Nationals GM doesn't believe championship window has closed
After dropping a three-game series to the lowly Miami Marlins over the weekend and falling below .500, the Washington Nationals traded second baseman Daniel Murphy and slugger Matt Adams in separate deals on Tuesday.
The two trades appeared to be a sign Washington's front office has given up on the season and that they're championship window has closed.
Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo explained that wasn't the case.
"We keep hearing about this window that is closing that I could never understand with the talent base that we have, with the youth that is being infused into this ball club, with the veteran presence that we have," Rizzo said, per MASN Sports' Mark Zuckerman. "We like the team we have in 2018. We like the future rosters that we have in place beyond that, and we think we’re going to be a competitive ball club for a long time."
Along with the trades of Murphy and Adams, the Nationals already dealt relievers Brandon Kintzler and Shawn Kelley, while Bryce Harper, Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Madson, Jeremy Hellickson, and Matt Wieters are all eligible for free agency at the end of this season.
Rizzo described the core of the team moving forward, which includes Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto, among others, as a strength and said he's confident they'll continue to compete in the foreseeable future.
"I still think today we have the talent base to play competitive games at the end of the season, realizing I know what the standings say and what the calendar says. But the talent level in that locker room is still great," Rizzo said.
The Nationals sit 7 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East and are 6 1/2 games back of a wild-card spot.