Washington Nationals: Finding options at catcher for the stretch run

The Washington Nationals are in the thick of the Wild Card hunt. While they could use some help in other places, the catcher position may be their biggest black hole in the lineup.

This year has been a bit of a disappointment for the Washington Nationals. In some ways, it has felt like a last stand, especially with Bryce Harper potentially becoming a free agent after the season. However, at this point, making the postseason is not enough.

At this point, the Nationals have made the playoffs in four of the last six seasons. In that time frame, they have yet to advance beyond the first round, falling short of their desired championship goal. Although they struggled at the beginning of the 2018 campaign, the goal remains the same in Washington – to advance in the postseason and bring the first championship in franchise history to the nation’s capital.

To get there, the Nationals need to fill several holes on their roster. They have already begun to make moves, adding Kelvin Herrera from the Royals to bolster their bullpen. Now, it is a matter of fortifying the lineup, to fix those black holes.

At this point, the Nationals biggest need is the catcher position. Heading into Sunday’s action, Nationals catchers have produced a woeful .555 OPS, the worst in baseball. Miguel Montero lasted 13 plate appearances before being released. Matt Wieters is still on the disabled list, and has struggled in each of the past couple of years. Meanwhile, Pedro Severino and Spencer Kieboom have hardly looked like viable starters behind the plate.

The Washington Nationals need help at catcher. Fortunately, there are a few options that could be available for the right price.

Wilson Ramos

The Washington Nationals have traded for Wilson Ramos before, having acquired him and minor leaguer Joe Testa from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Matt Capps. Perhaps it is time for a second go around in Washington.

Finally healthy once again, Ramos is having an All Star caliber season with the bat. He has produced a .291/.338/.461 batting line, slugging 11 homers and ten doubles. Ramos has also gotten solid marks for his handling of the young Rays staff, helping them navigate through the AL East.

Of course, this would assume that the Rays are willing to shop Ramos. They are currently a game over .500, although they are 11 games out of the second Wild Card spot. Yet, there may be mutual interest in an extension, as Ramos himself has stated that he wants to remain in Tampa Bay.

However, success is not a deterrent when it comes to making moves. After all, the Rays had a strong start to the season, and still traded Denard Span and Alex Colome to the Mariners. If the Nationals dangle the right prospects, Ramos could find his way back to Washington. And if the Rays can bring him back during the offseason, so much the better for both sides.

The Washington Nationals had Wilson Ramos behind the plate before. It may be time to bring him back once again.

J.T. Realmuto

Ever since the Miami Marlins began their fire sale, it seemed a matter of time until J.T. Realmuto found himself in a Washington Nationals uniform.

It is easy to see why he would be such a coveted player. After two strong seasons, Realmuto has had a true breakout performance with the bat in 2018. Heading into Sunday’s action, he has produced a .306/.364/.543 batting line, with ten homers and 19 doubles. He has also been solid defensively, ranking third in the NL with a 40.7% caught stealing rate and three runs saved thus far.

The biggest obstacle is that the Marlins, understandably, covet Realmuto. Even though they are going through a painful rebuild, they look at their young catcher as one of their key building blocks. It will take quite the offer for the Nationals to land the 27 year old backstop.

And yet, such a move may be worth it. Not only would Washington get the best catcher hypothetically available on the trade market, but they would have a long term piece for the lineup. Realmuto is under team control through 2021, and would give the Nationals another solid player to build their core around.

Every team that needs catching help will be checking in on J.T. Realmuto. Even with the heavy cost it would take to pry him from the Marlins, he would be worth it.

Jonathan Lucroy

During the offseason, it was expected that Jonathan Lucroy would be a target for the Washington Nationals during free agency.

As it turned out, that was not the case. He languished in free agency until the middle of March, signing a one year deal with the Oakland Athletics. He has repaid Oakland with a relatively solid year with the bat, producing a .258/.315/.339 batting line. His power has been virtually non existent this season, with just one homer, although he has 13 doubles.

Like the aforementioned Rays, the A’s are outperforming expectations. Although they are eight games out of the second Wild Card spot, Oakland finds themselves with a 46-39 record, on pace to for their first winning season since 2014. That progress could mean a lot to the franchise’s younger players and the fanbase.

However, the A’s still need to turn those assets over into younger players. While Lucroy may not bring back a top prospect, he is not likely to be a part of their future. Even though he has struggled a bit with the bat this season, he would still represent an upgrade over what the Nationals have had behind the plate this season.

Jonathan Lucroy may not seem like a major piece at the trade deadline, but he would help the Washington Nationals. And, more importantly, he may not cost that much to acquire.