Nationals deal Foster Griffin to Guardians for four prospects

It didn’t happen to the literal eleventh hour, but the Nationals finally did indeed trade Foster Griffin, sending the righty to the Cleveland Guardians in the final hour before Monday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.

In return, the Nats will get LHP Josh Hartle, who is Cleveland’s No. 25 prospect per MLB Pipeline, as well as fellow LHP Will Dion, RHP Kendeglys Virguez, and outfielder Nick Mitchell.

Griffin signed a one-year deal worth $5.5 million this offseason after he spent the last three seasons in Japan, and it turned out to be maybe the biggest bargain of the offseason. Griffin was 12-3 with a 3.06 ERA for the Nats, throwing 129 1/3 innings and earning an All-Star nod in the process.

There had been rumblings the Nats may try to extend Griffin, but now, he will head to Cleveland as they try to solidify their playoff push, and then head to free agency without the qualifying offer in play – as he is now ineligible thanks to being traded.

The return is headlined by Hartle, the No. 25 prospect in the Guardians org who was a third-round pick in 2024. The 23-year-old has spent the entire season at Double-A Akron, going 4-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 19 starts, and he is the second Double-A starter the Nats acquired at the deadline after adding Jack Cebert from the Yankees in the Luis Garcia deal.

Dion, 26, was a ninth-round pick in 2021, and made his MLB debut this year, posting a 4.58 ERA and 25 Ks in 19 2/3 innings over 12 appearances. He also had a 3.62 ERA and 52 Ks in 37 1/3 Triple-A innings over 21 outings, but he could slot immediately into the MLB ‘pen for Washington.

Virguez, 22, was promoted to Double-A last week but spent most of the year at High-A Kane County, where he had a 4.56 ERA, two saves, and 39 J in 25 2/3 innings over 23 appearances.

Mitchell, 22, has spent most of the season at Akron, playing all three outfield positions and slashing .240/.358/.360 with five homers, 39 RBI, and 19 steals in 75 games.