Washington Nationals: Filling the Gap at Shortstop

As Major League Baseball’s trade deadline on July 31 approaches, teams across the league are gearing up to make a splash in 2015. Washington has already begun making preemptive moves that could be setting up the departure of at least one core National.

It looks like Nats shortstop Ian Desmond is on his way out of the DMV with the team’s acquisition of the San Diego Padres’ 2014 first round draft pick, Trea Turner. Turner finally made the official jump into the Nats system after being the “player to be named” in a deal that also brought in right-handed pitcher Joe Ross.

Turner comes into Washington after hitting .322 (73-for-227) with 13 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 35 RBI and 31 runs scored in his 58 game stint with San Diego’s Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions. The former Wolfpack member came into the Padres system via the 13^th overall pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. According to Baseball America, Turner is rated as the Padres’ second best prospect and No. 65 in all of baseball.

Before being traded to Washington, Turner was described as having advanced speed and base running ability, while having the “best strike zone discipline” in the San Diego farm system. He could be an upgrade from the slumping Desmond not only at the plate, but more so in the field. He was also described as the “Best Athlete” and “Best Defensive Infielder” in the Padres minor league system.

ESPN’s Jim Bowden believes that by as early as August 1, Turner could be the daily starter as SS for Washington, which further points toward the departure of Desmond. Certainly the 2012 All-Star brings an intangible leadership factor to the Nationals’ clubhouse. But his dip in production has the front office looking to move the seven year veteran out of Washington. If Bowden is correct in his prediction for Turner, there is little or no reason to keep Desmond on the books.

Desmond could be used as trade bait to bring in extra arms to bolster the Nats’ bullpen because as it stands now, Desmond is just a body in the line-up. His batting average has plummeted in the last month, .045 in the last seven games and .185 in the past 28 days. This slump in production has forced Nationals manager Matt Williams to drop Desmond from his often slotted No. 2 spot in the lineup to the lower third of the batting order.

Washington currently has several issues to address before the trade deadline; but the most glaring of these are the soon to expire contracts of Desmond, outfielder Denard Span and pitchers Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister. If the team does nothing about these four, letting them ride out their contracts in the hopes of keeping the current World Series aspirations alive; they run the risk of seeing all four walk in the offseason.

Turner’s arrival this far ahead of the deadline more than likely spells the end of Desmond’s tenure in Washington. But could fans see Washington move a starting rotation pitcher like Zimm or Fister in the hopes of reinforcing the bullpen?

Coming into the 2015 campaign, Washington had six starting pitchers if one includes Tanner Roark (who has filled in while pitcher Stephen Strasburg and Fister nurse their injuries). The team needs to address the bullpen.

They have the assets to give up to bring in quality pitching talent, but what remains to be seen is the price tags that will be on those targets.