The Washington Nationals are back from the break and into the second half in Sacramento, sitting a game under .500 as they sort through the same old question: buy or sell before the early-August trade deadline. Paul Toboni may be leaning toward a different answer altogether - find help from within.
There are a few moving parts already. Top catching prospect Harry Ford appears set to join the club for at least a little while, and with Drew Millas sidelined by injury, Ford could be an upgrade. Right-hander Max Kranick is also in line to help the bullpen, while Abimelec Ortiz and Trevor Williams should be able to chip in too.
But relief pitching remains the sore spot, and one of Toboni’s early waiver-wire swings has already come back empty.
Matt Krook is now officially a free agent after the Nationals designated him for assignment just before the All-Star break to make room for first base prospect Abimelec Ortiz. Krook cleared waivers and chose free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to the minors.
It’s a notable turn for a pitcher who was brought in as a left-handed bullpen option, only to lose his spot after the Nationals decided they had seen enough. His role in the blown games against the New York Yankees last weekend clearly didn’t help matters, and while he wasn’t the only reliever who struggled in that series, he was also the worst-performing lefty in the bullpen.
Krook could have taken the minor league route and tried to rebuild his value, but instead he’ll be waiting for the next call. For Toboni, at least, the move shows a willingness to cut ties quickly when something isn’t working.
In Other News...
Nationals Suddenly Face A Luis Garca Jr. Decision They Can't Ignore
Luis Garca Jr. has turned a strong season into one of the more interesting decisions on the Nationals summer board. By the All-Star break, he had already reached a career-best 20 home runs and carried an .871 OPS, production that has made him one of the most valuable pieces on a roster still trying to sort out its long-term direction. He is also the longest-tenured National, which gives his rise a little extra weight inside the clubhouse as Washington weighs what kind of team it wants to be beyond this season.
The challenge now is figuring out how to balance that value against the realities of the market and the calendar. Garca remains under team control through 2027, so the Nationals do not have to rush into anything, and the front office still has time to sort through whether keeping him in place matters more than any return that might come before the Aug. 3 deadline. For a club trying to build something sturdier, moving a player like this would carry consequences well beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Farm System Delivers One High, One Low, One Wild Finish
The Nationals affiliates spent the night moving in different directions, with Rochester putting together the cleanest performance of the bunch in a 7-2 win over Jacksonville. Jackson Kent handled the heavy lifting on the mound, while Abimelec Ortiz and Christian Franklin kept the lineup moving with a steady stream of traffic, a good sign for a system that has been looking for more consistent production at the upper levels.
Elsewhere, Wilmington found a way to finish, Harrisburg had another frustrating result, and the DSL club nearly stole a comeback before running out of runway. The Blue Rocks late surge stood out most, but the bigger organizational note may have been the roster shuffle involving Blake Brown, a reminder that the Nationals are still sorting through pieces across the farm as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]