Washington Nationals: Power ranking the closer trade targets
By Ron Juckett
2. ROBERTO OSUNA
The best pure closer potentially on the market, the Toronto Blue Jays will want the Smithsonian along with major prospects if they trade Roberto Osuna.
Under team control the next three seasons—and not a player who would throw the Nats into a tax bracket—Osuna is the dream closer. With 22 saves on the ledger this year in 37 games, he has a stunning 47 strikeouts in 35 innings. Nobody will turn down a pitcher who whiffs batters at a 12.1 K/9 rate.
Nor would they turn away Osuna’s 15.67 K/BB ratio. In 2017, he tossed three walks. Yep, three. Those 22 hits are not shabby, giving him a WHIP of 0.714. Even Max Scherzer would be impressed with those numbers.
There are two catches with Osuna. Would the Blue Jays consider trading a major part of their future? If they do, does Washington have the pieces to land him without moving major-league players? Remember, the Nats depth elsewhere is thinning by the injury.
With playoff experience under his belt, Osuna is no stranger to October. In seven games last season, he did not allow a run. Over nine innings, he fanned 10 and walked no one.
It goes back to how much of the future would Washington gamble to get Osuna. Victor Robles and more would land him. After the high price to lad Eaton last fall, can they afford to do it for Osuna? That is a deal you make if you know you can win it all.