Nationals could present Guardians with tempting opportunity to buy-low on former first round pick

This time of the baseball calendar can always be a bit tough to navigate for Guardians fans since the hot stove is getting warmer but the Guardians are usually nowhere to be found in the rumors. 

That doesn’t mean we can’t dream, however. The latest player who could have fans in Northeast Ohio dreaming about the Guardians being involved in a transaction is Nationals infielder Dylan Crews, who has appeared in 225 games with the Nationals since they took him with the No. 2 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. 

But the Nationals seem willing to move on from him, as The Athletic’s Spencer Nusbaum reported earlier this week that a “number of teams” have expressed interest in Crews as a trade target. Although Crews doesn’t have the same kind of star next to his name as he did as a prospect, he’s still just 24 years old and isn’t going to be a free agent until 2032, which makes him an intriguing bounce-back candidate. 

Dylan Crews would make sense as a Guardians trade target 

But just because he won’t cost as much as he would’ve when he was a top-10 prospect doesn’t mean the Nationals would be willing to give him up for peanuts. While the Nationals’ hypothetical return for Crews isn’t known, it’s hard to imagine Washington wouldn’t seek some pitching in return given they finished last season with a 4.68 ERA. 

Last year marked the first time Crews was an everyday player for the Nationals, and he responded to the opportunity with a .223/.289/.374 slashline with 13 homers and 44 RBI. He may be an above-average defender (+4 Outs Above Average), but that kind of offensive profile is nowhere near what was projected for him coming out of the minors. 

That said, he still has some clear potential, though it became tougher for him to have an avenue to act on that potential earlier this month when the Nationals signed center fielder Jacob Young to a four-year, $33 million extension. 

While it may not look like there’s room for Crews on the Guardians’ roster due to Cleveland’s glut of outfielders, Crews would be a good option if the Guardians need to backfill their outfield following a potential trade of Steven Kwan and/or Jo Adell. 

Adding Crews would give Cleveland an everyday outfielder for the first time since the beginning of Myles Straw’s tenure while also giving Crews an opportunity to find his footing in a new organization. 

It would just remain to be seen if the Guardians would be willing to meet Washington’s potential asking price. Gavin Williams and Parker Messick are untouchable at the start of the Guardians’ rotation, and it’s hard to imagine the Guardians would be willing to trade Joey Cantillo or Tanner Bibee for Crews. But things would get interesting if the Guardians were willing to part with some of their pitching depth like Austin Peterson, Yorman Gómez or even Khal Stephen. 

Crews wouldn’t be a “need” for the Guardians, but a trade for him would give the Guardians a great chance to buy-low on a player who has yet to tap into his full potential.

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