With Foster Griffin set to take the mound on Saturday, whether the Washington Nationals ultimately trade their ace remains a question mark
With the trade deadline nearly one week away, president of baseball operations Paul Toboni and the front office are approaching the point where a decision will need to be made whether the Washington Nationals will become buyers or sellers at the trade deadline with the team hovering around or slightly above .500, frankly, all season.
The chance to blow past lowly preseason expectations has put year one of the new leadership in good graces, yet with all the attention on the pitching staff given the lack of consistency and routine late inning collapses, the growing attention has remained centered on Washington's ace: Foster Griffin.
While the 30 year old rookie grew to be a consistent trade candidate once he proved himself as the ace in the Nationals' rotation, Griffin at one point appeared unlikely to be moved with a belief that the Nationals aren't looking to move either him or Cade Cavalli ahead of the deadline. Yet that proved to only be the start of the rumors with a report on Wednesday noting some executives believe a trade involving Griffin is "inevitable," while others pointed to the chance for an extension to materialize.
Yet in the midst of a six-game home stand that could ultimately determine which direction the Nationals' front office goes, Griffin continues to draw buzz as a potential departure given The Athletic included the All Star pitcher among the trade candidates while noting "it is hard to see Washington holding on to its All Star."
While Luis Garcia Jr. has drawn interest and Curtis Mead drawn intrigue as a deadline candidate, Griffin serves as the classic 'sell high' candidate for an organization that may still be another season away from being able to become true contenders to make a postseason appearance. With Griffin on a one year deal, Washington's haul could add an impact piece for 2027. Yet for a fanbase still hoping for a contract extension for either James Wood or CJ Abrams, who has also been at the source of renewed trade rumors, an outgoing deal for the star of a struggling Nationals' rotation would serve as the first true gutpunch to the fanbase this season.
After dropping game one on Friday night, Griffin is scheduled to take the mound on Saturday afternoon in game two against the Arizona Diamondbacks with first pitch set for 4:05 PM. While Griffin will look to extend his scoring streak after allowing one run or fewer in nine consecutive starts, he'll do so against a Diamondbacks' lineup that has yet to record a hit against him in 12 career at bats.
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