MLB Trade Rumors: Nationals Reportedly Asked Rays For Matt Garza In Adam Dunn Negotiations

Adam Dunn is known to be among the premier raw sluggers in the game today, and being that the Nationals have put him on the trade market, he's drawn his fair share of interest. The issue? The Nationals and GM Mike Rizzo haven't quite been reasonable in their requests for a trade return:

Teams that have spoken to the Nationals about Adam Dunn believe there's a good chance Dunn will be traded by the end of the week.

They also think that the price Nats GM Mike Rizzo is asking for Dunn right now is ridiculously high. Rizzo has been telling teams that to trade Dunn, he would need to get a young starting pitcher who is either major-league ready or close to it.

How ready? Well, according to a source familiar with the talks, last week the Nationals asked the Rays for Matt Garza.

Dunn is a very productive hitter, and has been for as long as he's been in the Majors, but one can only demand so much in exchange for a positionless slugger who is two months from free agency. It's one thing for the Nationals to insist on a high cost. That's bargaining. But there's no value in being stubborn, so if Rizzo is to move Dunn before the end of the week, he'll have to drop the cost.