Report: Nationals showing interest in Royals' Herrera

It's only April and the rumor mill is already beginning to churn.

The Washington Nationals, who enter Saturday with a league-leading 16 wins, are reportedly showing interest in Kansas City Royals closer Kelvin Herrera, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

After missing out on several big-name closers in free agency - most notably Mark Melancon, Kenley Jansen, and Aroldis Chapman - and failing to address the position through trade, right-hander Blake Treinen was the first to earn the job out of spring training. He struggled, however, and the job has since been handed to Shawn Kelley.

Entering Saturday, despite the strong start mostly attributed to the club's red-hot bats, Nationals relievers have posted the league's fourth-worst FIP (5.09) and are second last in strikeouts (55).

The hard-throwing Hererra would present the Nationals with a solid option in the ninth inning and is one of many Royals that could see their names emerge in trade talks in the coming months. Kansas City enters Saturday on an eight-game losing streak and with the probability of a rebuild, the team could deal its abundance of impending free agents including Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas, and Alcides Escobar.

Herrera, meanwhile, will earn $5.3 million this season and is arbitration-eligible in 2018. He's slated to become a free agent in 2019 barring any long-term deal. The 27-year-old has provided good value as a reliever over the years, with a combined 2.57 ERA and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings since 2012. He's also been extremely durable, averaging 70 games during that span.

This season he was anointed with the closer's role after the departure of Wade Davis, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs for Jorge Soler. In six games this year, he's converted three saves and boasts a 2.25 ERA with five strikeouts.