Nationals GM Mike Rizzo spoke to reporters, including Bobby Blanco of MASN, yesterday for the first time since the club shipped right-hander Hunter Harvey to the Royals in exchange for third base prospect Cayden Wallace and the 39th selection in the 2024 draft. Rizzo was effusive in his praise of Harvey, who he described as an “organizational success story,” but noted that he felt that the trade was “important for us to do…for the future of the franchise.”
The topic of the Harvey deal, which occurred in spite of the right-hander being under team control for the 2025 season, led naturally to questions regarding the status of outfielder Lane Thomas and closer Kyle Finnegan, both of whom are also under control for one season after 2024. When asked the availability of the pair, Rizzo confirmed that both are available, though he emphasized that the extra year of control means he isn’t necessarily in a rush to trade either player. When discussing Thomas, Rizzo said that because the club has him under control beyond the 2024 campaign, “we’re going to do a deal that we’re comfortable with. And if we don’t, we won’t do a deal.” He went on to say that he viewed Finnegan “The same way, exactly” and that the club was “not going to get rid of [Finnegan] easy.”
While it’s not entirely clear what the Nationals’ current asking price is for either Thomas or Finnegan, it’s hardly a surprise that the club’s GM is indicating that he won’t be dealing either player unless his price is met. Thomas, 29 next month, has been a steady regular for the Nationals throughout their rebuild with a .256/.317/.438 slash line (106 wRC+) since first joining the club partway through the 2021 season. He enjoyed something of a breakout season last year, slugging 28 home runs while swiping 20 bases and hitting a solid .268/.315/.468 in 156 games for the Nats. Thomas hasn’t hit for quite as much power in 2024 but has been an even more prolific base stealer, swiping 24 bags in just 306 trips to the plate so far this year. In a market without many quality hitters who are obviously available, it’s easy to imagine Thomas getting interest from clubs looking for help in the outfield such as the Mariners, Dodgers, or Phillies.
As for Finnegan, the 32-year-old is in the midst of a career year in his fourth season as the Nationals’ closer. In 40 2/3 innings of work this year, the righty has already racked up 26 saves while pitching to a sterling 2.43 ERA and striking out a solid 25.8% of batters faced. Home runs have been an issue for Finnegan in his career as he’s allowed 15.7% of his fly balls to leave the yard, including 16.7% this year. That’s left him with a somewhat pedestrian 4.05 FIP, but his lengthy track record as a quality high-leverage relief arm with Washington (where he’s posted a career 3.37 ERA in 267 1/3 innings of work) should nonetheless make him among the most attractive relief arms available for teams in need for help in the late innings.
In other Nationals news, manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASN) that longtime top pitching prospect Cade Cavalli has been dealing with a bout of “dead arm” while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery he underwent in early 2023. That issue was compounded further by Cavalli catching the flu, and that led the Nationals to restart the right-hander’s throwing program. The right-hander last appeared in a minor league rehab game on June 21 and has only just begun to ramp back up, though Martinez suggested that the club still expects him to pitch this year. Cavalli has just one big league start under his belt but looked good at the Triple-A level during his last full season back in 2022, when he posted a 3.71 ERA in 20 starts while striking out 25.9% of batters faced.
The Nats might have dropped the ball keeping Juan Yepez in AAA so long.
Sucked that he never had a real opportunity in St. Louis. Blocked by Goldschmidt and couldn’t play outfield that well but all he needed was a chance for everyday AB’s
Even if the Nats had called up Yepez earlier they’d probably still plan to hold onto him. He still has years of team control and they don’t really have anyone else at 1B/DH. Besides, he clearly still more needed – and still needs – more development time in the field if they want to use him at 1B.
Kyle Finnegan is a weird bullpen target. Because any contending team shouldn’t even have him as a set up man, and his price tag will probably be too much for him next near year in arb because of the saves he already has
Finnegan is one of the best closers in the National League. His value is very high right now.
This comment is about as substantial as a Fart(Cop) in the wind.
Cow farts make a very substantial contribution to greenhouse gases and climate change. It’s also possible to harness the methane from their farts to supply power.
Thanks!
FO continues to baffle.
Neither of these guys is a sure fire contributor to the next contender in Washington, yet Riz is teeing up the classic Nats scenario: let’s get nothing for them when they walk in free agency and daddy Lerner won’t meet their markets (which will be modest but unpalatable).
These guys are old and getting older. They are not gate draws in and of themselves and this team is pieces away even if all the hype prospects pan out.
Just sell high now!
OTOH would they actually bring back any long term difference-makers in trade? There’s value to slowly building a winning team – mentoring, protecting young arms on the staff and bats in the lineup, attracting key free agents. After 5 years the Nationals are at the point where they need to transition out of rebuilding
Unless the Nats make the dubious decision to give these late bloomers their first-ever free agent deals, Thomas and Finnegan have 1.5 seasons left with the club.
They’re not part of the future, so they might as well be traded for anyone who might even be a depth for the contending club to come.
Best case, Thomas and Finnegan will be part of a very scrubby wildcard chase next year. Honestly? Punt on that.
Finnegan and Thomas each have another year of control but they’ll both be quite expensive in their final arb year, and both have their issues (Finnegan’s underlying metrics, Thomas’ numbers against RHPs). Teams probably aren’t going to offer that much for them.
At most the trade return will be a few lottery tickets or development projects, and odds are against them ever becoming meaningful additions. That said, Thomas himself was a winning ticket the Nats picked up as a trade season acquisition. Most don’t work out nearly as well. Need to weigh that against the non-zero value of just holding onto them.
Right. I guess if you could get pieces back that equate to to the Harvey return, or similar, then pull the trigger. I wouldn’t necessarily just give these guys away for the best deal available, though.
@TFK. Don’t confuse sales tactics with roster construction realities.
What is Rizzo supposed to say in public: these guys are not part of our window of competition, so I will take anything I am offered?
He said this same stuff last year when their value was higher and failed to come away with a trade.
The trade market has not become so desperate in a year that it has offsets the additional tread on the tires.
Riz could get at least a scratch off for these guys and should. Taking any randos with control is better than paying arb prices for these two and then losing them for nothing.
Also @steve, they have zero value other than playing out the string in a season that doesn’t matter and, best case, ends like the Capitals’ most recent season.
Since anyone can kill innings, they ought to roll the dice on literally anyone else.
As to the Nats’ pending free agents, they actually could probably still get something for Patrick Corbin – if they’re willing to eat his full salary & all the deferrals. And assuming Corbin agrees to it.
There’s limited pitching available, and he’s a durable LHP who can still reliably cover innings. Then transition to a bullpen piece in the playoffs.
No let’s sign Finnegan for three years and have one major piece in our bullpen set as we move into contention. The league is full of older relievers and Finnegan has much less mileage on his arm than many/most. He’s worth way more to the Nats now and moving forward than to another team. 3/35
Plus he’s a fan favorite and his family is beloved by staff at Nats park. Who he is as a person is less important than his performance, but it does matter.
He’s good but he’s got no reasonable path to staying here.
It’s not worth paying him a salary that would put him in the top five list for closers.
Between Gray and Cavalli, before it’s all said and done, will have lost the better part of 4 seasons between them. That is rough,
If I were Rizzo, I’d take the best offer for Thomas. As mentioned in the article, his platoon splits aren’t good, and he’s a marginal defender (despite having a strong arm). Bring up Crews to take his spot so he gets experience this season, like Wood.
Finnegan is another story. He has more value to the Nats, and could still be flipped next trade deadline, if the Nats are sellers again.