Evaluating Nats' trades one month after the deadline

The month of August is about to wrap up this weekend, which means it’s been a full month since the trade deadline. Which means enough time has passed to start evaluating how trades worked out.

Of course, it takes years to know if a trade truly was worth it or not. But in the Nationals’ case, it’s worth checking in on the results of Mike Rizzo’s four deadline deals to see how they look at this point.

(Spoiler alert: They look pretty good at this early stage of the process.)

HUNTER HARVEY to ROYALS for CAYDEN WALLACE and CALEB LOMAVITA
Rizzo surprised everyone by making this deal 17 days before the July 30 deadline, but there was a good reason for it. He wanted Kansas City’s “Competitive Balance A” pick in the following night’s Draft. So in addition to Wallace, a promising-but-injured third base prospect, the Nationals also got the No. 39 pick, which they used on Lomavita, an intriguing catcher from Cal.

Wallace, who was dealing with a fractured rib at the time, just finally made his organizational debut Thursday night, delivering an RBI single and drawing a walk for Single-A Wilmington. He’ll look to finish the season strong and then come to spring training next year trying to move up the organizational ladder.

Lomavita, meanwhile, has now played 11 games for Single-A Fredericksburg, where he’s batting .262 with 13 runs, two doubles, eight RBIs and a .629 OPS.

The Royals picked up Harvey hoping he’d become a key part of the back end of their bullpen. But while the team has surged over the last six weeks and is challenging the Guardians for the AL Central title, Harvey hasn’t played a prominent role. He pitched in only six games, giving up runs in three of them, before landing on the 15-day injured list with a back ailment. Kansas City is hoping he’ll make it back in time to help them during the stretch run.

JESSE WINKER to METS for TYLER STUART
Winker proved to be an excellent, affordable pickup for the Nationals heading into spring training, and that made him a perfect trade candidate this summer. The Mets coveted the veteran outfielder, and he delivered an especially big hit for them last week, blasting a walk-off homer to beat the Orioles and set off a wild celebration at Citi Field.

Winker’s overall numbers (.288 average, five extra-base hits, .708 OPS) are solid, but he’s not producing as much as he did for the Nats (.793 OPS) and he’s not playing as much in New York as he did here.

Stuart, meanwhile, quickly made a name for himself when he joined the rotation at Double-A Harrisburg. The right-hander posted a 2.08 ERA and 32 strikeouts with only seven walks in 21 2/3 innings before the organization promoted him to Triple-A Rochester. Stuart had a great debut for the Red Wings but was rocked in his second start. Regardless, he should be a name to watch in 2025, much as Mitchell Parker and DJ Herz have been this season.

LANE THOMAS to GUARDIANS for ALEX CLEMMEY, RAFAEL RAMIREZ JR. and JOSE TENA
This was probably the hardest trade for many in the organization to swallow, because Thomas had been a key part of the everyday lineup the last three seasons and looked like he could still be part of a team trying to win in 2025. But Rizzo knew he had Dylan Crews waiting to take over in right field, and he couldn’t turn down the package of prospects Cleveland offered.

Clemmey and Ramirez were the headliners, but both are 19-year-old, long-term projects. Clemmey so far has 21 strikeouts in 19 innings at Fredericksburg but has also walked 12 and allowed 11 runs. Ramirez, an infielder, is off to a slow start and is batting .170 with a .290 on-base percentage and .555 OPS in 17 games for Fredericksburg.

Tena was viewed as the clear third piece of the deal, but he’s already making a name for himself in the big leagues. The 23-year-old infielder is batting a cool .333 with two homers, seven RBIs and an .829 OPS in 14 games with the Nationals. His defense at third base needs work, but his bat has been an unexpected surprise to date.

Thomas, meanwhile, has struggled mightily since arriving in Cleveland. He had three hits (two of them doubles) in his first eight at-bats, but in 26 total games he’s batting a scant .145 with three RBIs and a whopping 34 strikeouts, all of it leading to a .430 OPS. He’s also seen more time in center field than right field, a surprise for anyone who watched him here the last three years.

DYLAN FLORO to DIAMONDBACKS for ANDRES CHAPARRO
Floro was always the most likely member of the July roster to be traded, the veteran reliever having delivered a 2.06 ERA and 1.051 WHIP in 51 games with the Nats but set to become a free agent at season’s end. The Diamondbacks saw value in him and added him to their bullpen, where he has been scored upon in three of his 10 appearances to date and has been used in only a few high-leverage situations.

Chaparro wasn’t viewed as a top prospect, but the 25-year-old corner infielder did have big numbers at Triple-A Reno, making him intriguing to the Nationals. And when he kept that going at Rochester, he earned a promotion to the majors earlier this month. Chaparro has since become a regular in the heart of the lineup, delivering a .760 OPS in 14 games, with three doubles in his major league debut and his first career homer Tuesday night off the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole.