Wire Taps: Nationals re-engage on J.T. Realmuto; Carter Kieboom impresses; What if it rains?

Welcome to the All-Star week! After three long years of waiting, Nationals fans can finally enjoy the spectacle that they deserve! There’s nothing cynical about this intro to today’s Wire Taps!

Here’s the news from Nationals Park:

What happens if it rains during All-Star Game at Nats Park? (WaPo)
Major League Baseball has never had its midseason showcase canceled because of weather, but that could change on Tuesday. If the game can't start before 11 PM, then the league has to coordinate with the players to make the game work on Wednesday -- or worse, not play it at all.

Carter Kieboom’s talent might force Nationals into some difficult decisions (WaPo)
Kieboom can't stop hitting, and it seems like he'll replace Daniel Murphy come 2019 -- but his talent has garnered serious interest from the rest of the league, and he could serve as a prospect to build a big-name trade around.

Nationals Park brings growth, worries to Southeast Washington (WaPo Longform)
"A decade of baseball along the Anacostia has transformed the area. But as Nationals Park hosts MLB’s all-star week, can regular people afford the neighborhood it helped reshape?"

At MLB Futures Game, Nationals’ Carter Kieboom gives fans a look ahead (WaPo)
Kieboom was greeted with a roar at Nationals Park yesterday, a reminder that he could be a pivotal part of the team's lineup within the next few years.

Heyman: Nats could 'revisit' Realmuto, would put Robles in play (Fancred)
The Nationals may consider throwing Victor Robles into a trade for the Marlins' backstop, Heyman said -- a move that would seem odd given the team's slim odds of making the playoffs.

One Random Guy’s All-Time Nationals All-Star Team (The Nats Blog)
Not only do we get to pick players, we get to pick years -- and unbelievably, 2010 Nyjer Morgan doesn't make the cut.

Carter Kieboom, Luis Garcia at Futures Game (MLB)
Juan Soto was probably supposed to play in this game, but sometimes, things change.

Kieboom and Garcia on repping Nats in All-Star Futures Game (updated) - Nationals Pastime
“When I was 8, maybe 9 years old, I’d see them on the television,” Garcia said of his manager, David Ortiz, and a World Team advisor, Vladimir Guerrero.

Bad luck is to blame for Bryce Harper’s odd 2018 (BtBS)
Bryce Harper has the second most homers in the NL. He's knocked in 53. And yet, his average is .214. Without some absurd bad luck, however, Harper's average would read in the high .250s.

Stars suit up for Legends and Celebrity Softball game at MLB All-Star Sunday (WaPo)
John Wall, Bill Nye, Scott Rogowsky, Shaq, Jamie Foxx, and many others were on hand for a very fun, very stupid game of softball.