Nationals’ General Manager Mike Rizzo and Co. in Washington’s front office made a trade for catcher Derek Norris this winter to address their needs behind the plate, sending right-handed prospect Pedro Avila to the San Diego Padres.
Five days after that deal, the Nats traded top prospects Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and 2016 1st Round pick Dane Dunning to the Chicago White Sox in return for veteran center fielder Adam Eaton in a much-maligned 3-for-1 deal.
Rizzo was asked this winter if trading prospects in each of those moves, and acquiring relatively affordable players in Norris and Eaton, set the Nationals up to make a bigger investment this offseason or in the future.