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Talking about the rumors out there a few weeks back in his weekly visit with 106.7 the FAN in D.C.’s Sports Junkies, Washington Nationals’ GM Mike Rizzo cautioned against putting much stock in trade chatter at this time of year.
“You guys should know by now that if you think I’m zigging then you know I’m zagging,” the General Manager and President of Baseball Operations in D.C. joked.
Over the last few days, however, the rumors of interest in J.T. Realmuto on the Nationals’ part have resurfaced as the 2018 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.
Fancred’s Jon Heyman wrote on Sunday afternoon, after the Miami Marlins’ backstop went 1 for 4 in a 5-0 win over the Nationals, leaving him 7 for 16 for a double and a walk in the four-game series with Washington in Marlins Park, that the divisional rivals were still open to discussing a trade for Realmuto, who’s under team control and relatively affordable over another two-plus seasons.
“Nats and Marlins haven’t closed door on Realmuto,” Heyman noted on Twitter:
“So there could still be talks until Tuesday. Last we heard, Nats would consider including [Victor] Robles or possibly [Carter] Kieboom, and Marlins sought both for baseball’s best catcher.”
Realmuto walks it off against the nats, who covet him... the price is already high. Robles plus c kieboom seems to be the ask.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 29, 2018
From what I'm hearing, no real momentum building on talks between #Marlins and #Nationals regarding J.T Realmuto. Asking price starts with Nats' top two prospects -- Robles/Kieboom. Miami continuing talks with many clubs regarding relievers and usual suspects.
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) July 29, 2018
Former Nationals’ GM and current CBSSports.com analyst Jim Bowden said on Sunday night that his sources said Washington was now willing to include Robles in a deal, along with the other Kieboom in the organization, Carter’s brother Spencer, 27, who is sharing the catching duties with Matt Wieters in the majors with the Nationals right now. [ed. note: “The first ? you have to ask here is, ‘Did they mean Carter Kieboom?’ But the graphic in the video here has it Spencer who’s being discussed.”]:
Will the Nationals be buyers or sellers at non-waiver trade deadline?:
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LINK: Nats’ GM Mike Rizzo and Co. in front office prep for deadline...
“According to our sources the Nationals have given in and are willing to put Victor Robles in a trade for J.T. Realmuto, and they’ve offered more than Robles from what we understand.
“Now, we also understand that the Marlins have rejected that offer.
“Now, I don’t understand why they would reject the offer, you would get Robles for six years, you only have 2 1⁄2 years left on J.T. Realmuto, so six years of Robles for 2 1⁄2 years of Realmuto, that’s a ... no-brainer.”
Will the two sides be able to work out a deal before Tuesday’s deadline?
Do you want the Nationals including Robles, who hyperextended his elbow earlier this season but is back in action at Triple-A and is still the top prospect in the organization?
Are you expecting the Nationals to sell off some soon-to-be-free agents before tomorrow’s deadline?