Are Nationals looking to make a trade?

There are plenty of holes right now in the roster of the Nationals (42-41), who start play Tuesday a season-high seven games back of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

While catcher may be the most obvious one, the starting pitching has suffered the past few weeks as Stephen Strasburg and Jeremy Hellickson were on the disabled list.

Hellickson returned to pitch Saturday in Philadelphia while Strasburg remains on the disabled list.

Thus baseball insider Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported early Tuesday that the Nationals could be looking to make a trade with the Cincinnati Reds.

And that involves Reds pitchers Raisel Iglesias, currently a reliever, and starter Matt Harvey, who was traded by the New York Mets to the Reds in early May.

“Nats have talked to the Reds. Matt Harvey and Raisel Iglesias are of interest to nats, who are seeking another starter. Multiple teams see Iglesias as possible starter,” Heyman wrote.

Harvey is 4-5 with an ERA of 4.91 in 18 games, and 14 starts, this year with the Mets and Reds.

Iglesias is 1-1, 2.45 in 34 games out of the bullpen with 16 saves in 18 tries.

Another major concern is catcher for the Nationals.

Pedro Severino, a former backup, is hitting .167 after he entered this year with a career average of .246.

He has become the regular catcher after the injury to Matt Wieters, who said Monday he hopes to return from the disabled list at some point this month. Wieters hit against two minor league pitchers on Monday, as did injured first basemen Ryan Zimmerman and Matt Adams.

“It felt good today,” Wieters said. “It is just clearing the running hurdles. Each day gets better. We have run the bases a few times. It is a matter of trying to duplicate what a game situation would be like.”

Wieters caught a bullpen session on Monday with Hellickson.

“Catching hasn’t really been much of an issue the whole time,” Wieters said.

Wieters is hitting .231 in 23 games and has the only three homers hit this year by a Washington catcher.

Adams left the clubhouse late Monday night to join Double-A Harrisburg and is set to play Tuesday with the Senators against Richmond. If all goes well he could join the Nationals on Wednesday for an 11:05 a.m.game against Boston.

The Nationals are 8-16 in one-run games and have lost their last five games by that margin, including 4-3 to the Red Sox on Monday. Washington hosts Boston on Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. as Tanner Roark (3-9, 4.10) pitches for the Nationals.