Nationals Near Trade Talks Including Soroka, Finnegan, Lowe

The Washington Nationals are facing another challenging season with a likely under-.500 record, leading to expectations that the team will be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline. Key trade candidates include starting pitcher Michael Soroka, closer Kyle Finnegan, and first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, all of whom could attract interest from contending teams due to their performances and contract situations. Prospects like Travis Sykora and Brayan Cortesia show promise for the future, with Sykora advancing to Double-A despite some command issues and Cortesia demonstrating impressive hitting after recovering from injury. However, the Nationals' pitching staff struggles significantly, ranking low in both starting rotation and bullpen ERA, prompting discussions about acquiring more immediate pitching help. One potential target mentioned is Luis Severino, a veteran pitcher who has underperformed with the Athletics and could be available for trade, offering a possible boost to the Nationals' rotation. Overall, the team's focus appears to be balancing short-term roster moves with developing their young core for future competitiveness.