Deadline for MLB transactions: Bryce Harper still with the Nationals

Starting Monday night, Tuesday at 4 pm. Bryce Harper-mania has seized the world of baseball. The rumor has spread that the Washington Nationals were listening to the team's offers six times, and slowly but surely, the news revealed that other teams might have a legitimate interest. At the end of Monday's evening, people familiar with their plans said the Nationals had not ruled out Harper's exchange. Everything seemed to be gaining momentum at this time of the year, rushing to a conclusion suddenly considered inevitable.

Then general manager Mike Rizzo, who says he was insurgent Monday night, sent a text message to the Washington Post.

"Bryce is not going anywhere," we read. "I believe in this team."

When? came around, Rizzo had supported his words with actions that supported them. The Nationals' only move has been to send reliever Brandon Kintzler to Chicago for right-handed pitcher Jhon Romero, which will allow them to save at least $ 6 million over the next two seasons. Harper was in the Nationals clubhouse and in their lineup, playing right field and hitting third. Nothing else had changed. The Nationals stood in suspense, hoping that this team will play its potential to defeat two inexperienced teams in the league standings. "19659010" We had several discussions with teams about a whole litany of players. Bryce was one of them. Several teams had more than a passing interest, "said Rizzo." We have been diligently pursuing Bryce and five or six of our players, and we have failed to reach a reasonable deal for the 2018 season and beyond, so we did not agree until the end of the afternoon, when the Cubs offered us a contract that makes sense, and we reacted by exchanging Kintzler. "

The reason why Rizzo and his manager Dave Martinez the nationals have enough depth to spare a veteran, and wanted to find room for the most versatile Wander Suero, who can provide several innings at a time. "We have felt that Suero has gained the opportunity to pitch in the big leagues – he has shown us shining brilliancy here," said Rizzo, who acknowledged that with Koda Glover now healthy in Syracuse The Nationals have a lot of depth Rizzo also cited "financial flexibility" as a partial motivation

The Nationals also reportedly made more money by exchanging Kelvin Herrera or Ryan Madson, both are autonomous players after This season, while 33-year-old Kintzler has a complicated club and player option that made him controllable for two seasons, it was not the obvious choice to move in. Some within the organization speculate that The agreement was a lot about Kintzler's willingness to talk about his clubhouse spirit as his performance.Kintzler was open about the effects of his use and his workload on his performance. in which he achieved a 3.45 ERA in 45 appearances this season. He was an important presence in the club, supported by less experienced veterans and relievers for guidance on mechanics and approach.

"I thought they were joking," Kintzler said about the case. "They called me and I said," Am I exchanged? "They said," Yeah. "I thought they were joking.

In the days before the deadline, the Nationals also responded to calls and measured interest on high-priced bullhorns such as Kelvin Herrera and Shawn Kelley, while continuing to sue JT Realmuto. According to people familiar with the discussions between these teams, the Nationals have improved their offer for Realmuto this week and Miami has still rejected.

But most of the Nationals' concerns over the past two days have centered on Harper. A team that spoke to the Nationals late Monday night said the Nationals told it that they had several ongoing deals for several players, including Harper. This team had the impression that the Nationals got cold feet last night. Rizzo said that they've never had the right offer

"It should have been a set of dramatic circumstances for us to move a Bryce Harper capacity level player," Rizzo said. "And we did not get anything that met those qualifications."

Harper said that Rizzo called him "earlier yesterday" to tell him that he would not be exchanged, but later said that the call came on Tuesday morning. Rizzo said that he called Harper "later [Monday night]" which would be consistent with what people familiar with the negotiations of the Nationals said: Until Monday night, they listened and considered the offers. In the early morning, they had decided not to reach an agreement.

"I only made contact with him when we learned that we were trying to trade with Bryce Harper," Rizzo said. "And I thought that at that time, it was probably the right time to say that it was false information and that it was not going to be exchanged."

"I think every time you hear your name I wonder, but I think it's just the end of the game, it's part of the game and other teams are trying to get on with it. improve and it's just something that has happened, "Harper said. "[19659056] I am happy to be still inside this club."