2017 with Oakland
Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle for Blake Treinen, Jesus Luzardo, and Sheldon Neuse
Rizzo had no leverage in this deal, and still he managed to do quite well. The Nationals had the worst bullpen in baseball, and needed multiple arms to have any chance in October. So Rizzo called up his old buddy Billy Beane in Oakland, and stopped by for a quick two-for-one sale.
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Madson and Doolittle have extensive injury histories, but both are massive upgrades over the slop the Washington Nationals were previously trotting out in late innings. Also, both pitchers are on tidy little contracts that extend past this year. Madson will make $7.5 million in 2018, while Doolittle will earn just $16.85 million through 2020.
This trade appears to be a plus already; Doolittle is clearly working out some kinks, but Madson is yet to give up a run in a Washington Nationals uniform.
(The Washington Nationals did like Treinen, but it was clearly not working in D.C. Treinen seems like a perfect change-of-scenery guy; he has already pitched much better in his short time with the A’s).
Grade: B
All in all, Mike Rizzo has an excellent good report card when it comes to the fickle trading business. He has missed a couple times, but he rarely sends out more value than he gets in return. Rizzo continues to load up this roster every year, and is the biggest reason the Nationals are now one of the few juggernauts in baseball.