A deal two decades in the making: the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals have linked up for a trade for the first time ever.
Announced late Wednesday, the Nationals have acquired RHP Kyle Nicolas from the Orioles in exchange for infielder Randal Diaz, and optioned Nicolas to Triple-A Rochester.
To make room on their 40-man roster, the Nats moved LHP Mitchell Parker to the 60-day IL.
Nicolas, 27, is now on his fourth organization of 2026. He was dealt from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati this spring and appeared seven MLB games for the Reds, allowing eight earned runs in 7 1/3 innings. His contract was purchased by the Orioles in early June, and he allowed three runs in 4 1/3 innings over six outings at Triple-A Norfolk.
Over parts of four MLB seasons with the Pirates and Reds, the righty has a 4.96 ERA in 105 1/3 innings over 93 appearances.
Diaz, 23, was the Nats’ fifth-round pick in 2024 and debuted in 2025 at Low-A Fredericksburg. He has spent this season at High-A Wilmington, slashing .253/.360/.406 with five homers, 31 RBI, and 13 steals in 53 games.
He has played mostly second and third base this year, but has experience at first, short, and both outfield corners in his short career, and is expected to be assigned to the Orioles’ High-A affiliate in Frederick.
Although not a blockbuster, this trade marks the first between the two franchises since the Nationals officially moved to Washington in 2005; prior to that, the then-Montreal Expos and Orioles last linked up for a deal in October 2001, which was a meaningful one: Montreal dealt Tim Raines to Baltimore to allow Raines to play with his son, Tim Jr., making them the second father-son duo after the Griffeys to play for the same team in the same MLB game.
