Astros: 5 under-the-radar trade deadline candidates
By Drew Koch
Astros trade candidate: Tanner Rainey would fit nicely into Houston’s bullpen.
The Washington Nationals are the worst team in the National League. After jettisoning Trea Turner and Max Scherzer last year, the Nats will undoubtedly be looking to acquire more minor league talent to restock their farm system.
While Juan Soto may not be on the trade block, I’d wager that every other Nationals’ player will be. This may include reliever Tanner Rainey who owns a 2.35 ERA this season in 15 appearances out of the Washington bullpen.
Rainey, a former second-round pick of the Cincinnati Reds back in 2015 is a hard-throwing right-hander who’s had mixed success at the major league level. After a down-year in 2021, it appears that Rainey has regained the form that made him an imposing threat during the Nationals’ World Series run in 2019.
Tanner Rainey has yet to allow a gopher ball yet this season. His fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and he’s got plenty of bite on his breaking ball. Adding an arm or two the bullpen will likely be atop the Houston Astros’ wishlist later this summer.