Report: Nationals Wanted Matt Garza In Exchange For Adam Dunn

There are two things we know about the upcoming trade deadline, as it relates to Nationals slugger Adam Dunn.

1. He is likely to get traded if the team can't reach a contract extension, and it seems like they might not be able to.

2. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo wants the world for him.

This was confirmed, yet again, in a report by CBS baseball blogger Danny Knobler, that claims Rizzo asked the Rays for starter Matt Garza in exchange for Dunn.

Teams that have spoken to the Nationals about Adam Dunn believe there's a good chance Dunn will be traded by the end of the week.

They also think that the price Nats GM Mike Rizzo is asking for Dunn right now is ridiculously high. Rizzo has been telling teams that to trade Dunn, he would need to get a young starting pitcher who is either major-league ready or close to it.

How ready? Well, according to a source familiar with the talks, last week the Nationals asked the Rays for Matt Garza.

This looks much, much worse after Matt Garza threw the first no-hitter in franchise history yesterday. But even before that, he was still one of the better starters in the American League, and still only 26 years old. So that clearly wasn't happening, even before the no-no.

More importantly, it speaks to the haul Rizzo is looking to get in exchange for Dunn. I'm guessing that as the deadline approaches, and the market for Dunn becomes more solidified, that Rizzo will be forced to lower his expectations. But it's a good sign that he is trying his best to maximize Dunn's value.