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Nationals Rumors: Raisel Iglesias back on Mike Rizzo’s radar

By Blake Finney

CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 01: Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on July 1, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won 8-2. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH - JULY 01: Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park on July 1, 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Reds won 8-2. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Now that we’re into July, there are plenty of Washington Nationals rumors floating about. The latest has them linked to Matt Harvey and Raisel Iglesias.

As the trade deadline gets nearer and nearer, expect Washington Nationals rumors to float about this month. The most recent has them linked to Cincinnati Reds pair, Raisel Iglesias, and Matt Harvey.

Obviously, Nats fans are very familiar with Harvey, having pitched against them for many years with the New York Mets. Iglesias has also been linked with a move to D.C. too, as recently as last season.

Jon Heyman of FanCred Sports reported that the Nationals have checked in on both

Before Tuesday’s game, per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, the Nationals clearly refuted the talk around Harvey, saying they had no interest.

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As for Raisel Iglesias, the Nats have genuine interest in the Reds’ closer, as reported by Jorge Castillo, also of the Washington Post.

According to Castillo, they checked in before pulling the trigger on the Kelvin Herrera trade. So it remains to be seen whether the interest will persist as we move towards the trade deadline.

The closer has a 2.45 ERA, stellar 10.06 K/9 and 16 saves in 19 chances for the Reds. He’s certainly up there with the elite closers in the game right now. And although the Nationals have one of their own, it makes a lot of sense to keep tabs on the cost for Iglesias.

With Herrera and Ryan Madson on contracts that expire this year, the right-hander would help solidify the bullpen for the foreseeable future. The Reds righty is contracted through the 2020 season, so would be part of a lethal 1-2 punch for the Nats for years to come.

In terms of cost in the deal, with that control, the Reds will likely demand Carter Kieboom. The young shortstop has torn up the Nats minor league affiliates so far in 2018, raising his prospect profile. If they include him, the Nats could make up the rest of the package with mid-tier prospects.

It’s also conceivable Cincinnati would listen if the Nationals put both Yasel Antuna and Luis Garcia on the table. Both are highly regarded international signings who are rapidly gaining traction in the Nats system. But doing this would decimate the depth of the farm system drastically.

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This isn’t the first or last of the Nationals rumors this July. We’ll have to wait and see if Mike Rizzo and the front office decide to pull the trigger on any deals.

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