Nationals Could Find Pitching Need in Trade with Former World Series Champion
The Washington Nationals are entering one of the most critical offseasons in recent memory.
Now that the World Series has concluded, the Nationals are officially in the offseason as they look to make it back to the postseason for the first time since winning it themselves in 2019. After showing improvements in 2024 and bringing up multiple top prospects to the big league roster, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo needs to act now to add the right pieces and contend with what is arguably the toughest division in baseball.
As he works to navigate how to return to the postseason and compete with the National League East, Rizzo and the Nationals front office could consider making a trade with a recent World Series-winning team that is looking to cut payroll for a potential deal.
Earlier this week, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News discussed that one of Texas Rangers owner Ray Davis's biggest priorities could be finding a way to avoid the $241 million luxury tax before next season. The Rangers, who won the World Series in 2023, succeeded with their mission when they spent a half-billion dollars on their middle infield.
As they continue to pay on the lucrative contracts of Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, the team has some options to make some room to still come under the tax.
Two of those options would be to move on from some of their pitching contracts, mainly some guys in the back of the rotation. If Texas could find a suitor, potentially both Jon Gray and Dane Dunning could be prime candidates to be moved this winter.
Gray, who is entering the final year of his contract with the Rangers, would be owed $13 million for 2025. As Texas will look to acquire funds not only to slip below the tax but also to keep top-of-rotation pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, a trade to bring the 32-year-old to the nation’s capital would most likely cost only a low-level prospect.
The former first-round pick in the 2013 MLB draft made 19 starts this past season and recorded a 4.47 ERA. His 102.2 innings of work could be exactly what the Nationals needed at the back of their rotation, as they will be without Josiah Gray. However, they are still uncertain how much Cade Cavalli will contribute in 2025.
Another option, and for even less, would be Dane Dunning. The Nationals could make a reunion with the pitcher they drafted in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft before trading him to the Chicago White Sox.
Dunning, 29, did not have a great season for the Rangers. The right-hander went 5-7 with a 5.31 ERA across 95 innings of work. If the Nationals believe that they could find the proper adjustments to make him more serviceable, a potential deal could make sense.
What better place to go than the organization that developed him into big-league talent? Not only could Dunning be used in the rotation, but he could also act as a ‘swingman’ out of the bullpen. This past season, he started 15 games and came out of the bullpen with 11 other appearances.
As Washington looks to bolster its depth, including its starting pitching, despite the young core of arms already with the organization, taking on some salary could provide the needed reinforcements to get the team through a 162-game season.
