Washington Nationals: best trades of the Mike Rizzo tenure, ranked

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 13: Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo watches batting practice before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on June 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 13: Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo watches batting practice before the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Nationals Park on June 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
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Mike Rizzo has spearheaded some great trades in his time at the helm of the Nationals.
(Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

Mike Rizzo has been on both ends of the spectrum when negotiating trades for the Washington Nationals. Today we rank his top three swaps.

Jim Bowden was the only General Manager the Washington Nationals had known (in their time since the Montreal Expos relocated to DC) up until 2009. He then resigned over allegations he was skimming money from international prospects.

The Mike Rizzo experience began as the interim General Manager, though after five months he was hired full time. Eight years later, in 2017, he was named President of Baseball Operations as well as GM.

When he started his run overseeing trades, Rizzo was trading veterans for prospects to try to build up the Nationals minor league system. Once the Nats transitioned to a perennial division leader, Rizzo began swapping prospects at the trade deadline for pieces that could improve the Nationals’ chances of doing damage in the postseason.

The cliche in baseball is both teams want to come out winners in a trade situation. The truth is, there is always a winner, and fans want their team to be the one on the right side of any lopsided deal.

Over the years Mike Rizzo has been accustomed to winning the majority of the trades he made. Let’s dive into the three best trades he has executed as General Manager of the Washington Nationals.