clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Nationals Trade Rumors: Cubs talking trade for Nats' Jordan Zimmermann... or not?

There are conflicting reports out there tonight, some saying that the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals are talking about a trade for Jordan Zimmermann and others shooting that idea down. All in the last two hours. It's Hot Stove time, Nats fans...

Is Jordan Zimmermann already tired of the rumors? Or angry because he just gave up a long ball?
Is Jordan Zimmermann already tired of the rumors? Or angry because he just gave up a long ball?
Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

So... whose sources do you believe? All the reports are out of Chicago so far, and the initial reports are already being contradicted by subsequent posts on Twitter, but what are they talking about?

Chicago Sun-Times' writer Gordon Wittenmyer wrote tonight that "multiple sources" were telling him that, "... the Cubs are in talks with the Washington Nationals to acquire right-hander Jordan Zimmermann."

As Wittenmyer wrote, the Cubs have been rumored to have interest in several of the high-priced free agent arms on the market this winter, but Zimmermann represents a lower-priced, younger alternative, though, "... the player package to acquire him would have to include at least one of their touted young middle infielders."

"One source," told the reporter, "...the teams have enough mutual interest that names have been discussed," and "[a]nother said he expected the Cubs to complete the deal."

The Cubs, Wittenmyer noted, "who likely will need assurances they can extend Zimmermann to finalize a deal, initiated the talks, according to a source," and Chicago has the sort of middle infield depth that could attract the Nationals with the likes of Starlin Castro, Javier Baez and Addison Russell among the middle infielders in the organization though no names from the Cubs' side are mentioned in the report.

Would the Nationals really consider trading Jordan Zimmermann?:

Of course, within an hour of the original report coming out and being spread around and copy/pasted into articles all over the internet, the following reports came out of other Chicago-based beat writers in response to Wittenmyer's report:

So it's the Chicago Sun Times' writer and his sources vs The Chicago Tribune and CSN Chicago! Source wars!

As for the Nationals beat writers?

In Paul Sullivan's report at the Chicago Tribune, he quoted a source who told him, "'We’ve had no discussions, and he’s not available.'"

Wake up, NatsTown. It's Hot Stove time...