The Rays and Phillies had a scout Foster GriffinIt started yesterday, according to Spencer Nusbaum of The Athletic. It’s no surprise that playoff contenders are eyeing Griffin, who could be one of the most intriguing arms on the trade market….if the Nationals decide to move him at all.
Griffin gave up three earned runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings, striking out two. This quality start was actually a dip in Griffin’s current form, as he ended a streak of eight consecutive starts without allowing more than one earned run. The lefty now has a 2.76 ERA, 22.6% strikeout rate, 45.5% slugging rate, and career-best 5.6% walk rate over 124 innings, with a solid strikeout rate that somewhat accounts for his average strikeout and strikeout rates.
A 3.75 SIERA, an 82.9% strikeout rate, and a .249 BABIP are other indicators that Griffin isn’t doing well with his core numbers. That said, Griffin (who turns 30 tomorrow) has been one of the finds of the season, having outlived the one-year, $5.5MM contract he signed with the Nationals last winter. After posting a 6.75 ERA in eight innings and seven games with the Royals and Blue Jays from 2020-22, Griffin spent the next three seasons rehabbing in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants, and the results are showing.
If the Nationals struggle as expected this year, Griffin may be traded before the deadline. However, powered by perhaps the best offense in baseball, Washington posted a 54-52 record and stayed a game out of the final NL wild card slot. It’s not out of the question that Griffin is still being moved, but doing so would greatly weaken the already-in-the-field staff.
While the team is still listening to offers from notables like Griffin, CJ Abramsor Luis Garcia Jr.the Nats might try to move the needle with some strategic buying and selling. We saw some of this in yesterday’s trade you posted Curtis Mead to the Red Sox Connelly Earlyas Washington trades Mead (a former top prospect who only broke out after joining the Nats in March) to get another top 100 prospect in Early who is already enjoying success since making his MLB debut last September.
Perhaps another such creative trade could be found for the Rays, who are no stranger to outside-the-box types of deals. Tampa has one of the top rotations in baseball on paper, but the durability of Shane Rasmussen is a question mark as injuries prevented him from riding in 2024-25, and both. Griffin Jax again Ian Seymour they were made into starters during the season only. Adding a decent starter to Griffin would help bolster the pitching staff, and give the Rays another starter who could start a playoff game.
The Phillies already have the top three in the postseason slated Christopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeleragain Jesus Luzardobut the struggles of Aaron Nola again Andrew Painter they left Philadelphia in search of help after the tour ended. While Griffin may be a good fit here, it’s worth noting that the Nationals are only three games behind the Phillies in second place in the NL East, so Washington may have little interest in trading a deal with a division rival.
