When the Nationals signed Foster Griffin in December of 2025, he was labeled as a low-upside reclamation project. The southpaw hadn’t thrown an MLB pitch since September of 2022, a season in which he posted an 8.33 ERA across 6.1 innings with the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays. His prestige as a 2014 1st-round MLB Draft selection had long worn off, and he was forced to play in Japan for 3 seasons before earning another chance at the big leagues.
In need of pitching, Washington’s front office gave him that chance, likely hoping that the lefty, who had thrown only 8.0 MLB innings in his career, would be an arm who could provide some innings at the back end of the rotation. 110.1 innings and 19 starts later, Griffin has become the most effective pitcher in the Nats’ rotation and has picked up 10 wins before the All-Star break.
Looking even further ahead, the entire MLB media saw Washington as nothing more than a rebuilding team, with aspirations of a playoff berth multiple years away at best. 94 games into the 2026 season, the Nats remain above .500 as a team and are still very much in the mix for a Wild Card spot.
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A high-end outcome for Griffin when he signed his 1-year, $5.5 million contract was seen as him becoming a decent trade candidate who could potentially net a prospect or two at the trade deadline. Now, the conversation surrounding the 30-year-old has grown increasingly complicated. There still isn’t a definitive answer as to how the Washington brass will approach the deadline, with the decision of whether to sell and stick to the rebuild or buy and believe in the youth movement far from a simple one.
If they were to go with the former, the reasons why he would be an attractive trade candidate are plentiful. His ERA ranks in the top 20 lowest marks in baseball, he continues to generate whiffs and work deeper into games, and his contract is incredibly cheap, especially compared to his production thus far. Griffin’s status as a 1-year rental and his lack of extended MLB success will give teams at least some level of pause, so moving him would bring back a good return but nothing overwhelmingly substantial.
Choosing to keep him and buy at the deadline in hopes of making a “Cinderella-esque” run in October is the aggressive, high-risk, high-reward move, and his pitching style has proven to be valuable in the postseason. The downside there, however, is obvious. Keeping your best trade piece could prove costly if the team fades in the second half, with deciding to pass on receiving possibly rebuild-accelerating prospects an occurrence that could hurt the club’s long-term outlook.
There are some saving graces in that scenario, though, with the main one being the option to begin extension talks with Griffin’s camp to lock him up for the foreseeable future. If nothing can get done on that front, extending the Qualifying Offer to him in free agency could give the Nats another draft pick if he signs elsewhere.
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A final decision on Griffin’s future with Washington doesn’t have to come for a couple more weeks and will likely be heavily influenced by how the team performs after the All-Star break. Whichever way the front office goes, the Nats will have either a reliable starter for a playoff push or one of the most sought-after arms at the deadline.
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