Nationals’ Luis Garcia Jr. scratched on Sunday with trade rumors swirling

The Washington Nationals have already made one move ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline. The Nationals moved Curtis Mead for Connelly Early from the Boston Red Sox. On Saturday, one of the major catalysts of the stellar offense, first baseman Luis Garcia Jr., was pulled from the game against the Atlanta Braves. It was due to injury, not a trade, according to the team.

Then, on Sunday, against the Braves, Garcia was not in the lineup, according to Mark Zuckerman of Natsjournal.com.

“Luis Garcia Jr. was just scratched from the Nationals’ lineup,” Zuckerman posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Garcia was still on the bench for the game, but did not appear in the contest. Garcia is having a stellar year with the Nats. He is hitting .283, the best batting average of his career. He also has a .313 on-base percentage. Further, Garcia has hit a career-high 23 home runs in just 104 games this year. Garcia has also set a career high in RBIs, driving in 76 runs so far this year.

Garcia did not appear in the game against the Braves. Andres Chaparro got the start at first base, but he left the game after being stuck in the head by a pitch. He is considered day-to-day currently. Brady House took over at first base, going 0-2 and struggling to bring in a high throw from CJ Abrams in the field.

There are reports that Garcia is on the move, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

“The Yankees are trying to complete a trade for Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. AA starter Jack Cebert has been discussed prominently,” Sherman posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Meanwhile, the Nationals need to make decisions on their future. After falling 4-2 to the Braves, the Nationals have now lost five straight and are falling out of contention in the National League.

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