Bennie Seiu -USA Today Sports
Multiple news outlets are reporting that the Washington Nationals have placed pitcher Dan Haren on revocable trade waivers. He is scheduled to start tonight’s game at Nationals Park as the team faces the Philadelphia Phillies in the start of a three game weekend series.
Haren signed a one year, $13 million free agent deal in the offseason that thus has been a major disappointment. He is 6-11 with a 5.14 ERA in 20 starts thus far this season and was placed on the 15 Day Disabled List.
In his last four games since coming off the disabled list on July 8, Haren is 2-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 30 innings. He is pitching his best baseball thus far this season and could attract some interest from a contending team.
So since he will not be coming back to Washington next season a trade might just be the best thing for the Nationals and Haren. He is owed about $3.7 million for the rest of the season which makes him attractive to a team out there with a chance of still making the playoffs.
Haren’s success in the American League could have more than a few teams interested in making a deal.
The Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers or Tampa Bay Rays might be willing to roll the dice on Haren.
Look for Haren to pitch tonight, and if he does well then his trade value would increase. (Weather permitting, it is raining in D.C. at the moment.)
The way the waiver claim works is a team has 48 hours to either try to work out a trade with the claiming club or remove the player from waivers. That gives the Nationals a chance to deal with the club that would make a claim on Haren and workout a trade.
Now if the Nationals do trade Haren, they would need a number four starter. They already are thin at the tail end of the rotation. Ross Detwiler was moved to the 60 day Disabled List, Ross Ohlendorf is on the 15 day Disabled List and then we have rookie right-hander Taylor Jordan who will be shut down later this month in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery.
That means new long relief man Tanner Roark could join the rotation. He has pitched well in Syracuse this season and was promoted to the big club this week.
As the Nationals’ season is winding down they might just be able to get something for Haren after all, and that would not be a bad deal at this point in the season.
Rant Sports columnist Jim Williams is a seven-time Emmy Award-winning TV producer, director and writer. Follow him on Twitter @wordmandc
