The Washington Nationals’ deadline conversation has plenty of people talking bullpen, and for good reason. Their relief corps has been one of the worst in baseball, sitting with the third-worst ERA in the majors and tracking toward an MLB record for blown saves.
But Kiley McDaniel of ESPN says the bigger priority might be elsewhere: finding a starting pitcher who can help in 2027.
"There's a lot of relief risk and upside-oriented arms in the system, so adding a potential 2027 big league starting pitcher would help take some heat off of the system and next winter's free agent needs," McDaniel wrote.
That idea makes sense when you look at Washington’s rotation picture. Beyond Cade Cavalli, there isn’t much certainty.
Foster Griffin could be moved before the deadline or leave in free agency after the season, and re-signing him would be a major boost if he stays. Zack Littell likely won’t have his $12 million mutual option picked up because of performance, Miles Mikolas is headed for free agency, Jake Irvin has struggled again, and the team doesn’t fully trust Andrew Alvarez despite his strong career numbers.
The farm system doesn’t offer much immediate help, either. Luis Perales and Jackson Kent are at Triple-A Rochester, but neither has pitched in the majors. Josiah Gray is dealing with another serious injury, and none of the other top pitching prospects are above Double-A.
That leaves the Nationals with a clear need to add a starter who can slide into the rotation next year. A name like Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers would draw plenty of interest if available, while Kansas City Royals veteran right-hander Michael Wacha is another possible trade candidate. However they do it, Washington needs to strengthen a rotation that has been difficult to build through free agency.
How president of baseball operations Paul Toboni handles the deadline will be worth watching. But if the Nationals make moves, don’t be shocked if one of the return pieces is an established starting pitcher.
In Other News...
Nationals Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Twist Few Fans Expected
The trade deadline picture in Washington has shifted in a way few expected a few weeks ago. Sitting at 52-52 and still hanging around the wild-card race, the Nationals are no longer approaching the market as a club focused only on subtraction, and they are now evaluating ways to bring in at least one big-league player who can help right away.
The needs are obvious enough: the bullpen has been a problem, and the rotation still leaves plenty of questions if the season stretches into October. Even while the front office continues to listen on some current major leaguers, the bigger question now is whether the Nationals can thread the needle between staying competitive and making the kind of deadline move that actually changes their outlook. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Have A Real Reason To Watch This Rehab Start Closely
Trevor Williams rehab assignment in Rochester gave Nationals fans a useful checkpoint on a pitcher the club will be tracking closely, even if the Red Wings came up short in a 7-6 loss to Buffalo. Around the system, there were brighter notes: Harrisburg blanked Reading 3-0 behind a strong staff effort, Wilmington rolled past Hudson Valley 9-1, and Fredericksburg handled Fayetteville 4-1.
The developmental side of the organization had a few small milestones worth noting, too, with Miguel Sime Jr. picking up his first career win for Wilmington and Juan Reyes earning his first Low-A win for Fredericksburg. The DSL Nationals also saw a three-game winning streak end in a 6-4 loss to the DSL Mets Orange, a reminder that even on a busy night across the affiliates, the most closely watched box score was the one tied to a big-league arm trying to work his way back. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Just Got A Better Way To Track Game Day Weather
Fans keeping an eye on the Nationals this season will have a more focused weather guide built into the teams game-day coverage. Washingtons reporting around Nationals Park is teaming with Capital Weather to deliver forecasts aimed specifically at the ballpark, giving readers a clearer sense of what conditions could mean for a given night at the yard.
The new setup centers on NatCast, a forecast product designed for days when weather could affect the game, and it will be folded into The Nats Reports previews and live updates. The idea is to keep fans informed as conditions change, whether the concern is a delay before first pitch, storms moving nearby, or weather shifting once the game is underway. [Read more 🡒]