As the Washington Nationals’ losing streak reached double digits, it’s natural for thoughts to turn to being a potential trade deadline seller.
And if they are, there’s an obvious candidate.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand singled out Kyle Finnegan, the righty reliever, as the guy the Nats should definitely look to deal away.
“Late-inning relievers are always in demand this time of year, so Finnegan – who has 18 saves and a 3.12 ERA in 26 appearances – should draw significant interest from a number of contenders,” Feinsand writes. “An All-Star in 2024, Finnegan ranks in the 65th percentile in ground-ball rate (45.6%) and his 96.1 mph average fastball ranks in the 80th percentile.”
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Feinsand links four teams to Finnegan: the Blue Jays, Mets, Phillies and Reds.
He’d be the classic reliever addition for a good team, a guy that maybe closes for his current team but slots into middle relief for a superior ballclub.
Finnegan has been quite reliable throughout his Nationals tenure, but if the Nats don’t turn it around, they need to cash in.
This is a mostly young roster, so there isn’t even a ton needed in trades. Finnegan is the right guy to shop if the price is right.
And if Finnegan moves on, consider that a sign that the youth has to become the superior narrative with the Nationals. It’s uber-talented youth, so the future is still bright, but their contention window may not be quite open yet.
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