Yankees Near Blockbuster Deal to Acquire Nationals Star Luis García Jr., Insider Reports

The New York Yankees are accelerating efforts to land Washington Nationals slugger Luis García Jr. as Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline looms, according to multiple reports that surfaced early Sunday afternoon. García, 26, has emerged as one of the most coveted bats on the market after posting a .283/.352/.521 slash line with 23 homers, 76 RBI and an .873 OPS through August 1, ranking top-15 in the National League in both long balls and on-base plus slugging. Momentum toward a deal intensified when the Nationals held García out of Sunday’s lineup minutes before first pitch, labeling him a “late scratch” without giving an immediate reason. The timing fueled speculation that Washington is protecting its biggest trade chip while final details are ironed out. Earlier in the week the switch-hitter left a game in Atlanta with right-knee soreness, though subsequent exams reportedly ruled out structural damage. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman is believed to view García as the everyday first baseman versus right-handed pitching, a move that would deepen a lineup already led by Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. New York’s internal projections peg García’s left-handed power tailor-made for Yankee Stadium’s short right-field porch; 17 of his 23 home runs this year have come to the pull side. The Nationals, meanwhile, are in full-scale rebuild mode after dropping 10 of 12 to fall 14 games out in the NL East. Club officials have hinted privately that any package for García must start with a major-league-ready arm and a top-100 infield prospect. The Yankees can meet that price by dangling right-handers Will Warren or Chase Hampton along with Double-A shortstop Roderick Arias, sources said. If completed, the trade would mark the second straight summer in which Washington has shipped a cornerstone left-handed hitter to the Bronx after last July’s deal that sent outfielder Robert Hassell III for a trio of pitching prospects. The Nationals’ long-term plan is to open payroll space and restock their farm system in anticipation of their new ballpark opening in 2028. García’s contract status adds urgency: he is under team control through 2028, giving the Yankees four pennant races with a cost-controlled, prime-age bat. That control also raises Washington’s leverage, and rival clubs such as the Red Sox and Padres are believed to have submitted offers in the past 48 hours. Yet industry insiders insist New York remains “in the driver’s seat,” citing Cashman’s willingness to include high-upside talent and absorb García’s projected $11 million arbitration salary for 2027. For now, García waits. Teammates said he packed lightly for the Nationals’ upcoming trip, fully expecting his next flight to land in the Bronx. Should the blockbuster close, the Yankees would add a thunderous bat to their playoff push, while Washington would take another decisive step toward its next competitive window. One way or another, Luis García Jr. is about to become the story of this year’s deadline—either as the missing piece in pinstripes or the prized asset who stayed put just long enough to drive up the price.