Nationals Reportedly Won't Include Victor Robles in Trade Talks for Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant
By Adam Weinrib
The Nationals are trying hard to fill Anthony Rendon's vaunted roster spot, but...maybe not quite hard enough.
As the Josh Donaldson derby reaches its logical conclusion with a four-year deal coming soon, it seems likely he lands in either Atlanta, Minnesota, or Washington.
But if the Nationals miss out on poaching their division rival, they'll be prepared to suss out a few Plan B trade talks. As of now, though, it would appear they're not comfortable with including outfielder Victor Robles in a high-roller deal for either Nolan Arenado or Kris Bryant, and that could be a sticking point.
#Nats pursuing trade options in case Josh Donaldson signs elsewhere, but sources say they’ve been reluctant to make Victor Robles available in discussions with #Rockies on Arenado and #Cubs on Bryant. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 2, 2020
Suddenly, Arenado reportedly has a 50/50 shot to get dealt, a bit of dirty work that Colorado would much rather do outside the division.
Sources: Nolan Arenado has roughly a 50/50 chance of being traded, with a half-dozen teams having checked in, as I just reported on @MLBNetwork. The #Dodgers are *not* the most likely destination, as #Rockies prefer not to trade Arenado in the division. @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 2, 2020
The 22-year-old Robles hit .255 with 17 homers and 65 RBI, pilfering 28 bases in the process. He displayed an above-average glove, but often failed to consistently make contact with his quick-twitch swing.
Robles, at this juncture, seems like the perfect player to offload in a Bryant/Arenado deal. But if Washington really doesn't feel comfortable doing so, we'd recommend they simply up their bid for Donaldson, who costs dollars alone.