Floro goes to D-backs, Finnegan stays put (updated)

PHOENIX – A week of trade deadline frenzy reached its final hour this evening, the Nationals having previously dealt three key players and now waiting to see if there would be any last-minute takers for their two remaining available relievers.

In the end, they did find a deal they liked for Dylan Floro. They did not find one to their liking for Kyle Finnegan.

Floro was traded to the Diamondbacks for Triple-A corner infielder Andrés Chaparro during the final minutes leading up to the 6 p.m. Eastern deadline, giving the veteran right-hander a chance to move to the other clubhouse at Chase Field and potentially face his former team tonight. Finnegan, on the other hand, stays put and will remain the Nats closer for the remainder of this season while remaining under club control for 2025 as well.

"I'm happy to be a National, and we can put this behind us and focus on winning games," said Finnegan, who for the third straight summer heard his name come up in trade deadline rumors but never was dealt. "I was at peace with whatever happened. But I'm happy to be here."

Having already traded Hunter Harvey to the Royals prior to the All-Star break, then Jesse Winker to the Mets and Lane Thomas to the Guardians over the last three days, the Nationals reached deadline day with only two expected trade candidates in Finnegan and Floro.

Finnegan always loomed as general manager Mike Rizzo’s toughest decision this summer, because he’s under club control for another season and he has blossomed into one of the sport’s best closers, with no clear in-house alternative to replace him after Harvey was dealt away. The market for relievers, though, exploded over the last few weeks, with the Phillies, Padres and Royals paying hefty prices to acquire late-inning arms.

That only emboldened Rizzo to set a high asking price for Finnegan, 32, then wait to see if anyone would meet it, especially in the wake of Monday night’s five-run meltdown in the bottom of the ninth.

"This guy pitches at the back of a baseball game. He's proven that he can handle the closer's role," Rizzo said. "I don't think we were asking for anything extravagant, but we did want market value for a closer that has another year of control. That had a lot to do with it. We weren’t handcuffed or forced to move a player because his contract’s expiring or financial ramifications. We like this player. We think that he's going to help us this year and next year."

Finnegan entered the day with 28 saves in 32 attempts, a 3.48 ERA (more than a full run higher than it was entering Monday) and 1.091 WHIP in 46 games. Originally signed to a major league contract in 2020 after six seasons toiling in the Athletics’ farm system, the right-hander slowly grew into the closer’s role and over 272 total appearances with the Nationals has 78 saves, a 3.52 ERA and 1.278 WHIP.

As much as he insisted he tried to block out the noise in recent days, he admittedly was caught off-guard when he was summoned to manager Davey Martinez's office a few minutes after the deadline passed today, thinking he might have been part of a last-minute deal. When Martinez greeted him with a smile and said: 'You're a Nat,' the right-hander breathed a sigh of relief and smiled back.

"I don't have favorites, cause they're all my favorites really," Martinez said. "But he's the one guy I count on to pitch at the back end of the bullpen. It's nice that he's still here and he's going to get an opportunity to save games for us."

"It's great to have the confidence of your GM and your manager," Finnegan said. "I owe a lot in my career to Riz and Davey. They've given me unbelievable opportunities and have really helped me grow as a player. To feel valued and wanted is great. I hope to continue to play well. I'm inspired to finish the season strong, and I'm excited for next year."

Floro was always the most likely to go, given his pending free agency at season’s end and track record as a reliable setup man with prior postseason experience with the Dodgers. The 33-year-old enjoyed a fine four months with the Nats, delivering a 2.06 ERA and 1.051 WHIP in 51 appearances, only giving up his first homer of the season Sunday in St. Louis.

The asking price for Floro was never going to be exorbitant, but the Nationals did want something of value. In the end, he accepted an offer from the Diamondbacks and sent Floro across the hallway for Chaparro, a 25-year-old corner infielder who has 19 homers, 75 RBIs and .967 OPS at Triple-A Reno this season.

The Pacific Coast League has notoriously inflated offensive numbers, but Rizzo believes Chaparro can hit anywhere he plays.

"It's a good question, but if you've seen him swing the bat, you can see this guy has big time power," the GM said. "He's a corner bat that we thought the reward really outweighed the risk. He's 25 years old, he's got big pop and can drive in runs and has been a really good minor league player that we think with a few tweaks can translate into the big league level."

Floro, meanwhile, didn't need much time to pack up his stuff, say his goodbyes and then walk a few hundred feet down the service level at Chase Field to the home clubhouse, where a Diamondbacks uniform awaited him.

And what would it be like if he pitches tonight against the Nationals?

"It'll definitely be weird, because I'll be on the other side, facing guys I was just shaking hands with, hanging out with this morning and last night," said Floro, who will still stay at the Nats' team hotel tonight. "So it will definitely be weird. But at the end of the day, I have a job to do. And the same for them. We're all trying to have success."