Requesting relief: Nationals could buy bullpen help at trade deadline

By Liam Griffin - The Washington Times - Thursday, July 23, 2026

The 52-51 Washington Nationals could use help if they’re going to push to make their first postseason appearance since 2019.

But, as opposing teams call about sluggers C.J. Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr., Washington may be inclined to bolster its maligned bullpen ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

Washington opened Thursday’s off day 1 1/2 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the final wild-card spot in the National League.

The Nationals weren’t supposed to be this competitive this early under first-year manager Blake Butera and new President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni.

Toboni was supposed to lead the organization through a yearslong rebuild. But, thanks to career years at the plate for players like Abrams and Garcia, the franchise looks much closer to contention than originally anticipated.

“It’d be foolish to say that it’s not accelerating our timeline by some amount,” Toboni said on his Wednesday appearance on “The Sports Junkies” radio show. “But we also want to be really disciplined, so we’re doing this right, so we’re not winning one year and losing 90 games the next year.”

The game plan remains up in the air with less than two weeks remaining until the deadline. Toboni noted that he’s had casual conversations with opposing front offices, but discussions haven’t heated up.

“To be candid, I think there are a good amount of teams that don’t exactly know what they’re doing yet,” he said. “These next 10, 11, 12 days will be really important. Then we’ll have more specific conversations as we get closer to Aug. 3.”

For Washington, most of the conversations have centered around the players they could trade away for prospects at the deadline. Garcia and Abrams have dominated the discussions, though Toboni has not outlined any desire to move them without a jaw-dropping offer.

All-Star pitcher Foster Griffin has also become a valuable trade piece in his first season with the Nationals. The rookie hasn’t allowed more than one run in a start since May.

Given their spot in the thick of the wild-card race, Toboni could turn the Nationals into buyers at the deadline. It’d be a refreshing change of pace for Washington fans who have become accustomed to seeing rising stars shipped out to competing squads during the dog days of summer.

This year, Washington could bring in impact players to help stack up wins now instead of waiting for the future.

The Nationals’ relievers are among the worst in the league. They’ve had 56 save opportunities, more than any other group in the majors. The bullpen has blown 27 of those chances. They’re closing in on the MLB record for blown saves in a season, which is 37.

MLB clubs convert about 70% of their save opportunities, on average. Washington has converted 52% of its chances this year. A 70% save rate would’ve given the Nationals an estimated 10 extra wins through the first 103 games.

“There’s been some guys who have been traded that we’ve been deep in conversations with to try and go get,” Toboni said, referring specifically to potential bullpen additions. “They haven’t worked out to date. We’re still going to be active in those conversations to try to upgrade in any way we can.”

MLB insiders expect the San Diego Padres to field calls about star reliever Mason Miller ahead of the deadline. The flame-throwing reliever has averaged more than 101 mph on his fastball this season en route to a 0.86 ERA.

Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman could also be on the trading block. He’s another hard-throwing reliever, but with the playoff experience and impressive pitch selection that could prove pivotal as the season progresses.

However, Boston’s recently ended 15-game winning streak complicates their deadline plans. The Red Sox, despite a disastrous start, could keep their key pieces as they find themselves in the AL wild-card race.

The 50-54 Houston Astros offer another option with veteran closer Josh Hader. The six-time All-Star has kept his elite form in Houston, holding a 1.47 ERA through 20 appearances. But the 32-year-old commands a $19 million salary for each of the next two seasons.

Contending with Hader would feature a literal cost for Washington’s spending-averse ownership group. No other player on the Nationals is slated to make more than $6 million next season.

Toboni and company have less than two weeks to decide whether they’ll push their chips in to make a playoff run this season or trust the rebuilding process.

“If you have this long-term plan in mind and you stay pretty disciplined to it, and you make those hard decisions when they come up, whether it’s trading away the prospect you really like for a player or trading a player off your big league team, whatever it might be — you’ve just got to be sure it aligns with the long-term vision and the long-term plan that you’ve got,” Toboni said.

The Nationals return home for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks starting Friday.