Headlines

  • Pirates Trade Adam Frazier To Royals
  • Mets, Yankees Among Teams To Show Recent Interest In David Robertson
  • Stuart Sternberg Has Agreed To Sell Rays To Patrick Zalupski, Deal Expected To Be Final By September
  • Nationals Select Eli Willits With First Pick Of 2025 Amateur Draft
  • 2025 MLB Draft, First Round Results
  • Red Sox Place Hunter Dobbins On 15-Day IL Due To ACL Tear
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Nationals Place Nick Senzel On Release Waivers

By Anthony Franco | July 12, 2024 at 8:48am CDT

The Nationals announced this morning that they’ve placed Nick Senzel on unconditional release waivers. Any team that claims him would assume the remainder of his $2MM salary. It’s likelier he’ll go unclaimed and become a free agent.

Washington had five days to find a trade partner after designating the third baseman for assignment last Saturday. That didn’t come to fruition, making a release the likely outcome. Senzel entered the season with four years and 150 days of service time. He surpassed the five-year mark in April, thereby earning the right to decline any assignments to the minor leagues without forfeiting salary. Since Senzel would likely have elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment to Triple-A, the Nats simply released him.

The Nationals took a flier on the former #2 overall pick last offseason. Senzel never developed into the offensive force that the Reds envisioned when they drafted him so highly. That’s in part because of injury, as the University of Tennessee product missed time because of knee and toe issues. Even when healthy, Senzel turned in middling offensive numbers. He combined for a .239/.302/.368 line in nearly 1400 plate appearances with Cincinnati.

The Reds opted not to tender him an arbitration contract. The Nationals, still at the tail end of their rebuild, guaranteed him $2MM in hopes that a change of scenery could unlock some of the upside he showed in college and in the minors. The Nats also committed to moving Senzel back to his natural third base position after the Reds had bounced him around the diamond in recent years.

Senzel continued to struggle in his new home. He opened the season on the injured list after breaking his thumb in Spring Training. Senzel returned in mid-April and blasted five home runs over his first couple weeks of the season. His production tailed off almost immediately thereafter. Since the start of May, he’s hitting .207/.309/.299 in 188 plate appearances. That wasn’t going to translate to any kind of trade interest.

Washington is giving rookie Trey Lipscomb an audition at third base after moving on from Senzel. The 24-year-old has struggled to a .228/.293/.257 slash line over his first 43 MLB contests. The Nats have dropped 10 games under .500 and are quickly falling from the Wild Card race, though, so they’ve taken the past couple weeks to get looks at younger players. Washington also released Eddie Rosario in conjunction with the promotion of top outfield prospect James Wood.

Once he clears release waivers, Senzel might need to take a minor league contract. If he secures a spot on the MLB roster with another team, that club would only owe him the prorated portion of the $740K minimum for time spent in the majors. The Nationals remain on the hook for the rest of his salary.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Transactions Washington Nationals Nick Senzel

The Opener: Kiermaier, Futures Game, Draft
Main
Pirates To Designate Brent Honeywell For Assignment
View Comments (28)
Post a Comment

28 Comments

  1. 28rings

    1 year ago

    all 6 years his career with an OPS+ below 100 with a negative dWAR… how’d he last THIS long???

    1
    Reply
    • Hard to walk with four balls

      1 year ago

      being a #2 pick goes a long way i guess

      13
      Reply
      • rememberthecoop

        1 year ago

        Your moniker is hilarious Hardtowalk.

        5
        Reply
      • 28rings

        1 year ago

        that’s true… teams see bad 1st round pick and think there’s something they can fix

        Reply
    • CBeisbol

      1 year ago

      28

      Because teams don’t look at OPS+ or dWAR

      Senzel has a lot of skills that are needed to be a productive major league player. He just wasn’t able to ever put it together

      You have the benefit of looking at this only in hindsight.

      I’m sure you’d find that if you kept track of all the players that you had an opinion on, you’d find that you gave up on a lot of players too soon.

      2
      Reply
      • gbs42

        1 year ago

        Teams undoubtedly look at OPS+ and dWAR, but they look at lots of other factors, many of which we’re not privy to.

        8
        Reply
        • CBeisbol

          1 year ago

          GBS

          Almost certainly not

          I mean, they’d undoubtedly look at wRC+ before OPS+

          And something like DRS before dWAR

          Reply
  2. uvmfiji

    1 year ago

    His career went kieboom in DC

    8
    Reply
    • rememberthecoop

      1 year ago

      Good one!

      Reply
    • Armaments216

      1 year ago

      Kieboom might get another chance before the season is out. Assuming the Nationals aren’t ready to start the service clock on Brady House.

      1
      Reply
  3. Macbeth

    1 year ago

    He reminds me of Clint Frazier.

    1
    Reply
    • Emilia

      1 year ago

      Many moons ago, Frazier’s name came up in every NYY trade. The Yanks said he was untouchable. The same went for the Cubs with Schwarber.. One day untouchable, the next non-tendered.

      1
      Reply
      • My Strawman > Your Strawman

        1 year ago

        Bet one of those teams wishes they could have that decision back

        2
        Reply
      • 920falcon

        1 year ago

        I will trade you Frazier and Andujar, you give me your best player.

        Reply
    • Dogbone

      1 year ago

      Ideal guy for the Chisox.

      Reply
  4. Os1995

    1 year ago

    Just a reminder with the draft coming up that 8-9 of the top 10 picks in any given draft will likely end up like this. Only 15% of top 10 picks ever have a 2 WAR season. Even picking at the top of the draft doesn’t guarantee anything in baseball.

    13
    Reply
    • CATS44

      1 year ago

      This is pretty accurate.

      Since Senzel was drafted in 2016, lets look at that draft 8 years later, and the total production of the top ten.

      1) Moniak…0.4 fWAR…bust.
      2) Senzel….-0.5….bust.
      3) Ian Andersom…3.8…you decide
      4) Riley Pint…bust
      5) Corey Ray…-0.1… bust
      6) Puk…1.9…bust
      7) Braxton Garrett…5.0…not bad.
      8) Cal Quantrill 7.0…best of the bunch.
      9) Matt Manning…2.7…you decide.
      10) Zack Collins…-2.1… bust.

      I dont know what any GM expects to get out of a top ten draft pick over eight years, but if I was a GM, I would only call two of them a success.

      Quantrill, a MOR has been the most productive.

      BTW…only Garrett and Quantrill have had a 2 fWAR season.

      4
      Reply
      • Rishi

        1 year ago

        Ian Anderson is still young and has amazing postseason stats in a fairly small sample obviously. Even that draft isn’t as bad as the 15% figure. But there are no guys that were great. Granted. One draft tho

        Reply
      • Edp007

        1 year ago

        I’d have to look but that could be on the all time worst top ten draft picks if not the worst , in any of the four sports ( nba nhl mlb nfl) ?

        Reply
      • Datashark

        1 year ago

        pretty much all those in first round of 2016 have turned out busts or on their way to being bench fodder.

        Then you have compensation round and later:
        Wil Smith (comp)
        Bryan Reynolds (2nd R)
        Pete Alonso (2nd R)
        Bo Bichette (2nd R)
        Zac Gallen (3rd R)
        Corbin Burnes (4th R)
        Shane Bieber (4th R)

        Baseball draft is no where like NBA where anything after 1st is rare to find quality

        5
        Reply
        • Edp007

          1 year ago

          Thanks. That is very interesting. Almost all of those you list could make a case for number 1.

          Reply
  5. Rishi

    1 year ago

    If we look at more recent drafts that figure isn’t close to accurate. I assume the statistic is going back to the beginnings of the draft. The point is a good one tho. It is hard to judge the most recent drafts (even going back 6 years or so) but the ones before that are usually littered with MLB stars in the top 10 picks. And even some recent ones are already better than 15%. The draft ain’t the same as the old days. Some players used to not even know they were drafted for weeks or months. There would be large areas with very few scouts. Everything is at your fingertips now as an organization.

    3
    Reply
  6. thegreatgoodbye

    1 year ago

    Yankees should be looking at Senzel. Much better upgrade over JD Davis, especially since Senzel can play the field.

    1
    Reply
    • Degaz

      1 year ago

      Senzel is an awful defender no matter where you put him…

      2
      Reply
  7. dogs55

    1 year ago

    …or they could be a Piazza, be picked in the 62nd round, 1,390th pick & become a star.

    1
    Reply
    • Tom the ray fan

      1 year ago

      Thanks to the juice like Canseco

      1
      Reply
  8. bravesfan

    1 year ago

    Another OF bat that I wouldn’t be totally shocked if the Braves gave a shot

    Reply
    • sixpence

      1 year ago

      Him being a Boras client no way!

      2
      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

  • Top Stories
  • Recent

Pirates Trade Adam Frazier To Royals

Mets, Yankees Among Teams To Show Recent Interest In David Robertson

Stuart Sternberg Has Agreed To Sell Rays To Patrick Zalupski, Deal Expected To Be Final By September

Nationals Select Eli Willits With First Pick Of 2025 Amateur Draft

2025 MLB Draft, First Round Results

Red Sox Place Hunter Dobbins On 15-Day IL Due To ACL Tear

Astros Promote Brice Matthews

Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

Phillies Reportedly Targeting Controllable Relievers

Yankees Prioritizing Pitching, Also Searching For Infield Help

Orioles Trade Bryan Baker To Rays

Yankees Release DJ LeMahieu

Trevor Williams To Undergo UCL Surgery

Nationals Fire PBO Mike Rizzo, Manager Dave Martinez

Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff

Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

Bobby Jenks Passes Away

Braves Release Alex Verdugo

Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim

Poll: Which Team Had The Most Impressive First Half?

Bruce Zimmermann Opts Out Of Brewers Deal

A’s Select Carlos Cortes

Trade Deadline Outlook: Arizona Diamondbacks

Orioles Claim Elvin Rodriguez

Marlins Designate Rob Brantly For Assignment

MLB Mailbag: Tigers, Gore, Athletics, Astros

Pirates Trade Adam Frazier To Royals

MLBTR Podcast: Rays’ Ownership, The Phillies Target Bullpen Help, And Bubble Teams

The Opener: Draft Pick Signings, Robertson, Twins

MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

Latest Rumors & News

Latest Rumors & News

  • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
  • Luis Robert Rumors
  • Alex Bregman Rumors

 

Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

MLBTR Features

MLBTR Features

  • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
  • Front Office Originals
  • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
  • MLBTR Podcast
  • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
  • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
  • Contract Tracker
  • Transaction Tracker
  • Extension Tracker
  • Agency Database
  • MLBTR On Twitter
  • MLBTR On Facebook
  • Team Facebook Pages
  • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

Rumors By Team

  • Angels Rumors
  • Astros Rumors
  • Athletics Rumors
  • Blue Jays Rumors
  • Braves Rumors
  • Brewers Rumors
  • Cardinals Rumors
  • Cubs Rumors
  • Diamondbacks Rumors
  • Dodgers Rumors
  • Giants Rumors
  • Guardians Rumors
  • Mariners Rumors
  • Marlins Rumors
  • Mets Rumors
  • Nationals Rumors
  • Orioles Rumors
  • Padres Rumors
  • Phillies Rumors
  • Pirates Rumors
  • Rangers Rumors
  • Rays Rumors
  • Red Sox Rumors
  • Reds Rumors
  • Rockies Rumors
  • Royals Rumors
  • Tigers Rumors
  • Twins Rumors
  • White Sox Rumors
  • Yankees Rumors

Navigation

  • Sitemap
  • Archives
  • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

MLBTR INFO

  • Advertise
  • About
  • Commenting Policy
  • Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Contact Us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top

Register

Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version