The trade deadline is less than a week away now. There are a lot of rumors swirling around Nationals players, but one name who feels fairly likely to move is Foster Griffin. The All-Star has been an absolute revelation for the Nats this season. However, he is a free agent after the year, and this could be a good opportunity for the Nats to sell high.
It was reported the other day that scouts from the Rays and the Phillies were watching Griffin’s last start. Honestly, it would take a lot for me to
trade Griffin to the Phillies. Their farm system is shallow and Toboni should put an in division tax on his ace. The Rays on the other hand intrigue me a lot more.
Tampa would be a cool landing spot for Griffin, and it would allow the Nats to have a piece of one of the deepest farm systems in the game. If Tampa is unable to land a big fish like Tarik Skubal or Joe Ryan, Griffin seems like a good fall back option for them. It would be a good outcome for the Nats as well.
The Rays have some upper minors pitching that could be on the table for the Nats. Two names that could be packaged together are number 8 prospect Michael Forret and number 10 prospect Ty Johnson. Both of those guys are in AAA and will be MLB ready by 2027 at the latest.
Forret would be the bigger piece here. The 22 year old was involved in the Shane Baz trade this offseason, and has kept on pitching well in the Tampa system. He has a 3.31 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 87 innings across AA and AAA. Forret has a sinker, four-seamer, slider, changeup, cutter and occasional curve.
That three fastball attack has become a popular approach, and it something Griffin himself deploys quite effectively. Forret is a high floor option who should be at least a back of the rotation arm, but has upside to be more than that. His velocity is average, sitting around 93-95, but he has a deep mix and knows how to pitch.
Johnson is starting right now, but his mix has the feel of a reliever. He relies heavily on a fastball/slider mix. The heater is only in the low to mid 90’s, but his funky delivery, elite extension and good carry on the fastball help everything play up. He seems like a safe bet to be a good reliever and I think the fastball velocity would tick up in shorter spurts.
A Forret/Johnson package is a good example of the kind of haul I think the Nats could get. Maybe the Rays would throw in one smaller piece. If the Nats just wanted to do a 1 for 1, they might be able to get a back end of the top 100 guy.
The thing about Griffin is that it is pretty tough to predict where he will go. Just about everyone in the league needs a number 2 or 3 starter, and that is what Griffin will provide. He is also not some massive commitment either. Griffin is not expensive at all financially, and is only a rental. That will be appealing to a lot of teams.
Teams like the Padres, Brewers, Cubs, Braves, White Sox and Diamondbacks are all teams I could see pursuing Griffin as well. If the Nats were to trade with a team like the D-Backs though, I would want to see a bit of a tax. Paul Toboni has to account for the fact that the Nats are still in a playoff race.
If Griffin were to be traded, ideally he would head to the American League or a team like the Brewers who are locked into a playoff spot. However, if a team like the Padres or Snakes blow you away, it will be tough to turn down.
Both of the Chicago teams feel like they could be all over Griffin, and would be good fits. A White Sox package headlined by Tanner McDougal or even Hagen Smith would intrigue me. The Cubs package would have to be more volume driven, especially considering how much a guy like Jaxon Wiggins has fallen off this year.
Honestly, I think the Early trade might have marked the end of Foster Griffin in DC. I hope the Nats can pull a cat out of the bag and get an extension done. However, a trade feels more likely at this point, unless the Nats are in a playoff spot after this week.
Griffin was such an amazing Nat, and honestly, they should go back in for him in free agency this offseason. Like Curtis Mead though, Griffin was found money. It seems like Toboni is very happy to cash in on those winnings to get guys with more pedigree or to build the farm. Sadly, that is what I see happening here. However, I think the Nats will get an impressive haul for the crafty lefty.
