Nationals Trade Rumors: Washington shopping Stephen Strasburg?

The MLB offseason is almost officially here for every team, and the Washington Nationals are already looking at possible moves. 

We are a few games into the MLB Postseason’s Championship Series round, but the offseason has already begun for all but four of the teams int he league. One of those teams is the Washington Nationals, who thought they might have been in the postseason — and probably should have — had it not been for a Mets-eqsue meltdown at the end of the year.

Washington has the potential NL Cy Young Winner in Max Scherzer but their masterful pitching staff fantasy never quite played out and it may be time to blow things up now that the Nats are in minor rebuilding mode. Matt Williams is gone as manager, there is upheaval in management and that could lead to a key piece being moved.

According to Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe, the Nationals seem to be opening up more an more to the idea of selling on ace Stephen Strasburg this winter.

You’ll remember that last winter there was trade buzz about Strasburg but it all ended up being for naught in the end. That doesn’t mean those talks won’t be revisited this winter, as Strasburg is still a talented young arm that the Nats could cash in on by moving in a big deal. He’ll be in a crop of top class pitchers making themselves available this winter, so a team that misses on Zack Greinke or David Price could get in on trying to make up for that by trading for Strasburg.

That doesn’t mean he’ll for sure be moved though, as Texas had serious conversations about acquiring him last winter and didn’t end up landing an ace until Cole Hamels at the trade deadline half a year later.

It’s going to be one of the stories to watch heading into the offseason, as Strasburg is a huge name on the market and his trade stock will largely be determined by demand on the market.