Should Washington splurge for a top-notch bat?
Yesterday morning, Nationals Twitter was sent into a frenzy over an unverified rumor. Twitter user Batboysbaseball tweeted that Washington and the Pirates were involved in trade talks that would send Pittsburgh’s star outfielder, Bryan Reynolds to D.C. Assumedly, the Nationals would be sending Victor Robles back as the centerpiece.
https://twitter.com/batboysbaseball/status/1409720423944704001
Approach this rumor with extreme caution because it hasn’t been reported on by anyone else. But this rumor brings up an important question. What would it take for the Nationals to add a player of Reynolds talent?
Bryan Reynolds Is A Stud
Bryan Reynolds is not a household name but he should be. The 26-year old is having a career year, hitting .311, with 13 homers, 44 RBIs, and an OPS of .925. His bWAR of 3.5 leads all NL centerfielders. Offensively, Reynolds would help take this lineup to the next level, adding another consistent bat behind Trea Turner, Juan Soto, and Kyle Schwarber. He also has four years left of team control, which is extremely valuable.
Did we mention Bryan Reynolds has the longest active hitting streak in the National League? pic.twitter.com/KdXjyoOTOZ
— CAA Baseball (@CAA_Baseball) June 28, 2021
Washington already has a long-term centerfielder, Victor Robles. Despite the 24-year olds struggles at the plate, he is one of the best defensive centerfielders in the game. On the season, he has four outfield assists and 2 DRS. But this year at the plate, his pop is gone. He is hitting .225, with one homer, nine RBIs, and an OPS of .665. He just finally launched his first homer of the season last night.
Every time this season Robles has started to put things together at the plate, a setback occurs. Be it an injury or a slump, Robles has struggled with inconsistency all season long. But the youngster is brimming with talent, seen by his rookie season in 2019. That year he hit .255, with 17 homers, 65 RBIs, and an OPS of .745. Defensively, he had an outstanding 12 outfield assists and 25 DRS.
For the Pirates, Robles would not be enough to land Reynolds. He only has three years of control left and has been struggling. But at the same time, Washington should avoid giving up on the speedster. His defense is top-notch and would be sorely missed.
Throw in the Nationals have an already thin farm system, and it becomes harder and harder to see a deal get reached. Mike Rizzo has already made it clear that the team’s top prospect Cade Cavalli is untouchable. Luis Garcia is still seen as the second baseman of the future for the Nats and Carter Kieboom’s trade value has dropped over the years.
Reynolds is seen as a part of the future core for the Pirates and would have to be blown away by an offer. Washington just doesn’t have the ammunition to do that. A deal between the two is highly unlikely regardless of the rumor.