is also in the middle of a career year and has already set a new personal best with 28 home runs. With the deadline clock running down, the Nationals are in that uncomfortable spot where interest around their players is real, the market is moving, and the next step could reshape the infield picture as much as any move they have made so far. [Read more 🡒]