Washington Nationals trade Robert Hassell III, aim to promote Harry Ford as deadline nears
by Liam Griffin · The Washington TimesThe Washington Nationals began easing toward next month’s trade deadline on Thursday as they sent outfield prospect Robert Hassell III to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team announced.
The franchise is also expected to promote catcher Harry Ford ahead of Friday’s game against the Athletics, according to multiple reports.
Washington had designated Hassell, who was once the No. 2 prospect in its farm system, for assignment this month after he struggled to stick at the major league level. The Nationals will acquire cash considerations or a player to be named from Pittsburgh.
Washington added Ford, the No. 7 prospect in its farm system, according to MLB.com, through an offseason trade with the Seattle Mariners. The Atlanta native has posted a .911 OPS with Triple-A Rochester since June 1.
He’ll likely replace current Nationals catcher Drew Millas on the active roster. The Nationals sent Millas to the 10-day injured list on Wednesday due to a fracture in his left index finger.
Ford joins a Nationals squad in need of direction after the All-Star Break. The team went 9-13 the past three weeks, falling to 48-49 and four games back in the NL wild-card race.
The middling position in the standings leaves President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni with a series of key decisions as the Aug. 3 trade deadline draws near.
Will the Nationals sell off productive players to the highest bidder, as they have in recent years? Or will Washington finally focus on postseason contention?
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Manager Blake Butera and players such as James Wood, CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. have complicated the process. Wood and Abrams were All-Stars, while Garcia posted a .337 average with 13 home runs in his past 30 games.
They’ve turned the Nationals into an offensive juggernaut. Washington leads the majors with 516 runs scored. No player has crossed home plate more than Wood. Garcia is tied for the MLB lead with 15 homers since June 1.
But Abrams, who leads NL shortstops in RBIs and home runs, entered the season as the subject of trade rumors. The 25-year-old is signed only through the current season; he’s eligible for arbitration next year and could become a free agent in 2029.
The lack of team control could put him at odds with the Nationals’ forward-focused timeline. But he’d be an interesting add for teams like the New York Yankees, who want an infield bat.
“I haven’t really thought about it,” Abrams told the New York Post of the trade rumors. “I’m in D.C., and we’re doing things with the Nationals.”
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Abrams isn’t even the most-discussed potential trade candidate for the Nationals. Rookie pitcher Foster Griffin has been one of the league’s feel-good stories this year.
The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal with Washington after spending the past three seasons pitching in Japan. He’s been electric.
Griffin earned an All-Star nod after ranking in the top 10 among NL starters in ERA, wins and batting average against.
The unexpected star has been the ace for Washington’s inconsistent pitching staff. He hasn’t allowed more than one run in each appearance since May 30.
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“Foster’s been awesome for us. I couldn’t say enough great things about him, and he’s going to thrive wherever he is in the future,’ Toboni told MLB.com this month. “So, we’ll see what comes as we get toward the end of the year and go from there.’
Griffin’s one-year contract makes him a likely trade piece if the Nationals choose to offload win-now players in exchange for prospects. And Toboni insists that Washington’s front office is keeping all options open.
“That goes for everyone on this club,’ he said. “We’re obviously not at the point where we have to make a decision on that.’
The Nationals’ first-year decision-maker has until the trade deadline at the start of August to decide on the team’s direction. He noted that he would let their on-field play influence any potential moves.
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If the Nationals win big the next two weeks, Toboni could become a buyer for a playoff push. Continued midlevel performances might force him to stick with the players on the roster, with the front office focused on prospect development and extensions for current stars.
But if the bottom falls out, fan favorites like Griffin and Abrams could find themselves donning new uniforms.
“We were pretty careful about not setting expectations too high or too low coming into this, just kind of see how it went with every passing day,’ Toboni said before the All-Star break. “I’ve been pretty vocal about it: We just want to get the best out of our roster … then see where we’re at, and we’ll go from there.’
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Liam Griffin
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