Washington Nationals Trade Deadline: Preview and Predictions

There's a good chance that Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is smarter than you, but you don't have to let him outsmart you when he implies the team won't be a presence at the July 31 trade deadline.

"We're not a perfect team," Rizzo said, per the Washington Post's Chelsea Janes. "But we like the team that we have and we like the roster that we have. We're going to look at all aspects of our club and figure out what trades, if any, make sense to us, what internal answers we have first."

It would be easier to take Rizzo at his word if the "team that we have" was in one piece. If not for the four everyday starters, one starting pitcher and one reliever who have all landed on the disabled list in the last month, the Nationals could have realistically passed on the trade deadline. But thanks to a combination of age and misfortune, Washington's DL is loaded.

The injury situation isn't the only motivating factor for roster realignment. The Nationals bullpen likes to play Russian roulette with its own foot, and Ian Desmond has become dead weight with an expiring contract and a revolting .075 July batting average.

In response to the injury contagion in Washington's clubhouse, the Nats have thrown a number of their top prospects into the fray. But on a team that can contend for the World Series title this season, the trade deadline is a gift-wrapped opportunity to exchange some of that future talent for immediate support, which is something Washington desperately needs.

The window slams shut as soon as the calendar turns to August, so the overwhelming results of a Google search for trade rumors can make a needle feel good about the haystack it's sitting in.

Here, I'll concentrate that search and preview the available talent that could change Rizzo's tune, then offer predictions for what the Nationals roster could look like after the deadline.

Preview

Washington's bench wasn't deep to begin with, but Anthony Rendon's (quad) and Denard Span's (back) standing reservations on the DL and the long-term injuries to Jayson Werth (wrist) and Ryan Zimmerman (foot) have magnified the problem.

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The most obvious avenue the Nationals could explore is that of Ben Zobrist. The Oakland Athletics Swiss army knife can play any outfield position as well as second base and shortstop, and Washington has already shown interest in his services.

Back in January, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported a proposed three-team trade that would have jettisoned Desmond to the New York Mets and brought Zobrist to D.C. from the Tampa Bay Rays. With that trade failing to materialize, Tampa eventually dealt Zobrist to the A's. But the Nationals could still be keeping tabs on him, with Rosenthal reporting in early June that Washington has contacted Oakland about the utility man's availability:

But if a deadline trade for Zobrist can qualify as a splash, there's another option on the table that would be the equivalent of Livan Hernandez and Dmitri Young jumping off a high-dive hand-in-hand.

In May, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman listed the Nationals as potential suitors in the Troy Tulowitzki sweepstakes if the Colorado Rockies decide to deal their franchise shortstop.

"Mike Rizzo has at different times made it clear to Colorado that they'd want to be involved if Tulowitzki talk really got serious," Heyman wrote.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press/Associated Press

This sort of blockbuster would be a short-term solution to Desmond's unreliable play during Washington's likely playoff run, but it would cost the Nats one of their young arms. Based on his recent call-up, Joe Ross seems to be the winner in a head-to-head competition with A.J. Cole. So if the Rockies are buying what Cole is selling, we could have traction. Other options include Reynaldo Lopez and Erick Fedde, per Heyman.

While Washington keeps an ear to the ground of the position-player market, the other ear will keep tabs on the available bullpen arms. Rizzo can keep both ears on the ground at the same time. It's like a Chuck Norris fact.

Nationals relievers haven't been awful. Washington's pen has the 10th-best ERA in Major League Baseball at 3.33. But the sum of the group is greater than its individual parts. Aaron Barrett and Blake Treinen, relievers the Nationals planned to rely on this season, own ERAs above 4.30, and the team just sent the latter of the two down to the minors, per James Wagner of the Washington Post.

The Nationals added David Carpenter in a June trade with the New York Yankees, but he made eight appearances before heading to the DL, where he remains until further notice with shoulder inflammation.

Washington hinted at its desire to shore up the bullpen when rumors of a trade with the Cincinnati Reds involving Aroldis Chapman surfaced last month, per Fox Sports' Jon Morosi:

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

There's also the possibility that the Nationals want to see what it's like to release the Kimbrel after having the Kimbrel released on them for years. According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (h/t Gaslamp Ball), the San Diego Padres have a number of big names on the trading block, and closer Craig Kimbrel is one of them—just four months after coming over from the Atlanta Braves in a trade.

Another available nemesis is Jonathan Papelbon. He has a 1.77 ERA and 15 saves this season, and the Philadelphia Phillies are ready to clean house, according to Olney.

Predictions

Bench Depth

The Nationals will trade for Zobrist. He's the perfect addition to a team that will need him to play every position he's capable of playing at some point in time. If I were Rizzo, I would even be comfortable overpaying for his services, with five other teams also interested in his skill set, according to Peter Gammons. 

Even with Zobrist's inflated value, Washington likely wouldn't have to give up Cole, Lopez or Fedde. Austin Voth, however, is a top-10 pitching prospect for Washington, and he could push a deal like this over the edge.

Ian Desmond

Washington will let its longtime shortstop play out the waning months of his contract in D.C. before letting him walk in free agency. His value is arguably the lowest it's been in his career, with his deal set to expire and the abysmal on-field product he's putting out.

Rather than scrapping him for pennies on the dollar, the Nationals would be better suited to hang on to him and see if he can remedy his struggles toward the end of the season. 

Bullpen

Washington won't want to sacrifice the pieces necessary to secure a name like Chapman, Kimbrel or Papelbon. In baseball-nerd fantasy land, the Nationals would entice the A's to include Tyler Clippard in a package deal with Zobrist in exchange for one of their top-tier pitching prospects, but that's not going to happen.

The Nationals will instead pull off another trade akin to the Carpenter deal, prying a serviceable bullpen arm away from a team with several in exchange for a lesser prospect.