5 Players For Sale At MLB Trade Deadline

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 1: Nelson Cruz #23 of the Washington Nationals. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)

The Washington Nationals will look to sell at the MLB close. Which three Nats players could be on the way?

That Washington Nationals traded Max Scherzer and Trea Turner last summer to replenish their farm system. But after spending most of the 2022 season in the NL East basement, the Nats appear to be sellers again at MLB trade date.

While several teams would like to make a deal for Nationals outfielder Juan Soto, Washington’s GM Mike Rizzo has said the All-Star is off-limits in trade talks. But the Nationals have several other players who could have new homes before August 2.

On The Baseball Insiders Podcast, FanSided’s Robert Murray listed the Nats as a team likely to be sold by deadline. Here are a few players they could trade right now:

5. The Nationals could trade Nelson Cruz on deadline.

One name we’re sure to hear as the trade deadline nears is Washington Nationals forward designated Nelson Cruz. While Cruz has yet to fulfill his potential in 2022, it will be difficult for the competing teams to ignore that .868 career OPS.

With the National League introducing universal DH this season, Cruz’s market will not be limited to just American League clubs. Both NL and AL competitors will be keeping a close eye on Cruz over the summer.

Soon turning 42, Cruz is less than 50 home runs away from 500 for his career. While Cruz is unlikely to hit that benchmark in 2022, there’s still some pop left in this racquet.

You’re unlikely to see a team looking at Nelson Cruz as a knocker in the middle of the batting order, but perhaps a team like the Atlanta Braves or the San Francisco Giants, who lack a true DH in their roster, would make a flyer Cruz if his numbers steadily improve over the next few weeks.