Nats Trade García for Four Yankee Pitchers

With less than 24 hours left in the 2026 MLB trade deadline, the Washington Nationals made their first move to net them prospects with the trade of the once-untouchable Luis Garcí Jr. for four RHPs from the New York Yankees.

Here’s a quick look at the four pitchers acquired:

• Jake Bird – Bird, 30, has been a middle reliever for the Rockies (2022-2024) and the Yankees (2025-2026), splitting time between AAA and the majors. His best season was 2023 in which he spent all year in Colorado, goijg 3-3 in 70 appearances with 4.33 ERA.
• Jack Cebert – Cebert was a 15th Rd. pick in ’25 and was a starter for the Patriots, making 12 starts, 13 appearances and posting a line 4.90/1.38/4.59 over 64⅓ IP. He was the Yankees #15 prospect. As the line suggests, he’s a pitch-to-contact whose strength is generating ground balls, though the Nats may decide to return him to a relief role as he did in college where he was in the high 90s. Currently on the I.L. (July 25)
• Yovanny Cruz – Cruz was recalled to New York for the second time this season yesterday after making 31 appearances out of the ‘pen for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 7-3 with a 3.53 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, four saves, four holds, and a 13.1 K/9 rate—thanks to a FB that breaks into triple digits—after signing with the Yankees as an MLFA in the offseason. The 27-y.o. is in his 11th season as a pro and the Nats will be his fifth organization after signing as an IFA with the Cubs in 2016.
• Ben Grable – Drafted last year in the 11th Rd. by New York, the 24-y.o. has already gotten Nationals elbow out of the way (2024). He features a high-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider. In 26 appearances for AA Somerset, he’s gone 3-1` with a 2.79 ERA, 29 K’s, eight BB’s, and one HR. Prior to the trade he was ranked the #25 prospect by MLB Pipeline

At first blush, it looks like the Nats “won” the trade by getting two pitching prospects and two MLB-ready relievers during a career year. On the other hand, the Yankees have acquired a player who remains under team control through 2027. Given the utter lack of healthy and age-appropriate pitchers above High-A, this is probably a gamble worth making and buys time for the younger pitchers.