Just because Major League Baseball’s trade deadline passed on July 31 doesn’t mean general managers take the rest of the summer off. Players can still be dealt — provided they pass through waivers first.
Dozens quietly pass through each August. But names do leak. On Sunday, the Boston Globe reported that the Red Sox have claimed Nationals shortstop Cristian Guzman.
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The move makes sense for Boston, which just lost shortstop Jed Lowrie (injured left forearm). Guzman is batting .317 with 58 runs scored and 40 RBI. He is a free swinger — a walk Sunday was just his 12th of the year — and his range at shortstop has clearly slipped a notch. But Guzman, 31, is also a two-time All-Star and can put together hits in bunches when hot.
Now, the question: Why in the world would the Nats give Guzman away, as the Globe report speculates they might? That, of course, is one of their options. Washington would also have 48 hours to trade Guzman to the Red Sox or it could simply pull him off waivers and retain his rights.
The Globe’s report suggests the Nats would let Guzman go to avoid paying his $8 million salary next season. That is likely why he would have slipped to the Red Sox in the first place — every National League team had first dibs followed by the 11 American League teams with worse records than Boston. But teams would be reluctant to “claim” Guzman — fearing the Nats would call their bluff and they’d have to take his salary.
But Washington isn’t a true small market like Kansas City or Pittsburgh. Just six months ago, the Nats offered Mark Teixeira more money than Boston did when the first baseman was the prime free agent on the market. They also have as much as $28 million in expiring contracts coming off the books at the end of this season. No, this isn’t a club in a financial pinch. Look for a trade with the Red Sox. Or, if the Nats’ asking price is again too high, look for Guzman at shortstop the rest of this season with trade talks beginning again in the winter.
