The Washington Nationals’ trade for Adam Eaton during the week is leading to quite a bit of fallout, including Danny Espinosa being unhappy.
Espinosa did not attend the Nats’ annual Winterfest event this weekend, and the Washington Post says it’s in protest of the Eaton trade.
The belief is that Eaton, acquired from the Chicago White Sox, will play center field for the Nats. That would allow the team to move Trea Turner to shortstop — his natural position. Unfortunately, that leaves Espinosa, who played shortstop for the team last season, as the odd man out.
Nats GM Mike Rizzo suggested just as much when he said during the week that Espinosa was a trade candidate.
“I could see him as utility player,” Rizzo said of Espinosa, via the Post. “I could see him as a player you could utilize in a trade context to get another piece that you need. There’s a lot of moving parts we can go, and a lot of different avenues we can attack.”
Espinosa hit 24 home runs last season, but he batted just .209. He served primarily as a second baseman for the team from 2011-2014, and then he played multiple positions in 2015, including first, second, third, shortstop and left field.
After being the team’s starting shortstop for all of 2016, it might be hard for Espinosa to go back to being a bench or utility player.
