Trade market holds options for Nationals to replace Werth

With Jayson Werth out until at least August with two fractures in his left wrist, the Nationals find themselves in need of a new left fielder.

Could the Nats stay in house? Absolutely. Tyler Moore has made a case for regular playing time for multiple seasons now, while rookie Michael Taylor had an April to remember and made his own respective case to be the guy. Considering Washington’s ability to thrive in May despite Werth’s .208 clip and sub-.300 on-base percentage, it would probably be just fine with either option. But it appears the Nationals have decided this is “the year,” and betting on a career bench player or an unproven rookie in left field may not be what they had in mind to get them there.

Should they elect to go outside of the organization for help, there’s plenty of help to be had. Teams like Oakland, Colorado, Milwaukee and Cincinnati all appear to be destined to sell, with Boston, Toronto and the Chicago White Sox likely to join them at some point as division races take better shape. So with so many teams out there, where do the Nationals start?

If they feel so inclined to make a splash, Jose Bautista of Toronto and Jay Bruce of Cincinnati could both be of interest. While they would of course come at a price, both would give the Nationals a bonafide slugger to put behind Bryce Harper, while subsequently giving Washington another cannon of a throwing arm in the outfield. And with Denard Span set to hit free agency this offseason, both players’ multiyear contracts would be a non-issue as sliding Harper to center field in 2016 would clear any potential logjam.

Between the aforementioned Taylor, Taylor Jordan and several top prospects to choose from, Mike Rizzo would likely have no issue coming up with a suitable package to acquire either player without doing too much serious damage to the team’s farm system, while also adding a somewhat more controllable player with so many key contributors already headed for free agency in the offseason.

Another outside-the-box option could be Colorado’s Justin Morneau. While Morneau doesn’t play the outfield, the Nationals could opt to add the consistent first baseman and slide Ryan Zimmerman to left, where he had success in minimal time last season. Whether it’s related to the position switch or not, Zimmerman has struggled to a .230 line in 2015 at his new spot, so a change of scenery could potentially benefit him as well. Because of Morneau’s expiring contract, he’ll likely garner a lesser return than Bautista or Bruce, making him a more plausible option if Rizzo feels he’ll need trade ammunition to upgrade other areas via trade as well.

If the Nats are looking for a penny-pinching (in terms of trade return) solution but still feel the need to look outside the organization, Boston has made it known that Allen Craig is more than available. Giving Craig the stability of regular at-bats and a regular position (whether that be left field, right field or first base) could allow him to return to form, and Washington would probably not lose much in the way of value if he didn’t pan out. Rizzo could also give the Orioles a call and swing a mid-tier prospect across the Beltway for outfielder Travis Snider, hitting a serviceable .265.

Rizzo and company could ultimately opt to stay in-house, or pick up someone like Baltimore’s Alejandro De Aza on waivers. But the opportunity to make a splash has presented itself, and baseball’s best team could be getting even better.