Acquiring closer Brandon Kintzler from the Minnesota Twins would be such a Mike Rizzo move. While other teams consider meeting the steep return the Baltimore Orioles are seeking for Zack Britton, if the O’s will actually trade the left-hander, a trade for Kinzler would likely cost significantly less (in prospects and cashy-money), and would give Washington something close to the sort of three-headed bullpen monster Bryce Harper himself said he hoped the Nats could get.
While rumors overnight had the Nationals in the mix for Britton after another rumored target, Justin Wilson, was dealt to the Chicago Cubs, the latest chatter this afternoon has the Nats checking in on Kintzler:
Kintzler, 32, is set to become a free agent after this season, and he’s playing out a relatively modest 1-year/$2.