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MLB Trade Rumors: Nationals talking to A’s about Ben Zobrist

By Kyle Franzoni

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The Washington Nationals are looking to bolster their line-up and are reportedly in preliminary discussions with the Oakland Athletics about Ben Zobrist.

With an ability to move around the field while providing plus skills at the plate, Ben Zobrist is kind of the super-utility player that every team loves to have but few do. However, with MLB trade talk starting to heat up, those skills will make Zobrist a hot commodity for a team looking to bolster its line-up this summer.

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Perhaps that is why the Washington Nationals are trying to get themselves a head start on the process.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Nationals have engaged in preliminary discussions with Oakland about acquiring Ben Zobrist. For now, the concern is filling a void in left field, one that was created when it was revealed that incumbent left-fielder Jayson Werth had two small fractures in his left wrist and is not expected to return until August. Once he does return to the line-up, Zobrist’s versatility will allow him to slot in at second or first base, two of the bigger holes the Nationals currently have in their line-up.

Zobrist is in his first season with the A’s after being acquired from Tampa Bay along with Yunel Escobar in exchange for DH John Jaso and prospects Boog Powell and Daniel Robertson. Coincidentally enough, Escobar was himself flipped to the Nationals in a secondary deal that sent reliever Tyler Clippard to Oakland.

In 23 games with the A’s, Zobrist has seen 92 plate appearances and is slashing .222/.304/.383 with two home runs and 14 RBI. However, he is a career .263/.353/.428 hitter and has 162-game averages of 17 home runs, 35 doubles, and 78 RBI. Needless to say, he’s able to carry his spot in the line-up quite nicely without any issues.

However, versatility is Zobrist’s calling card and he’s shown that again in 2015. In the 22 games he’s spent in the field, Zobrist has appeared in left (10), right (2), and second base (10). In past seasons, he’s seen time at every infield and outfield position, with the exception of pitcher and catcher. According to FanGraphs, his two strongest positions are second base and right field, with Zobrist sporting a UZR/150 of 10.5 for the former and 22.0 for the latter.

At this time, there is no discussion as to what the A’s are looking at for a return package. However, it is worth noting that they gave up their #9 prospect in Daniel Robertson, in addition to Powell and Jaso. While Zobrist is an impending free agent at the end of the season, making him a short-term rental, the Athletics will still hold a bargaining chip that the market is very short of at the deadline and could at least ask for a similar return. That could see the A’s asking for a prospect like Wilmer Difo, Drew Ward, or Austin Voth to highlight a package for Zobrist.

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