Trade deadline acquisitions having divergent starts to Nationals tenure

NEW YORK — Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni attempted to thread the needle at the trade deadline, which is a tricky spot.

On July 29, the Nationals sat one game above .500 after dropping a series finale against the Blue Jays before heading on an eight-game road trip. Then the bottom fell out for the franchise as it was swept in Atlanta, dropping the Nationals’ record to 55-58 entering the Aug. 3 deadline.

The losing likely made it easier for Toboni to part with All-Star left-hander Foster Griffin and first baseman Luis García Jr. — Curtis Mead was traded the week prior.

Dealing those players allowed the Nationals to revamp their pitching depth. They acquired Connelly Early, Jake Bird, Yovanny Cruz, Will Dion, Jack Cebert, Ben Grabel, Josh Hartle and Kendeglys Virguez across the three trades. Toboni opted for the bulk approach to supplementing the staff.

And on Saturday the Nationals saw two deadline additions deliver completely different results in a 5-4 loss to the Mets. It was their 32nd blown save of the season.

Cruz — who struggled Wednesday against the Cubs, allowing two runs in one-third of an inning — came in to try to close the game with the Nationals clinging to a one-run lead. With his tantalizing stuff, he’s the most logical choice for late-inning roles.

But, after a leadoff walk, a single and a double, he went from protecting the lead to trying to avoid the loss in a season filled with bullpen implosions.

After a mound visit with pitching coach Simon Mathews, Cruz struck out A.J. Ewing but watched as Francisco Lindor’s walk-off single flew over the head of Dylan Crews in right field.

On the other end, Dion was superb for the Nationals and a catalyst for them holding a lead late in the game. The two have had different experiences adjusting to their new team.

“I think Will’s jumped right in and has gotten off to a great start,” manager Blake Butera said. “I think Yovanny’s still trying to find his footing a little bit. Have tried him in a few different roles, but the big thing is confidence. It’s hard to come over to a new team where you don’t really know a ton of people.

“It’s a little bit easier when you jump into this and have success right away. We got to help Yovanny. That’s up to us as a staff to get him right.”

Cruz concurred that it’s been a tough adjustment since joining the Nationals from the Yankees, especially after being asked to deliver in high-leverage spots for a team that has endured bullpen issues all season. Because the team envisions Cruz developing into a high-leverage arm, the Nationals (60-66) haven’t placed him in advantageous spots.

“It’s a new team, new organization, and also I feel like I’ve changed my style of pitching,” Cruz said.

He said he’s throwing his splitter more with the Nationals, but he said nobody explicitly told him to lean on that pitch.

Cruz’s fastball command has evaded him, resulting in him throwing just three fastballs, his lowest total this season. Because of that, he threw 18 sliders, the most he’s thrown in a game all season. Upping his confidence and getting him back in the zone are high on the Nationals’ to-do list.

“Anytime you walk the leadoff guy, you put yourself in a tough spot,” Butera said.

But the Nationals wouldn’t have been in position to close out the game if not for Dion’s contributions.

He delivered in a big spot after reliever-turned-starter Brad Lord couldn’t escape the first inning — he walked four batters and allowed two runs. Dion wasn’t surprised to get the call to enter the game. The staff told him he would come in after Lord, and Dion saw Lord’s pitch count rising in that first inning.

Dion entered with the bases loaded and struck out Jorge Polanco to end the inning.

“Just trying to keep the boys in the game,” Dion said. “Just trying to keep the game as close as possible because these boys can score runs.”

Dion did more than keep the game close. He threw 4 1/3 no-hit innings, striking out seven and walking one, enough to bide time as the offense found its rhythm and allow Butera to deploy his bullpen how he saw fit late in the game.

Dion lifted up Lord and kept the Nationals in the game long enough for Brady House’s three-run, sixth-inning homer to give them a 4-2 lead.

“He’s competitive,” Butera said of Dion. “He believes in his stuff, and he’s not afraid to attack hitters. At the end of the day, I love when that guy’s on the mound because he’s gonna go right at you.”

Dion, acquired from the Cleveland Guardians, was one player evaluators around the league were enamored with.

Despite his average fastball velocity sitting in the 10th percentile at 91.4 mph, Dion was effective Saturday by getting ahead in counts and living in the strike zone. Sixty-four percent of Dion’s pitches were strikes, and he threw 71% of his first pitches for strikes.

It’s not unusual that Dion was able to deftly navigate the Mets lineup. After being drafted in the ninth round in 2021 out of McNeese State, he progressed through the minors, starting 27 games with an unremarkable 5.48 ERA for Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate in 2024. But in 2025 he transitioned to more of a relief role and saw his ERA lower to 4.09.

Dion debuted May 26, ironically against the Nationals, and allowed two runs over three innings. After a blow-up outing against the Red Sox that saw him allow six runs (two earned) in an inning, he’s largely been a consistent producer, sporting a 2.79 ERA since that May 30 game entering Saturday.

During his pregame media availability, Butera gushed about his affinity for hybrid pitchers, those particular arms that can oscillate between starting and relieving. Dion’s starting experience certainly aids him in his new role.

Dion credited the Guardians for training him in a hybrid starter/reliever role, preparing him for situations like Saturday.

“That I can compete at this level,” Dion said of what he learned about himself. “This is a tough level. These hitters across the league can bang, and just seeing my stuff play, it helps me a lot.”

That confidence is also born of trust. Trust in himself, the coaches and his defense. Having belief that his position players will complete the plays behind him is reassuring.

“[Dion] was the MVP of the game for me, by far,” Butera said. “Obviously, keeping us in the game but also giving us a chance tomorrow by saving some guys and not making us use the guys after him for more than an inning.

“Look, we got to find ways to preserve these leads.”

This article has been updated.