Nationals Rumors: Scooter Gennett a possibility to upgrade second base
By Blake Finney
While the Washington Nationals main needs are filled this offseason, there are new Nationals rumors that connect them to Scooter Gennett to help at second.
With the MLB Winter Meetings underway, there are going to be a few Washington Nationals rumors around. Now, it’s been reported that Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett could be available for trade.
Mike Rizzo has repeatedly publicly said that he is happy with the current situation as second base. He told Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post “We like our situation in the middle of the infield with Trea [Turner] and Howie and Difo and [Carter] Kieboom in the wings. We got [Luis] Garcia in the wings that we don’t feel is far away.”
But even despite this, there have been multiple reports that the team is still looking at possible avenues to upgrade at the keystone. That includes Jon Heyman of FanCred reporting that the Nats are “looking closely” at the position while mentioning DJ LeMahieu, Josh Harrison and Marwin Gonzalez as options.
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Someone like Scooter Gennett of the Cincinnati Reds would be a perfect fit for the team and rumors are that they will listen to offers for him. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Reds “would like to move him,” which could open the door for a trade to the nation’s capital.
After a so-so spell with the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in his career, Gennett has found a new lease of life in Cincinnati. In his two-year spell in Ohio, he’s slashed a mightily impressive .303/.351/.508 as well as recording 50 home runs and 189 RBI in that span while playing a solid defense at second base.
Were the Nationals to trade for the second baseman, one lesser benefit would be that he would never face them in the opposition batter’s box after killing them in his career. He holds a slash line of .333/.354/.553 with six home runs in just 33 games and seems to be the definition of a Nats Killer.
In terms of a package, one suggestion that MLBTradeRumors offered up was for Gennett to be in some kind of deal that involved Tanner Roark heading to Great American Ballpark to help resolve the Reds’ starting pitching issues. While Roark alone likely wouldn’t be enough to get the deal done, it could make a nice starting point to give the Reds a proven major league starter.
In our recent article suggesting trades the Nats could make during the winter meetings, we proposed a package of Erick Fedde and Seth Romero to go to Cincinnati for Gennett. While they wouldn’t get a proven option, they would get a high-ceiling pitcher under club control for five seasons who has shown flashes at the highest level in Fedde. The Reds would also get a high-upside prospect in Romero, who could be a top half of the rotation starter down the road.
Next. 4 Winter Meeting Trade Packages. dark
If the Washington Nationals are secretly seeking an upgrade at second base, then Gennett is almost certainly the best option out there that doesn’t block Carter Kieboom in the long-term. Rizzo should definitely check in with the Reds to see if he is available for a fair price.