Kelvin Herrera #40 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park on August 5, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
The Washington Nationals had won their division three times in the past four years, and had no playoff series wins to show for it. As the 2018 season progressed, needing help in the bullpen became evident for the Nationals. Instead of waiting until the trading deadline to acquire an arm, they struck early, in the middle of June early.
They acquired one of the most sought after arms in the trading market, Kelvin Herrera, closer of the Kansas City Royals.