Call to the pen
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Washington Nationals trade options for closer

By Benjamin Chase

May 16, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Koda Glover (30) and catcher Matt Wieters (32) celebrate after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 16, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Washington Nationals relief pitcher Koda Glover (30) and catcher Matt Wieters (32) celebrate after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tony Watson, LHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Right now, the Nationals would certainly like to have Felipe Rivero back (0.82 ERA, 4/23 BB/K over 22 IP), the Pirates are probably not going to be eager to move the 25-year-old that they immediately called a “steal” when they got him for Melancon last summer.

Watson has been closing since Melancon left after being one of the better relievers in the game for multiple seasons before that. He’s continued that performance this year, though more with a weak contact approach than the same dominance as previous. His stuff hasn’t taken a significant step back to lead to any major worries there, however.

The Pirates could also be a spot where the Nationals would choose to address their center field concerns if they were really wanting to go all-in on the 2017 season. Of course, the major name there would be Andrew McCutchen.

The Pirates were reportedly rebuffed in a McCutchen deal this winter when they asked for Victor Robles. As McCutchen has opened the season with some struggles offensively again, it could be a situation where the price would come down significantly.

The Pirates always enjoy getting an elite fastball arm into their system, and a guy like Erick Fedde could headline a deal. With Carter Kieboom, Juan Soto and Sheldon Neuse all three showing well this year for scouts and improving their trade stock, it’s very feasible that any one of them could be a significant piece in a deal as well. I could certainly see a deal for Watson being something like Neuse and another piece or a deal for both Watson and McCutchen being centered around Kieboom or Soto as the key piece.

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