What Kind of Trade Value Does Nationals Closer Kyle Finnegan Actually Have?

The Washington Nationals have not had anywhere near the kind of season they had hoped for, and that has turned them into surefire sellers this week at the trade deadline.

Getting things started by shipping Amed Rosario off to the New York Yankees over the weekend, the Nationals are expected to be one of the busier teams in baseball this week with a defined goal of shedding contracts and adding more youth.

Though there have been some fairly ridiculous rumors surrounding their young ace MacKenzie Gore, it's probably unlikely any of the most significant deadline deals involve Washington.

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That does not mean they are not a factor, though.

One of the more likely names who has been shopped around in rumors for months now is Nationals veteran closer Kyle Finnegan.

After a 38-save 2024 season in which he received the honor of being named an All-Star for the first time in his career, Finnegan remained available for a long time this past winter after he was non-tendered before eventually signing a one-year deal to remain in Washington.

The $6 million contract he agreed to felt like a massive bargain at the time for an All-Star-level closer, however, he has struggled to get back to that level.

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Granted, the opportunities for Finnegan have been more limited due to the nature of the way the season has gone, but his 4.50 ERA is on track to be the worst of his career and his strikeout numbers are as low as they've ever been.

The 33-year-old has just not looked like his reliable self for huge chunks of the season, which slightly complicates the trade deadline situation this week.

For the Nationals, there really is not much reason to hang onto Finnegan.

They go into Monday 18.5 games out of the division and not much closer in the Wild Card race. Contending this year is out of the equation.

Finnegan is set to hit free agency once again this offseason and figures likely to be playing elsewhere in 2026 regardless.

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Trading him makes all the sense in the world, but unfortunately for Washington, they don't have a whole lot of leverage here.

Teams like the Chicago Cubs -- trying to add another veteran piece to their bullpen -- have been linked to a deal, however, no one is trading any sort of premium prospect capital for an aging reliever who is in the worst form of his career.

Finnegan will returns something in terms of prospects, but in a realistic world, the Nationals are likely looking at low-level guys rather than the blue chip talent the Cubs have at the top of their farm system.

Anything but Finnegan playing somewhere else by next week would be a major surprise, though fans in Washington who are hoping to get a huge haul may wind up being disappointed.

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