Nationals owner explains delayed trades: 'I believed in this team'
Three weeks after standing pat at the non-waiver trade deadline, the Washington Nationals brokered a pair of notable deals, and owner Mark P. Lerner issued a statement explaining the previous month.
"At the trade deadline, we faced an honest challenge of sticking with the roster and believing play would improve, or making moves for the future," Lerner's statement begins. "We gambled at the deadline, I admit it. We believed that the talent was still there, and that we would just need inspired play and a few lucky breaks. The decision then was driven by heart and our desire to give this team every opportunity to turn the season around. We believed we were a few wins and a few breaks away from making a turn in the season, a few games from making a run for the top.
"... I believed in this team, and would have loved to see them all play healthy together this season. However, the time has come for us to make decisions that will bolster our roster for next season and beyond. This is about giving us some roster flexibility, giving us the opportunity to see some of our young talent, and seeing if we can still find a combination or two that could spark a difference."
In a quiet July, the Nationals made one trade of note, sending reliever Brandon Kintzler to the Chicago Cubs.
On Tuesday, Washington made two trades, shipping Daniel Murphy to the Cubs and Matt Adams to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Los Angeles Dodgers also reportedly claimed superstar Bryce Harper off revocable waivers, but the two teams couldn't complete a deal.
"Most importantly — our goal has not changed — we want to bring a World Series trophy home to Washington, D.C.," Lerner added. "I truly believe the actions we are taking now will strengthen the franchise and keep us in the position of being a perennial contender."
With Harper likely set to depart this offseason, the team still has young phenom Juan Soto, ace Max Scherzer, third baseman Anthony Rendon, and outfielder Adam Eaton, among others, to build around.