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  4. title => "Mookie Betts to the Nats? Breaking down the star outfielder's chances"
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  6. article_body => "<p>When a star player becomes available in trade discussions, it\u2019s common for teams to do everything they can to acquire him and worry about the rest later.<\/p>\n<p>But sometimes there are just too many factors standing in the way of a team making that move. Such is the case for the Nationals, who are unlikely to join the clubs vying for the services of Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts.<\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t to say that the Nationals <em>couldn\u2019t <\/em>trade for Betts. That is, if we\u2019re taking the word \u201ccould\u201d in the most literal sense possible to mean \u201cphysically able to.\u201d The four-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and 2018 AL MVP is among the best players in baseball. Washington would need to look no further to fill the hole in its lineup left behind by departed free agent Anthony Rendon.<\/p>\n<p>However, there are several other considerations the Nationals would have to make before agreeing to bring Betts to D.C.<\/p>\n<p>The first is simply finding an open spot on the roster. Adam Eaton plays Betts\u2019 natural position of right field. The Nationals aren\u2019t moving Juan Soto or Victor Robles around, so the team would have to either trade Eaton or relegate him to a fourth-outfielder role. Eaton is owed $9.5 million in 2020 with a $10.5 million team option for 2021, so he has some solid trade value but would be an expensive bench player.<\/p>\n<p>Even if Washington was able to deal Eaton, to the Red Sox or otherwise, it would have to put together a competitive trade package that would rival those of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Those NL West clubs are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostonglobe.com\/sports\/redsox\/2020\/02\/02\/red-sox-nearing-decision-mookie-betts\/Nqf6hjjVn1SuDUoD0LQ3pM\/story.html?event=event12\">heavily rumored<\/a> to be deep in trade talks for Betts and are considered to have two of the deepest farm systems in the league; it\u2019d be fairly easy for them to outbid the Nationals if they were motivated enough.<\/p>\n<p>With a minor-league system that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/carter-kieboom-and-luis-garcia-ranked-nationals-top-prospects\">ranks among the bottom third of the league<\/a> in both depth and star power, the Nationals would almost certainly have to include top prospect Carter Kieboom if they wanted to get Boston\u2019s attention. Yet that might be an overpay, as Betts only has one year left of team control and is known to be<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joonlee\/status\/1223006285114880002?s=20\"> interested in testing&nbsp;free agency<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Trading Kieboom would also mean the Nationals would have to play some combination of Asdr\u00fabal Cabrera, Starlin Castro and Howie Kendrick at both second and third base.<\/p>\n<p>Kendrick is entering his age-36 season and can\u2019t be relied on to play every day. Castro has just 42 career starts at third base. Cabrera is only six months removed from being designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers with a .711 OPS in 93 games. All three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/nationals-spring-training-preview-infield-flexibility-gives-team-options\">certainly have upside<\/a>, but none have the ceiling of Kieboom nor could they be considered the Nationals\u2019 third baseman of the future.<\/p>\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/racing-presidents\/episodes\/2f9805dc-56c9-4310-8058-3c6ec124222d\/embed?theme=light-blue\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe> \n<p>But even if the Nationals found a suitor for Eaton and convinced themselves to part ways with Kieboom, they\u2019d have to accept the consequences of exceeding the $208 million luxury tax threshold.<\/p>\n<p>After <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/theres-harper-dc-again-nationals-trade-reliever-ryne-harper\">acquiring reliever Ryne Harper<\/a> from the Minnesota Twins and filling up their 40-man roster, the Nationals are projected to be about $11 million under the threshold. Betts and the Red Sox avoided arbitration by settling on a $27 million salary for 2020, meaning the Nationals would not only surpass the $208 million figure but also be in danger of passing the second $228 million threshold as well\u2014especially if the Red Sox are focused on packaging Betts with the expensive contract of David Price.<\/p>\n<p>In the end, exceeding the tax would cost the Nationals around $4 million if they managed to stay just under the second threshold. While that may not seem like much to the average billionaire, the luxury tax has been a legitimate deterrent for even some the biggest spenders in the league. There are certainly gripes to be had with a system that discourages teams from doing whatever it takes to win, but that\u2019s a discussion for the upcoming collective bargaining agreement talks.<\/p>\n<p>Trading two years of Eaton signed to a team-friendly contract, a potential franchise player in Kieboom and the financial benefits of staying under the luxury tax is a hefty price to pay for one year of Betts. By giving up all those assets, Washington should at the very least believe its capable of making a serious offer to keep the right fielder in D.C. long term.<\/p>\n<p>The Nationals already have significant deals with Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin on the books with players such as Trea Turner and Juan Soto candidates to join them. Max Scherzer is a free agent after 2021, but the team has deferred payments that will still be going his way until 2027. Those contracts, coupled with the Nationals\u2019 history of preferring to defer money, make Washington an unlikely club to pursue Betts in free agency next winter.<\/p>\n<p>With a full roster and some moderate payroll flexibility, the Nationals appear content to head into the season with the roster they\u2019ve constructed and address any issues that arise at the trade deadline. At one point this offseason, Betts to D.C. was at least a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/there-any-chance-nationals-trade-mookie-betts\">distant possibility<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But now, Washington appears to be firmly out of the running. The Nationals would have to throw out their entire offseason plan and deviate from their track record to make it happen. And as the defending World Series champions, the pressure to do so has never been lower.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong is=\"\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smart.link\/5bb65a2b6cedb?site_id=Dig_RSN_Wash&amp;creative_id=nbcswash1200&amp;cp_4=www.nbcsports.com&amp;cp_1=washington&amp;cp_2=myteams-nbc-sports&amp;cp_3=nbcswash1200\" is=\"\">Click here<\/a>&nbsp;to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports. Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream Capitals and Wizards games easily from your device.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE NATIONALS NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\"What's next?\"&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/nationals-drop-whats-next-hype-video-immediately-after-super-bowl\">Nats drop hype video<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sad day:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/nationals-announce-death-phil-rizzo-mike-rizzos-father\">Phil Rizzo died Saturday<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Davey vs. Dusty:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/davey-martinez-will-face-his-nationals-predecessor-dusty-baker-mlb-all-star-game\">Skippers to square off in ASG<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"
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Nationals

Nationals

When a star player becomes available in trade discussions, it’s common for teams to do everything they can to acquire him and worry about the rest later.

But sometimes there are just too many factors standing in the way of a team making that move. Such is the case for the Nationals, who are unlikely to join the clubs vying for the services of Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts.

This isn’t to say that the Nationals couldn’t trade for Betts. That is, if we’re taking the word “could” in the most literal sense possible to mean “physically able to.” The four-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and 2018 AL MVP is among the best players in baseball. Washington would need to look no further to fill the hole in its lineup left behind by departed free agent Anthony Rendon.

However, there are several other considerations the Nationals would have to make before agreeing to bring Betts to D.C.

The first is simply finding an open spot on the roster. Adam Eaton plays Betts’ natural position of right field. The Nationals aren’t moving Juan Soto or Victor Robles around, so the team would have to either trade Eaton or relegate him to a fourth-outfielder role. Eaton is owed $9.5 million in 2020 with a $10.5 million team option for 2021, so he has some solid trade value but would be an expensive bench player.

Even if Washington was able to deal Eaton, to the Red Sox or otherwise, it would have to put together a competitive trade package that would rival those of the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Those NL West clubs are heavily rumored to be deep in trade talks for Betts and are considered to have two of the deepest farm systems in the league; it’d be fairly easy for them to outbid the Nationals if they were motivated enough.

 

With a minor-league system that ranks among the bottom third of the league in both depth and star power, the Nationals would almost certainly have to include top prospect Carter Kieboom if they wanted to get Boston’s attention. Yet that might be an overpay, as Betts only has one year left of team control and is known to be interested in testing free agency.

Trading Kieboom would also mean the Nationals would have to play some combination of Asdrúbal Cabrera, Starlin Castro and Howie Kendrick at both second and third base.

Kendrick is entering his age-36 season and can’t be relied on to play every day. Castro has just 42 career starts at third base. Cabrera is only six months removed from being designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers with a .711 OPS in 93 games. All three certainly have upside, but none have the ceiling of Kieboom nor could they be considered the Nationals’ third baseman of the future.

But even if the Nationals found a suitor for Eaton and convinced themselves to part ways with Kieboom, they’d have to accept the consequences of exceeding the $208 million luxury tax threshold.

After acquiring reliever Ryne Harper from the Minnesota Twins and filling up their 40-man roster, the Nationals are projected to be about $11 million under the threshold. Betts and the Red Sox avoided arbitration by settling on a $27 million salary for 2020, meaning the Nationals would not only surpass the $208 million figure but also be in danger of passing the second $228 million threshold as well—especially if the Red Sox are focused on packaging Betts with the expensive contract of David Price.

In the end, exceeding the tax would cost the Nationals around $4 million if they managed to stay just under the second threshold. While that may not seem like much to the average billionaire, the luxury tax has been a legitimate deterrent for even some the biggest spenders in the league. There are certainly gripes to be had with a system that discourages teams from doing whatever it takes to win, but that’s a discussion for the upcoming collective bargaining agreement talks.

Trading two years of Eaton signed to a team-friendly contract, a potential franchise player in Kieboom and the financial benefits of staying under the luxury tax is a hefty price to pay for one year of Betts. By giving up all those assets, Washington should at the very least believe its capable of making a serious offer to keep the right fielder in D.C. long term.

 

The Nationals already have significant deals with Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin on the books with players such as Trea Turner and Juan Soto candidates to join them. Max Scherzer is a free agent after 2021, but the team has deferred payments that will still be going his way until 2027. Those contracts, coupled with the Nationals’ history of preferring to defer money, make Washington an unlikely club to pursue Betts in free agency next winter.

With a full roster and some moderate payroll flexibility, the Nationals appear content to head into the season with the roster they’ve constructed and address any issues that arise at the trade deadline. At one point this offseason, Betts to D.C. was at least a distant possibility.

But now, Washington appears to be firmly out of the running. The Nationals would have to throw out their entire offseason plan and deviate from their track record to make it happen. And as the defending World Series champions, the pressure to do so has never been lower.

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