Washington Nationals first baseman Matt Adams has been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals after being placed on revocable waivers.
Yesterday, Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo lit the match. This afternoon, he burned down the house. In their second trade of the day, they traded Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals.
MLB Network insider Jon Heyman first reported the Nats would receive cash considerations for the soon-to-be 30-year-old first baseman.
This move comes after Mike Rizzo bet on his ballclub to figure things out after the trade deadline. Before it, the team was 53-53 and on life-support. Since the deadline, the team is 9-10 and can officially be pronounced dead.
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Adams was a godsend for the Nationals, providing invaluable insurance as starter Ryan Zimmerman dealt with injuries earlier in the season.
In his Nationals career, which lasted 94 games, Adams hit 18 home runs and slashed .257/.332/.510. His wRC+ and wOBA of 123 and .358 ranks fourth on the team in both categories.
Had it not been for a broken finger sustained in June, Adams may have played in the All-Star game. His first half slash line of .288/.362/.565 and wRC+ of 147 garnered votes despite playing in only 68 games.
With this deal, Adams returns to the team in which he spent six years with. In his career with St. Louis, he slashed .271/.315/.453. His best season came in 2013 when he hit 17 home runs with an OPS of .839.
His most famous moment was hitting a go-ahead three-run home run off of Clayton Kershaw in the 2014 NLDS, lifting the Cardinals over the Dodgers.
Along with Adams, second baseman Daniel Murphy was sent to the Chicago Cubs. These two moves signify the end of the 2018 Nationals, and potentially the end of an era with Bryce Harper’s impending free agency.
To say this season has been a disappointment for the Washington Nationals is a massive understatement. Today’s news is a culmination of the failure of not one player or coach but an entire organization.