As the trade deadline looms, the Washington Nationals’ fanbase holds its collective breath. Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson are going to be vital pieces in the mid-to-late innings, but they’re not the shut-down closer that this bullpen needs to go deep in October. The Nats were able to hold onto all their top prospects in that deal with Oakland, leaving them plenty of room to make some noise in the closer market.
Washington has a top-heavy farm system, boasting several promising stars within their organization’s top five — but not much else.