San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals shaping up to be trade partners

With Opening Day just a month away, the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals could be shaping up to be trade partners.

The San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals completed a trade a couple of weeks ago, sending reliever Trevor Gott out West, but the two teams could swing another trade sometime in the near future. As Opening Day nears, both teams have expendable players that could benefit each other.

If the season started today, Bruce Bochy would pencil some combination of Chris Shaw, Steven Duggar, Austin Slater, Mac Williamson, and Gerardo Parra into the outfield. Even if the Giants win the Bryce Harper sweepstakes, they could use some more outfield help. This is where the Nats come into play.

Michael Taylor has always shown flashes of five-tool potential, but he has struggled to find consistency. His tools were on full display throughout 2017, when he would have joined the 20/20 club had he been the Opening Day starter. After finishing 2017 with an electrifying postseason performance, Taylor regressed in 2018.

Perhaps Taylor could benefit from a change of scenery, and San Francisco may be the perfect fit. Say what you will about his inconsistency at the plate, but Taylor has established himself as an elite center fielder. In 2017, his 15.8 UZR/150 led all NL outfielders and trailed just Mookie Betts for the major league lead. Oracle Park features one of the largest outfields in the league, and Taylor could thrive while patrolling the exceptionally spacious center field. Going to San Francisco, where he could receive regular playing time, could also work wonders for Taylor’s offensive performance.

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While Mike Rizzo and co. did a lot to address the Nats’ weaknesses this offseason, their bullpen could use another reliever, especially since Koda Glover is dealing with a forearm injury and Trevor Rosenthal is coming off of Tommy John Surgery.

Aside from closer Sean Doolittle, the Nats’ left-handed options out of the bullpen are Matt Grace, Sammy Solis, and non-roster invitee Vidal Nuno. Grace has been solid, but Solis is coming off of a down year and Nuno is far from a guarantee. It may be nitpicking, but the Nats could stand to add a left-handed reliever.

If the Giants are willing to part with them, Will Smith or Tony Watson could be a great fit in DC. Smith will presumably enter the season as San Francisco’s closer, so it may be difficult to pry him away, but he is entering the final year of his contract.

Watson, on the other hand, should be more expendable. The 33-year-old lefty signed a three-year deal with the Giants prior to last season and is owed $3.5 million in 2019. He may not be a huge name, but is a proven arm and could fill a high-leverage role with the Nats.

The Giants were reportedly shopping Smith and Watson earlier this offseason, but talks did not come to fruition. Since then, they have added 12 relievers, including Nick Vincent, Pat Venditte, and Fernando Abad. As Grant Brisbee of The Athletic pointed out, these acquisitions might have been in preparation for a trade of a reliever. Trading Smith or Watson would be a blow to the Giants’ relief corps, but they have an abundance of relievers ready to fill in.

Meanwhile, the Nats can replace Taylor with Andrew Stevenson. Stevenson has fared better off the bench and appears ready to make an impact in the majors. Howie Kendrick and Matt Adams can also play corner outfield if needed.

After a slow offseason, this spring has been relatively newsworthy. Don’t be surprised if the San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals make the next move.