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You can add Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo to the list of general managers inquiring about Oakland Athletics every-position-man Ben Zobrist, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Sources: #Nationals have contacted #Athletics about Zobrist. Talks preliminary. Zobrist could play LF until Werth returns, then both IF/OF.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 5, 2015
The qualifier: #Nationals one of many teams that will call on #Athletics’ Zobrist, whose versatility makes him a fit for almost every club.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 5, 2015
#Athletics 11.5 games out in AL West even with recent run. Doolittle and Crisp unlikely to return soon, Parker at all.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 5, 2015
Throw Brian Cashman and the New York Yankees in too, says Jon Heyman for CBS Sports (watch out for the autoplaying video):
The Yankees are interested in Ben Zobrist, which should surprise no one considering their second-base issues. They are surprised that Jose Pirela hasn't performed since his promotion, and Stephen Drew's batting average remains oddly low again. Yankees people think Rob Refnsyder can hit at the big-league level now, but his defense remains a little rough. Of course, as an A's person said, "There will be many teams interested in Zobrist."
The good news is that if the A's do sell, there seem to be plenty of buyers eager to shell out for half a season of Ben Zobrist. The Nationals and Yankees join the Chicago Cubs as confirmed potential suitors for Zobrist's services.
The Athletics could move out of dead last in the American League by sweeping the Boston Red Sox this weekend, but Zobrist's fate as we move closer to the main trading season could come down to how the rest of the AL West performs in the next month.
