Washington Nationals: Blake Swihart trade is worth consideration
By Tim Boyle
It seems likely that the Washington Nationals will add a catcher at some point this season. One name not mentioned in the rumors is Blake Swihart. Should he join the candidates?
According to multiple offseason rumors, the Boston Red Sox have shopped several MLB players this winter. No one significant has been traded yet, but if the Washington Nationals wise up they could land a member of the Red Sox trade block.
The guy that might be perfect for the Nationals is Blake Swihart. Once a promising catching prospect, Swihart has developed into a new kind of role. The Red Sox have experimented with Swihart in left field, hoping to get more from him. Amazingly, he wasn’t a disaster in the short sample size.
A left fielder isn’t something the Nationals necessarily need. However, it’s nice to know the backup catcher is more than a pine-rider waiting until Sunday for action.
What the Washington Nationals need to know about Blake Swihart
Numberwise, Blake Swihart hasn’t been the most reliable. Injuries have held him back at times, limiting him to fewer at-bats over the past two seasons. Most of his playing time in 2017 took place at the Triple-A level where he finished the year below the Mendoza Line.
With so much negative on his stat sheet, why would the Washington Nationals even consider him?
Well, the Boston Red Sox don’t seem to have room. It would make sense for them to sell him now before he loses all value. Swihart turns 26 next month. There’s no reason to believe he’s completely cooked.
Christian Vazquez has officially taken over as the starting catcher in Boston with ex-Nationals backstop Sandy Leon slated behind him. This leaves them without many places to play Swihart unless they decide to carry him for emergency situations and utilize him at other positions every so often.
The Nationals could make greater use of Swihart. Even if he plays behind Matt Wieters, Swihart is sure to see a lot more innings than he would with the Red Sox. Wieters is already in danger of losing his job. All it will take is for another catcher to pass him on the depth chart. Youth on his side, Swihart is someone who could potentially swipe the job away.
Many catchers have popped up this season as viable options for the Nationals. J.T. Realmuto is one name frequently appearing. Years ago, Realmuto and Swihart were considered top catching prospects. Only Realmuto has lived up to the hype thus far. That doesn’t mean Swihart never will. All he may need is an opportunity to play more regularly. Unfortunately, it’s not going to happen in Boston.
The Washington Nationals have no clear future behind the plate. Wieters probably won’t return in 2019. Prospects Pedro Severino and Raudy Read come with their own question marks. Severino struggled at the plate in Triple-A last year. Meanwhile, Read is set to open the year with an 80-game suspension for a failed drug test.
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To breathe some fresh life into the Nationals system, why not see what Swihart would cost? As one of the unique catchers in baseball capable of appearing at other positions, he’s definitely an intriguing option.