As we approach the Trade Deadline, it’s becoming more clear which teams will be buyers and which teams will be sellers. Nevertheless, each front office has their own specific goals for how they want to upgrade their team in the short-term and long-term. In this article, we’ll explore what each MLB team’s goal should be during the Trade Deadline.

Arizona Diamonbacks: Acquire an Offensive Middle Infielder

The Diamondbacks are 53-44, but they are starting to slip and have fallen out of first place in the NL West. In order to win the division, they need to add another middle of the order type bat to compliment Paul Goldschmidt. Their middle infield seems to be the problem, as second baseman Ketel Marte and short stop Nick Ahmed are hitting a combined .235. Both are serviceable due to defensive skills, but Arizona needs more production offensively from these two positions if they want to be a true World Series contender. Luckily for them, there are plenty of good middle infielders on the trade block, such as Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar of the Twins, Scooter Gennett of the Reds, or superstar Manny Machado of the Orioles. Acquiring one of these guys will likely cost them either top pitching prospect Jon Duplainter of first baseman prospect Pavin Smith, but the reward at the end may very well be worth the risk.

Atlanta Braves: Acquiring a Controlled Reliever 

The Atlanta Braves looked like they had a chance to run away with the division, but that’s not the case anymore. The Phillies now lead the NL East, as Atlanta trails by a game. The Braves should definitely be buyers, but they are still very young and should continue to build for the future. Instead of focusing on rentals, Atlanta would be much better off looking to add some players controlled through this season. The bullpen is their biggest issue, as it has a 4.30 ERA which ranks 19th in the MLB. The price is high for controllable relievers, but its a good investment as it’ll help them contend in 2018 and beyond. A couple of targets are Brad Hand of the Padres, Rasiel Iglesias of the Reds, and Kyle Barraclough of the Marlins.

Baltimore Orioles: Acquire 2+ Top 100 Prospects (And More)

At 28-69, its obvious that the Orioles will be sellers at the Trade Deadline. They have plenty of players to trade, such as superstar Manny Machado and relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton. Baltimore currently only has one top 100 prospect according to MLB.Com, and its infielder Ryan Mountcastle who is ranked just #80 and doesn’t have a very high ceiling. The main goal for the Orioles should be to acquire as much minor league talent as possible. Their focus currently is on acquiring pitching as their major league team lacks it, but this team isn’t going to contend for 5-10 years. They need to acquire who they feel like has the best chance to be a superstar, no matter the position. For Machado, the goal should be to extract one top 100 prospect and two to three mid tier prospects. They should also look to acquire one extra top 100 prospect in deals for Britton and Brach, as relievers come in high demand and contenders may become desperate for bullpen help come the Trade Deadline. Baltimore desperately needs to strengthen its incredibly weak farm system, and this is the opportunity to do so.

Boston Red Sox: Acquire a Quality 8th Inning Set Up Man

The Boston Red Sox are the MLB’s best team at 68-30, and have no glaring needs. We’ll nitpick a little here though, because they could use a better 8th inning set up man to closer Craig Kimbrel. Matt Barnes (2.43 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.02 FIP) is having a great season, but it’s unclear it will last. His ERA the last two seasons coming into this one were 4.05 and 3.88, so it’s likely his current ERA will end up going up. That’s not a certainty though, so Boston doesn’t need to go after any big names. Going after a mid tier reliever, such as Fernando Rodney or Addison Reed of the Twins, Kirby Yates of the Padres, or Jared Hughes of the Reds would be a smart move that could pay off big time in the postseason.

Chicago Cubs: Adding a Right Handed Hitting Outfielder

Despite having the NL’s best run differential at +111, the Cubs aren’t running away with the division from the Brewers. Now, their run differential indicates they should be fine, but they shouldn’t do nothing. They don’t have any holes in their lineup, and they already have too much money invested in their rotation to upgrade it anymore. Therefore, the best thing would be to add some depth to the outfield. Two of their three starting outfielders, Kyle Schwarber and Jayson Heyward. Both have struggled vs lefties, with the former slugging .286 vs lefites and the latter slugging just .362. This could become an issue come the postseason when they’re forced to face southpaws Clayton Kershaw, Josh Hader, Patrick Corbin, Sean Newcomb, and Alex Wood in the playoffs. Therefore, acquiring a right-handed hitting outfielder to platoon or pinch hit for either Schwarber or Heyward vs lefites would be a smart idea. They could go after a veteran such as Adam Jones or take a flyer on utility man Jurickson Profar, who mashes lefties.

Chicago White Sox: Trading SP James Shields

This one is very specific, but there’s not a lot for the White Sox to do at the Trade Deadline. They don’t have any significant pending free agents to trade besides reliever Joakim Soria, and they’ll probably get a couple of mid tier prospects for him. They could trade first baseman Jose Abreu, but he’s in the midst of a huge slump and is now only hitting .252/.308/.438. One thing they should try to though is convince a team to give up a prospect for starting pitcher James Shields. Shields, 36, is having a mediocre season with a 4.53 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, and 4.60 FIP. However, a team like the Cubs or Yankees may take a flyar on him as a veteran innings eater. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if the White Sox just let James Shields leave at season’s end (he’s a pending free agent), but they should try to get something for him if they can.

Cincinatti Reds: Trading RHP Matt Harvey

The Reds could do a lot of things at the Trade Deadline. They could trade star second baseman Scooter Gennett, they could trade reliever Rasiel Iglesias, or they could trade starting pitcher Matt Harvey. Let’s go with the latter, as Harvey is a free agent at season’s end while Gennett and Iglesias are controlled past 2018. While the Reds could get a lot for Gennett or Iglesias, their winning record since changing managers from Bryan Price to Jim Riggleman suggests that they shouldn’t blow it up. Therefore, their focus should shift towards trading Harvey. Harvey was a complete reclamation project when the Reds acquired him from the Mets, and it’s payed off big time. His fastball is up to around 94-95 MPH and his ERA is 3.79 as a Red. Rather than have this end up just being a feels good story, the Reds should look to acquire some prospects in exchange for Harvey. There are plenty of teams that are looking for starting pitching, such as the Yankees, Brewers, and Mariners. One of those teams will likely give up a couple of mid tier prospects for Harvey if the Reds aggressively shop him they way they should.

Cleveland Indians: Acquiring Bullpen Depth

 

The Indians have a comfortable 7.5 game lead in the division, so they don’t have to make any moves to make the playoffs. If they want to compete with the Astros, Red Sox, and the Yankees though, they have to upgrade their bullpen that has a 5.39 ERA that ranks dead last in the MLB. Now, closer Cody Allen should see his 4.66 ERA go down (his FIP is 3.92) and Andrew Miller getting healthy will help. However outside of those two, the Indians have been relying on journeymen such as Neil Ramirez and Oliver Perez. Needless to say, they need to acquire some depth in the bullpen. Baltimore has both Zach Britton and Brad Brach to offer, while San Diego has Brad Hand, Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates. The goal should be to acquire two of these guys, as it would give Cleveland four relievers they can trust in the playoffs given that Miller stays healthy.

Colorado Rockies: Add Pitching Depth

If the Rockies want to make the playoffs (currently 51-45), they need to upgrade their pitching. Both their rotation (4.43 ERA, 22nd in MLB) and bullpen (5.23 ERA, 28th in MLB) have been awful this season. They have so much money invested in the bullpen ($37.5M this year alone with Wade Davis, Jake McGee, Bryan Shaw, and Adam Ottavino) that their best bet would be to hope that Davis (3.93 ERA), Shaw (7.36 ERA), and McGee (6.06 ERA) start living up to their contracts rather than invest in further. They could then turn their focus to the rotation that is extremely young and inexperienced. Acquiring a veteran starter such as Nathan Eovaldi, Clayton Richard, or maybe even JA Happ or Cole Hamels at the right price would be a good move.

Detroit Tigers: Acquire a Big Package for One Of Their Top Young Players

The Tigers have two very good young controllable players they can trade in RF Nick Castellanos and RHP Micheal Fulmer. The former is controlled through 2019 and is hitting .305/.358/.523 while the latter is controlled through 2022 and is a former rookie of the year. However, both have their reg flags. While Castellanos is a great hitter, he’s a liability defensively with -13 drs. As for Fulmer, he currently has an ERA of 4.11 and a WHIP of 1.28. Nevertheless, there is still interest in both of them due to the fact their controlled and are qualty young players. Detroit doesn’t need to trade either of them, but neither looks like a part of their future, so they’d be better off adding some position player prospects to a farm system that is very pitcher heavy. Doing this may end up speeding up their rebuild, as their farm system will get a major boost and will therefore set them up better for the long-term.

Houston Astros: Acquire a Closer

Ken Giles was supposed to be the Astros closer for the short-term and long-term coming into this season. What’s happened since? Well, Giles has an ERA of 4.99 and got demoted to Triple A after cursing out manager AJ Hinch. That leaves the defending champs looking a closer if they want to get back to the fall classic. Luckily for them, they have the prospects to get a deal done for either Brad Hand or Rasiel Iglesias. A package centered around slugger Yordan Alvarez will almost certainly get the Astros one of those two big names. If they want to buy low and not give up any premier prospects, they could take a look at reliever Zach Britton, who is a former all-star but is still trying to get back to form after returning from an Achilles injury.

Kansas City Royals: Acquire a Top 100 Prospect

In the 2018 draft, the Royals took five college arms (Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, Daniel Lynch, Kris Bubic, and Jonathan Bowlan, in the first two rounds. Therefore, they don’t need to target pitching prospects when trading third baseman Mike Moustakas, second baseman Whit Merrifield, and maybe even pitcher Danny Duffy. What they could use in their farm system is some more quality position players. They have depth, but no one in their system look like anything more than solid MLB players. Even if means they don’t get as many prospects, the Royals should go for quality over quantity when it comes to the prospects they acquire in a deal. Trading Whit Merrifield should get them a  Top 100 prospect, considering he’s under control through 2023.

Los Angeles Angels: Look Ahead to Contending in 2019

At 49-48 and 9 games out of the AL Wildcard, the Angels aren’t going to make the playoffs. That doesn’t mean they should be sellers, as they still have the best player in the MLB in Mike Trout, who is still in his prime. There’s also a lot of talent on this team, but they lack depth and thus haven’t been able to recover from injuries. Therefore, a smart move would be to acquire some controllable players who can multiple positions. It would give them depth to get through this year, and would fix their big problem that haunted them this season. Utility players such as Yangervis Solarte and Jurickson Profar are great targets, as they are switch hitters, can play multiple positions, and are controlled past 2018.

Los Angeles Dodgers: Add Depth in the Bullpen

Despite being in the middle of a major dog fight to win the NL West or claim a wildcard spot, the Dodgers don’t have to make a move. as they have very few holes on their roster However, they’ve dealt with a lot of injuries with their pitching. Their bullpen boasts a solid ERA of 3.86, which ranks them 14th in the MLB. It would be wise for the Dodgers to seriously consider 1-2 elite arms in the bullpen to give them a top-tier bullpen. That will help them in the playoffs, and will help them manage innings in a beaten up rotation. Some targets include Zack Britton and Brad Brach of the Orioles, Kyle Barraclough and Adam Conley of the Marlins, and Jeurys Familia of the Mets.

Miami Marlins: Acquire Big Packages for Their Relievers

The Marlins have three relievers who are young, controlled way past 2018, and are having great seasons. Those three are Kyle Barraclough (1.31 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 3.62 FIP), Adam Conley (3.04 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 3.48 FIP), and Drew Stekenrider (3.46 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 2.99 FIP). Now, Miami doesn’t HAVE to trade any of them as, but they should. The stock for these three may never be higher than they are now, so the Marlins need to capitalize on this opportunity to replenish their weak farm system. Because they’re controlled way past 2018 though, the Marlins need to be satisfied completely with package they get. For these three relievers, they should get at least two top 100 prospects and ideally 3.

Milwaukee Brewers: Add At Least One Quality Starting Pitcher

The Brewers rotation has a respectable 3.92 ERA that ranks them #11 in the MLB. That and the fact their offense only has a .244 average may suggest that the focus should be upgrading offensively, but don’t be fooled. The rotation is currently being attacked by injuries, as valuable arms Junior Guerra and Zach Davies are currently on the disabled list. Also, their “ace” Chase Anderson has a solid 3.81 ERA, but a 5.14 FIP. This suggests he’s been very lucky, and could have a rough second half. If he does have a rough second half, then that combined with the injuries could cause major problems for the Brewers. To ensure that they can survive these possible circumstances, Milwaukee should look to add at least one, but preferably two quality starting pitchers at the deadline. They could either get their ace in Chris Archer, or even Jacob deGrom if he’s available. The much more likely route however, is they acquire two solid starting pitchers that can fill the middle of the rotation. In this case, they can probably pick two of the following: Nathan Eovaldi, Clayton Richard, Marco Estrada, Tyson Ross, Ivan Nova, Tyler Skaggs, Andrew Heaney, and Zach Wheeler.

Minnesota Twins: Trade All Their Pending Free Agents 

Expected to contend in the AL Central, the Twins have disappointed with a 44-50 record that puts them 7.5 games out of the division. They still have a young core in place and should contend in 2019, so the Twins shouldn’t be full on sellers. They should however, trade all their pending free agents. They have a lot of pending free agents that could bring back solid prospect packages, such as infielders Brian Dozier and Escobar. Trading them will strengthen their farm system without hurting them contend in the future, as most of their pending free agents have replacements waiting in the minors.

New York Mets: Trading RHPs Zach Wheeler and Jeurys Familia

At 39-55, the Mets could completely blow it up and trade aces Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaad. They’re unlikely to do that, but should still sell off some pieces. Zach Wheeler is controlled through 2020, but he’s having a career year and the Mets should sell high on him. Because of the fact he’s controlled, he’ll bring back a solid prospect package. If they don’t trade him, they’re taking a big risk, as Wheeler is injury prone and another injury could destroy his value. As for Familia, he’s a pending free agent and is having an outstanding season with a 2.52 FIP. Contenders such as the Phillies, Giants, and Red Sox have already expressed interest, so the Mets should be able to get solid value in return. Trading Wheeler and Familia will strengthen the farm system, without hurting their MLB talent too much.

New York Yankees: Acquire Talent Without Giving Up Too Much

The Yankees have been linked to several of the top trade targets, such as superstar infielder Manny Machado, relievers Brad Hand and Zach Britton, and starting pitchers JA Happ and Cole Hamels. They could use all of the guys obviously, but they don’t NEED them as they don’t have any holes, which shows with their 62-33 record. They may have a deep farm system, but doesn’t mean they should trade recklessly. Their three Top 100 Prospects- OF Estevan Florial, LHP Justus Sheffield, and RHP Albert Abreu are all premium talents and should be untouchable. Both Abreu and Sheffield could be in the Yankees rotation next season, while Florial has tremendous upside as a 30/30 player. They also shouldn’t dig in too much into the depth of their farm system and may be better off waiting until next year or offseason if a player that they absolutely need becomes available.

Oakland Athletics: Acquire Cheap Starting Pitching

The A’s have been surprise contenders this season, as they currently have a 55-42 record that puts them three games out of the AL Wildcard. A lot of the credit should go to an offense that is ranked in the top 10 in runs, home runs, and slugging percentage. Their starting pitching on the other hand on has a 4.37 ERA, which ranks them 19th in the MLB. The best move would be to pursue top starters JA Happ and Cole Hamels, right? Wrong. Remember, the A’s weren’t expected to contend, and still have a very young core in place. Rather than destroying their farm system that’s ranked #7 according to MLB Pipeline to make a move that still won’t put them remotely close to contending with the Astros, Yankees, and Red Sox, the A’s should look to acquire cheap starting pitchers both contract wise and prospect wise. This fixes their biggest need and keeps them in the playoff race, without destroying the young core that they’ve put in place. The A’s have done a great job patiently putting the pieces together of a contender for the next 10 years, but now they can’t destroy that opportunity on one season.

Philadelphia Phillies: Acquire an Impact Bat Without Giving Up Sixto Sanchez

The Phillies are surprisingly 53-42 and in first place in the NL East, and have a great opportunity to possibly  go to the World Series. To do that though, they’ll need to fix their offense that ranks 21st in runs, 17th in home runs, and 25th in batting average. Luckily for them, there are plenty of impact bats on the trade market, such as infielders Manny Machado and Mike Moustakas. Moustakas definitely won’t be too difficult to trade for, as he’s a pending free agent and the Phillies don’t have a lot of competition to acquire him. Machado is also a pending free agent, but is an all around superstar and therefore is drawing interest from several teams. The Phillies should definitely consider building a package around right-handed pitcher Adonis Medina, the 74th ranked prospect in the MLB, because they have a lot of young pitchers already in the MLB. What they can’t do however, is trade their top prospect in right-handed pitcher Sixto Sanchez. Sanchez is one of the game’s top prospects, and has the ceiling of a front of the rotation starter. He’s a premium talent, and one the Phillies can’t give up in an attempt to win a division that no one thought they could win at the beginning of the year. If they can keep Sanchez though, the Phillies should acquire an impact bat as it would fix their biggest need while not sacrificing their future.

Pittsburgh Pirates: Trade Their Veterans

At 48-49, the Pirates are technically on the fringe of contention. However, the chances of them actually making the playoffs over teams such as the Dodgers, Braves, Nationals, Rockies, and Brewers are slim. Therefore, they should continue to fire sale they started when they traded Gerrit Cole to the Astros and Andrew McCutchen to the Giants. That means trading outfielder Corey Dickerson, catcher Francisco Cervelli, starting pitcher Ivan Nova, and infielders Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison. Trading them isn’t easy as it sounds, as outfielders aren’t in high demand, Cervelli is dealing with concussion, and Nova, Mercer, and Harrison aren’t having outstanding seasons by any means. The Pirates need to find a way to trade them though, as it opens up spots for some of their young players coming up while strengthening a farm system that is currently ranked in the middle of the pack.

San Diego Padres: Get 3+ Top 100 Prospects

The Padres are in excellent position to strengthen a farm system that’s already ranked #1 according to MLB Pipeline. They have three relievers that are drawing a lot interest from other clubs in Brad Hand (3.05 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 3.16 FIP), Kirby Yates (1.47 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 2.08 FIP), and Craig Stammen (3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 2.10 FIP). Hand is an elite closer who is controlled on a team friendly deal through 2021. Therefore, a team that needs a closer such as the Astros, would most likely be willing to cough up two top 100 prospects for Hand. Anything less than two top 100 prospects, the Padres can keep Hand and hope he continues to build his stock. Yates and Stammen are lesser known names, but are having great seasons and are both controlled well past 2018 (Stammen-2020, Yates-2021). Because of that, the Padres should be able to get at least another Top 100 Prospect for them. Due to the fact that all three of their top relievers are controlled well past 2018, the Padres have all the leverage in trade negotiations regarding them. Therefore, the Padres can make sure their getting three Top 100 prospects in exchange for the three of them. Anything less, and the Padres can simply hold onto them.

San Francisco Giants: Acquire Cheap Relievers

At 50-48 and 4 games out of the NL West, the Giants could very well make the playoffs as long as they upgrade their bullpen. Their closer Hunter Strickland is currently on the disabled list after breaking his hand punching a wall, and Mark Melancon and Sam Dyson have been very inconsistent for them. That leaves them relying on two lefties in Tony Watson (2.08 ERA) and Will Smith (0.95 ERA). Both are having great seasons, but also have red flags. After giving up just one home run up to July, Tony Watson ahs given up two in his last two appearances alone. Smith also is working in a limited amount due to him still working his way back from Tommy John Surgery. Its clear the Giants need more relievers, especially right handers, that they can trust in the late innings. They only issue is that they one of the league’s worst farm systems and are right near the $197 luxury tax threshold. Therefore, they have little wiggle room to make trades and will have to target relievers that are on cheap deals, won’t cost much prospect wise, and are productive. That’s much easier said than done, and the Giants may not be able to make an impactful trade for a reliever as a result.

Seattle Mariners: Add a Starting Pitcher and Center Fielder

The Mariners currently have a 58-39 record that puts them in the second AL Wildcard spot. To maintain that spot over the surging A’s though, Seattle has to fix their too biggest flaws. Those two flaws are their starting rotation and center field. The Mariners rotation currently has a 4.12 ERA which is ranked 16th in the MLB, and are clearly relying on guys such as Wade Leblanc and Marco Gonzales a little too much. They have their ace in James Paxton, so they should look to add one or two solid starting pitchers to fill out the middle of their rotation, such as Nathan Eovaldi, Ivan Nova, and maybe even JA Happ if the price is right. They also need to trade for a better center fielder, as their current center fielder Guillermo Heredia is hitting .229/.319/.317 with 2 home runs and plays below average defense with -7 drs. They don’t need to acquire a big name center fielder, with Leonys Martin and Billy Hamilton being solid options as defensive minded center fielders

St.Louis Cardinals: Plan for 2019

The Cardinals still may be somewhat in contention at 48-46, but they’re a complete mess. They recently fired manager Mike Matheny, and are dealing with a lot of controversy in the clubhouse. Rather than trade for pieces to contend in a season where they have an interm manager and so many distractions, the Cardinals should look to acquire players that are controlled past 2018 and can help them contend in 2019. An impact bat to replace Kolten Wong (.216/.305/366) at second base would be a great idea, with targets including Scooter Gennett and Jonathan Schoop, both of whom are controlled through 2019. The Cardinals don’t have many pending free agents, which means they’ll have the same core in place next year. It makes more sense to make moves to contend for next year, when they have a full-time manager and solve the issues going on in the clubhouse.

Tampa Bay Rays: Trading RHP Nathan Eovaldi

Technically, the Rays are in contention 49-47 and 8.5 games back of the AL Wildcard. Realistically speaking though, this team is overacheiving and have way too many needs to be a buyer. While their 49-47 record indicates they shouldn’t trade any of their top young players such as Chris Archer and Blake Snell, the Rays should still trade Nathan Eovaldi. Eovaldi has come back strong after missing all fo last year after undergoing Tommy John Surgery in 2017, as he has a 4.59 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 4.45 FIP. Don’t read too much into the ERA though, as his ERA went up from 3.35 to 4.59 after a rough start against the Twins. Teams are still interested though, so the Rays should try to flip Eovaldi for a MLB ready impact bat to help them fix their weak offense (23rd in runs) in the future, preferably at second base or in the outfield.

Texas Rangers: Acquire a Top 100 Prospect for LHP Cole Hamels

Trading Cole Hamels wasn’t supposed to be so hard for the Rangers. He’s a four-time all-star, a world series MVP, and would surely waive his no trade clause to join a contender. However, there are many red flags with Hamels. One is his $20M salary that hurts teams such as the Yankees and Dodgers stay under the luxury tax. The salary is big, but it wouldn’t be an issue if Hamels started pitching to his capabilities. He currently has a 4.36 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 5.04 FIP, and an atrocious HR/9 of 1.7. However, Texas may still be able to get one Top 100 Prospect for the 34-year-old southpaw, especially if pitching needy team such as the Mariners and Brewers panicking after suffering losing streaks heading into the All Star Game.

Toronto Blue Jays: Acquire 2+ Quality Pitching Prospects

The Blue Jays have one main trade candidate in left hander JA Happ. He has a 4.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 4.02 FIP and is a free agent this offseason. They shouldn’t have any trouble trading him, as the Yankees, Brewers, Mariners, and Cubs are interested in the 35-year-old left hander. The good news for the Blue Jays is that all four of these teams have good pitching prospects. The Yankees have the 61st best prospect in right hander Albert Abreu and lots of pitching depth. The Brewers also have great pitching depth in their farm system headlined by the 56th best prospect in right hander in Corbin Burners. Seattle and Chicago don’t have any top 100 prospects who are pitchers, but each have a lot of pitchers in their farm system. The ultimate goal is to acquire Abreu or Burnes, but as long as the Blue Jays get 2 or more pitching prospects from any of these teams, than they’ll get much-needed pitching depth in a farm system that is position player heavy.

Washington Nationals: Upgrade at Catcher

Nationals catchers rank last in the MLB with a batting average of .186. If the Nationals want to get over the hump at and contend (currently 48-48), then they need to find an upgrade at catcher. They’d love to get catcher JT Realmuto from the Marlins, who’s hitting over .300, play exceptional defense, and is controlled through 2021. However, it would require them to part ways with top prospect Victor Robles, who has five tool potential. They shouldn’t do that, but should look at other options, such as Francisco Cervelli or a reunion with Wilson Ramos. If the Marlins lower their asking price for Realmuto though, the Nationals should do everything in their power to acquire him.