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Nationals Move on From Andrew McCutchen, Trade For Adam Eaton

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There hasn’t been anything significant in the Andrew McCutchen talks this morning, although Byron Kerr of MASN has some new information on the asking price from the Pirates, along with confirming a few things we’ve heard, and a few names involved.

The big thing is that Kerr says the Pirates are looking for “at least three players” in return for McCutchen, and that the package could include a mix of prospects and a player with MLB experience. He says that right-handed pitcher Joe Ross is a name that has come up and could be included in the discussions. He also confirmed the rumors from last week about Victor Robles and Lucas Giolito being the asking price this week, and that the Nationals balked at that offer.

Kerr brings up another name in Telmito Agustin, who is a higher upside guy in the lower levels, with the Nationals hoping that Agustin could move quickly up the prospect charts in 2017, similar to Robles. There are some tools to like with Agustin, although I’m not as optimistic that he could make the same jump Robles made, since he’s got a higher strikeout rate, and is older than Robles was during his breakout year. Kerr doesn’t say if the Pirates are actually interested. I think if they are interested, he would make a good third piece, rather than a guy to base a deal around.

From everything we’ve heard, I’d expect these talks to be held up by Victor Robles, with the Nationals not wanting to include him, and the Pirates targeting him the most.

UPDATE 3:51 PM: Clint Hurdle said today that the Pirates haven’t been the “aggressors”, but that other teams are coming to them.

This does come with the disclaimer that the news comes from the Pirates, and it would make sense for them to put forward a position of strength in the negotiations. But it is interesting, because it lines up with almost everything that has been said about the Pirates leading up to the meetings.

The rumors started out saying the Pirates were willing to listen, and had talks with other teams. Then, a rumor came out that they had moved to actively shopping McCutchen. Earlier this week, Neal Huntington made a comment about how they’ve been in the same place, and that one rumor changed the perception of where they stand (easy to assume it’s the one about them actively shopping McCutchen).

I don’t think you can just assume they’re sitting back, listening to offers, and not being proactive on this. At the same time, I don’t think you can assume the opposite, that they’re burning up the phone lines, trying to trade McCutchen while teams like the Nationals are the ones sitting back patiently.

UPDATE 4:26 PM: Scott Merkin, the White Sox reporter for MLB.com, says that the White Sox are working on a deal to send Adam Eaton to the Nationals.

It’s hard to say whether this means they’re close to a deal, or just talking. If they are close to a deal, that would end the McCutchen to the Nationals talk.

UPDATE 4:36 PM: Rosenthal confirms that the Nationals are in talks to acquire Eaton.

Still no word on whether they’re talking, or whether they’re close to a deal, although it feels like the latter.

UPDATE 4:40 PM: Now it looks like it’s close, and Victor Robles isn’t in the deal.

For about a week, there have been two consistent rumors: the Nationals didn’t want to deal Robles, and the Pirates don’t have to trade McCutchen. If this deal plays out, then it looks like both sides would have stuck to their guns, resulting in the Nationals looking elsewhere to fill their center field need.

UPDATE 5:01 PM: Jon Heyman says it’s Lucas Giolito and more for Eaton. He also says the Pirates had been asking for Giolito and haven’t insistent on Robles from the Nationals.

UPDATE 5:03 PM: Rosenthal says it’s Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Dane Dunning if the deal is completed.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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