The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly inquired on the availability of Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper before Tuesday's MLB trade deadline.
According to NBC LA's Michael J. Duarte, while the Nationals try to decide whether or not they are sellers, they're fielding calls on one of baseball's best hitters. If they choose to be sellers, it appears the Dodgers are making it known they have interest.
Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan also reported Thursday that the Dodgers may not be the only team the Nationals have spoken with. Passan did not detail which teams were in the mix but did note, soon-to-be-free-agent relievers Kelvin Herrera, Shawn Kelley, and Ryan Madson have also been "of particular interest."
Harper, of course, will fetch the most in return should the Nationals sell prior to the July 31 deadline. This season, the former 2015 National League MVP owns a .216/.364/.476 stat line with 25 home runs, 60 RBI, 113 strikeouts and 81 walks. He was the recent All-Star Home Run Derby Champion and he would immediately make any team infinitely better heading into a postseason run.
He's also set to be the most sought-after free agent in baseball this summer and moving him now would virtually guarantee the end of his stay in Washington.
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When asked to describe where he thought his team was at in terms of buying or selling before the deadline, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told MLB.com, "[We are] still optimistic about the division, and we will do what's necessary to win this year and beyond in any deals we make."
But, that could quickly change and the record doesn't favor the Nationals who will likely have no choice but to start moving contracts before the weekend is out. If the Dodgers are the team who lands Harper, the NL West should be worried. The Dodgers sit at a record of 57-46 and already added a huge piece for their playoff push when they acquired shortstop Manny Machado.
