The Washington Nationals have pulled the trigger on a trade involving star pitcher, All Star Foster Griffin.
After weeks of speculation surrounding his future in Washington, the Nationals could now hang onto their ace pitcher through the deadline and beyond.
Buster Olney of ESPN reported on Thursday morning that the Nationals are exploring an extension with All Star and left handed pitcher Foster Griffin.
Griffin has become the clear bright spot on the team's biggest weakness with the Nationals, blowing past his preseason expectations after initially signing a one-year deal with the organization following a three-year stint in Japan. The 30 year old rookie quickly proved himself as the ace of a rotation that entered 2026 with question marks as Griffin has dazzled in his short season in Washington so far.
Griffin set a new franchise record after allowing no more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances prior to his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 25. He also lasted at least seven innings in four of his last five starts to relieve some of the strain on a struggling bullpen, while ranking among the top pitchers in baseball with a 1.03 WHIP and 2.76 ERA while his 12 wins ranks tied for first across MLB.
The production materialized into Griffin becoming the final alternate selection in the 2026 MLB All Star Game where he went on to record two strikeouts in his lone inning.
Whether the Nationals ultimately kept Griffin remained a consistent storyline over the final two months leading up to the deadline. Initial reports pointed to a possibility the front office opted to hang onto the 30 year old before others pointed to a belief that a trade was "inevitable" from executives around the league.
Yet for a team that would enter the offseason with pitching as the top priority, a long-term resolution for Griffin would serve as a key building block for the Nationals in hopes of remaining competitive and contending for the postseason in 2027 and 2028. Whether Washington makes additional moves ahead of the deadline to upgrade the pitching staff remains uncertain. The Nationals previously acquired left handed pitcher Connelly Early from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Curtis Mead where the rookie is expected to step into the rotation, but when his debut materializes remains unclear after Toboni noted he's scheduled for a second rehab stint on Aug. 3.
Griffin is also set to take the mound on Friday in game two of the four-game series agains the Braves in Atlanta.
