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Despite reports that the Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins have gone through extension discussions about a trade involving highly-touted catcher J.T. Realmuto, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports, the Marlins’ price for Realmuto is “too high” for the Nationals.
Nats and Marlins have talked extensively about Realmuto in recent days, according to multiple people familiar with the talks. So far, price remains too high. But if they’re going to sell some pieces, it’s clearly not as part of a wholesale tear down.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 30, 2018
Discussions between the two teams were noted with the Nationals reportedly being open to including top prospect Victor Robles in a package. According to MLB analyst and former Nationals general manager Jim Bowden, the Marlins rejected the Nats’ offer or Robles and catcher Spencer Kieboom.
“I don’t understand why they would reject the offer,” Bowden said during an appearance on CBS Sports HQ. “You would get Robles for six years, you only have two and a half years left on J.T Realmuto. So six years of Robles, or two and a half of Realmuto? That’s a pretty no-brainer.”
The Nationals are at a conflict to sell or buy?
It appears general manager Mike Rizzo is fighting the urge to sell the team’s hopes this season and is looking for a way to boost an underachieving roster that features Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy, Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon, Max Scherzer, Ryan Zimmerman, and Stephen Strasburg to name a few. With the team six games back in the race for the NL East lead, the Nats may still cut down from their high payroll but as Janes reports don’t expect a wholesale.
So with about 24 hours to go before the deadline, multiple people around Nats say they’re listening to offers for players that could help clear some payroll, which I believe a few others (@Ken_Rosenthal was the one I saw) have mentioned before me.
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) July 30, 2018
Robles and Kieboom may not be enough for the Marlins for now, but there is still time before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline to make a deal happen. Their willingness to part with Robles is intriguing considering how high of a piece he is to the organization, or at least once was. Prior to the past weekend’s revelations, Robles was untouchable by all accounts. But with the team hovering around .500 mark, and pressure of putting a winning product on the field to at least please six-time all-star and soon-to-be free agent Bryce Harper, Robles may be expendable with the latest emergence of 19-year old sensation Juan Soto.
Nonetheless, what happens in the next 24 hours may dictate what the Nationals’ future may look like. Will Miami come down on their asking price or will the Nats be content with passing on filling it’s biggest hole and keep it’s top-tier prospect Robles?
