Nationals: Three Players Washington Should Trade For

While the free-agent market is full of intriguing talent, it is in Washington’s best interest to also keep an eye on the trade market.

Third Base. Second Base. Outfield. Catcher. Starting Rotation. Bullpen. The Washington Nationals have plenty of holes to fix this off-season and only a projected $47 million to work with. Expect the free-agent market to move at a snail’s pace, with teams licking their wounds from financial losses due to COVID. Only a few teams will be willing to spend big this winter and while the major free agents will get paid, many will be left out in the cold.

With an uncertain off-season, Washington should do its due diligence and target the trade market. Yes, they have a very empty farm system, but if the team wants to keep their window open, they will need to give up talent to receive talent. Multiple key names have been rumored in trade talks with Fransisco Lindor and Nolan Arenado being the cream of the crop. Washington will be out on both, but can still find some hidden gems that would help bring the Nationals closer to competing once again.

With that being said, here are three players the Nationals should attempt to trade for.

Josh Bell

Josh Bell’s trade stock has taken a hit since last season, but Washington should still check in on the asking price. In 2019, Bell broke out hitting .277, with 37 homers, 116  RBIs, and an OPS of .936. 2020 saw Bell hit a measly .226, with eight homers, 22 RBIs, and an OPS of .669. Despite his down year, Bell still has two years left of arbitration and has shown flashes of what he can do at the plate.

The downside to Bell is his defense. In his career, he has -32 DRS and an Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) of -19.9. With an already average at best defensive infield, Washington will need Bell’s bat to carry his defense.

A reason to be optimistic about Bell bouncing back if he was traded, is that he would be following in the footsteps of former Pirates. Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow, and Austin Meadows all come to mind. Cole was inconsistent with the Pirates, but when he was traded, he became an entirely different pitcher. Glasnow and Meadows were two former top prospects that had failed to flourish in Pittsburgh. However, when they were traded to Tampa, both of them turned into top players at their respective position. While it is unlikely Bell turns into a superstar, a change of scenery would be beneficial for the 28-year-old. With the Pirates, he has been leaned on to be the heart of the lineup. In Washington, he wouldn’t have that added pressure, instead, he would be used as protection for Juan Soto.

Starling Marte

The Miami Marlins traded for Marte at the trade deadline and recently picked up his $12.5 million option for 2021. Despite this, the Marlins could still flip the 32-year-old. After making the playoffs for the first time since 2003 on the back of a promising starting rotation, the Marlins could view that they are not ready to contend. If that is the case, trading Marte could help cut payroll while also bringing back some value. This is where the Nationals come in.

After declining the option on Adam Eaton, Washington is searching for a new starting outfielder. After shifting Juan Soto to right at the end of the 2020 season, it seems the plan is for Soto to stick in right for the foreseeable future. Marte who mainly plays left but could also take over in center would immediately be a huge boost defensively. Over his nine-year career, the two-time Gold Glover has 76 outfield assists and 59 DRS. Marte’s best defensive numbers have come from left.

Offensively, Marte is a table-setter, seen by his career batting average and wRC+ of .287 and 116 respectively. In Washington, Victor Robles should lead off, while Marte, Soto, and Trea Turner follow him respectively. This would add another consistent bat while fixing the top of the lineup.

Dangling one of the team’s pitching prospects such as Seth Romero or Wil Crowe as conversation starters could interest the Marlins, who will be looking for MLB-ready talent.