MLB trade rumors: Would the Nationals really trade Bryce Harper? Here's what a deal could look like | Indians, Diamondbacks in the mix?

by Felix Pantaleón

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is Tuesday, July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) at 4 p.m. The struggling Washington Nationals might be willing to move outfielder Bryce Harper, the 2015 National League MVP and reigning Home Run Derby champion. Complicating matters is the fact Harper will be a free agent after the 2018 season.

A month ago, it was laughable. A week ago it was just too twisted to consider. But here we are, less than eight hours before the non-waiver trade deadline, and the Washington Nationals are considering trading outfielder Bryce Harper.

rivals continue to believe bryce harper is long shot to be traded. nats are only 5.5 games out & they’d risk fan revolt. also, they wouldn’t get haul as rental. o’s did well getting yusniel plus 4 for machado. but market is better for a ss/3B & manny was hitting 100 points higher

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 31, 2018

The Nationals are in a tough spot. The are one game under .500, in third place in the National League East, 5.5 games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies.

The Nationals are in eighth place in the NL Wild Card Race.

Harper will be a free agent after the season. Chances are slim-to-none that he will re-sign with Washington. So if the Nationals don’t think they have one more playoff run in them this fall, trading Harper now would at least guarantee getting something back in return for the 2015 National League MVP and reigning Home Run Derby champion.

Harper is hitting a career-worst .220 this season but he is tied for second in the NL with 25 home runs this season.

That power potential will have deep-pocketed teams like the Yankees and Phillies making a run at Harper in the offseason.

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The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal explains how a potential Harper deadline deal would work:

The Nationals are indeed sending “feelers” out to potentially interested clubs on Harper, “seeing if someone wants to go crazy,” according to a rival executive.

…

The Arizona Diamondbacks would be a perfect match — the Nats could trade Harper for left-hander Patrick Corbin in a swap of potential free agents, and possibly acquire one of the DBacks’ three catchers as well.

The Cleveland Indians are perhaps an even better fit for Harper, though they do not match up as well with a starting pitcher, not when Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer all are under multi-year control. Well, maybe add to the package to get Bauer. Or take a younger, more controllable starter such as Mike Clevinger or Shane Bieber.

Get creative. Figure something out. If not with the DBacks, if not with the Indians, then some other club.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.