The Nationals said Harvey, 29, was placed on waivers in March 2022, hoping he could contribute in a bullpen with a long history of injuries in the 2013 first round. Harvey stayed mostly healthy and blossomed into one of the Nationals’ best relievers. Over 2½ seasons, he had a 3.17 ERA and 162 strikeouts over 145 innings in 138 games. He was usually Kyle Finnegan’s setup man, but also recorded 10 saves.
Harvey got off to a fast start this season, but has struggled over the past month. He has a 4.20 ERA in 43 appearances. Regardless, the trade was a organizational win for the Nationals, who made a low-risk waiver claim and turned Harvey into a trade chip.
And they are probably not finished. Barring injury, outfielder Jesse Winger and reliever Dylan Floro appear likely to be traded before the July 30 deadline. Outfielder Lane Thomas is another option, but that’s far from a certainty. Finnegan could also be in the mix, but like Thomas, he still has a year of team control.
Wallace, the third baseman According to MLB Pipeline, the Royals’ no. 2 opportunity. He suffered an oblique injury in late May and missed more than a month, but returned to action on June 27 during a rehab assignment with Kansas City’s rookie-ball team. He suffered a setback on July 6 when he fractured a rib and was hit by a pitch and has not played since. Wallace, a second-round draft pick out of Arkansas in 2022, hit .282 with a .777 OPS, three homers and 16 RBI in 34 games with Class AA Northwest Arkansas.
The trade gives the Nationals three picks on the first night of the draft: No. 10, 39 and 44. The 39th pick comes with a slot value of $2.395 million, boosting the Nationals’ bonus package to $13,895,100. Competitive tie picks — this year, six after the first round and eight after the second — are the only picks that can be traded.
The Nationals recalled right-hander Amos Willingham to accommodate Harvey’s roster, according to a person familiar with their plans. Willingham, 25, had a 4.54 ERA in 32 games at Class AAA Rochester; He appeared in 18 games for the Nationals last year.
