Nationals and Astros are a few of the biggest trade deadline losers

1. Washington Nationals

About 48 hours before the trade deadline arrived, it looked like the Nationals might be MLB’s most active team. Rumors were swirling that Bryce Harper could be leaving the nation’s capital. In the end, the Nationals largely sat out July.

They did send Brandon Kintzler to the Cubs for a player to be named later, but that doesn’t move the needle in either direction. The Nationals failed to either strengthen themselves ahead of a postseason run or sell off assets to help them contend in 2019. Their front office should be ashamed.

Even if Washington didn’t want to sell low on someone like Harper, they should have been listening to offers on other pieces. Gio Gonzalez, in particular, could have netted a massive return considering the dearth of quality starting pitching available. A team that is currently sitting one game under .500 should have been actively seeking offers for a pitcher of Gonzalez’s talent and age.

It also would have been understandable for Washington to head in the other direction. They have the financial resources to be buyers in this market. Adding another impact player or two to the current roster could have drastically improved the franchises’ chances of re-signing Harper this summer. You have to wonder what kind of message the front office’s inactivity sent to their superstar.

The Nationals may work themselves back into the NL East race, but nothing they did in the trade market is going to help them do it. They failed to pick a direction and it will haunt them for years to come.