Did Nats lose potential trade chips?

Thanksgiving is four days away, officially kicking off the holiday season. It also may kick off a busier time for the Hot Stove season.

It has been predictably quiet around the league since the World Series ended a month ago. But we’re now two weeks away from the start of the Winter Meetings, with many around the industry already anticipating a busy week in Dallas.

No, that doesn’t mean they think Juan Soto will announce his decision. It’s more that they think some mid-to-upper-level free agents will come off the board and a couple of teams could execute some trades.

Where does that leave the Nationals?

Their free agent needs and targets have been well documented, while the free agent pool grew after Friday’s non-tender deadline. Their farm system is stacked if they wish to acquire major league talent through a trade. But could they go the opposite route and flip a current big leaguer for more prospects to add to their minor league depth?

General manager Mike Rizzo said at the end of the season he will be looking to add to the roster instead of subtract from it. And now that prospect of trading from the big league roster looks even more unlikely after the departures of two possible candidates.

Perhaps the Nats’ most obvious trade candidate was closer Kyle Finnegan. An All-Star for the first time, the right-hander went 3-8 with a 3.68 ERA, 1.335 WHIP, 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings and 38 saves (third-most in the majors).

But Finnegan was non-tendered on Friday along with fellow reliever Tanner Rainey. Rizzo chose to not accept any offers for his closer at the July 30 deadline, so the Nats now get nothing in return for Finnegan, who is a free agent.

Finnegan’s season was a tale of two halves. He had a 1.98 ERA and 23 saves on July 3. Over his last 28 appearances, he had a 5.93 ERA and 15 saves. In fact, he has shown that the later part of the season has been tough on him throughout his career. He has a 3.28 ERA in the first half over his five seasons while posting a 4.05 ERA in the second half.

Finnegan’s contract status also made him an intriguing trade or non-tender prospect. He’s 33 years old and was entering his last season under club control. MLB Trade Rumors projected he would earn $8.6 million next season in his final year of arbitration eligibility, which easily would have been the highest salary currently on the Nats roster.

MLB Network’s Jon Morosi named Finnegan along with Ryan Helsley and Devin Williams as three relievers that could be on the trade market this offseason. “I know it’s a little early for Winter Meetings predictions,” Morosi said earlier this week. “But I believe by the end of the calendar year, two of those three will have new teams.”

Finnegan is now the first.

Meanwhile, Rainey would have been an interesting trade chip, although harder to move. While still struggling to rediscover his form after Tommy John surgery in August 2022, the right-hander pitched to a 4.76 ERA and 1.490 WHIP in 50 games this season, most coming in low-leverage situations.

But Rainey did finish the year strong. With a 7.13 ERA on July 6, he pitched to a 2.67 ERA with 25 strikeouts over his final 27 appearances, with some coming in more high-leverage situations. He showed flashes of what made him one of the Nats’ best young relievers in 2019 and 2020.

Perhaps a team would have taken a chance on Rainey, who will be 32 on Christmas. He has a decent track record and some experience pitching in the postseason.

But now both Finnegan and Rainey are free agents, leaving two holes in the Nationals bullpen. The Nats always figured to add to their relief corps this offseason. They just won’t get anything in return for these two losses.