Washington management has now escalated the rhetoric. According to the front office, three first-round picks were put on the table in an effort to land a frontline starter.
That revelation raises the obvious question:
Who says no to that?
We can narrow the field quickly.
Teams We Can Eliminate Immediately
Montreal is out. Ownership has already gone on record saying no offers were received — full stop.
Florida is also unlikely. Washington essentially tipped its hand by acknowledging that any talks with the Marlins would have centered around Carl Everett, not a package of three first-rounders. That alone removes Clemens and Appier from this discussion.
Working Through the Remaining Candidates
The original pool of plausible targets looked like this:
- Mike Mussina
- Joe Johnson
- Steve Avery
- Juan Guzman
- Denny Neagle
- Kevin Brown
We can rule out Kevin Brown right away. Kansas City simply wasn’t moving him. Price irrelevant.
That allows us to safely eliminate Neagle, Avery, and Guzman as well. Not because they lack value, but because it makes little sense for Washington — already armed with three top-20 arms — to spend three first-round picks on pitchers ranked lower in the tier they already occupy.
That narrows the mystery to just two names:
- Joe Johnson
- Mike Mussina
Johnson or Mussina?
Joe Johnson is interesting. Three firsts is the kind of offer that at least earns a serious internal debate. But Johnson’s age and projection complicate the picture — it’s hard to believe Washington would empty that much capital for a pitcher whose best years may not align perfectly with their competitive window.
Which leaves one name that fits every part of the puzzle.
The Best Guess: Cincinnati and Mike Mussina
The most logical conclusion is that Washington offered three first-round picks to Cincinnati for Mike Mussina.
Mussina is a top-7 pitcher, durable, respected, and exactly the kind of arm that would elevate Washington’s rotation from strong to dominant overnight. Pairing him with Burkett, Pettitte, and Millwood would have given Washington a staff that could control a postseason series outright.
From Cincinnati’s perspective, the temptation would’ve been real. Three first-round picks is the kind of haul that reshapes an organization.
And yet — it’s easy to see why they said no.
Mussina feels like a career Red. Cincinnati has long valued loyalty and continuity, and some players simply transcend trade calculus. You can count value; you can’t always replace identity.
So Where Does Washington Turn Next?
If Mussina truly was the target — and the refusal real — Washington now finds itself at a crossroads. The market above them is effectively closed, and paying premium draft capital for marginal upgrades makes little sense.
That leaves four paths forward:
- Pay more for a top guy, more than perhaps they would want
Circle back and revisit second-tier arms at a discount - Shift focus toward depth rather than stars
- Or quietly stand pat, letting the current rotation prove it’s already enough
The message from Washington was loud.
The response from the league, perhaps even louder.
The plot may be thickening — but the options are thinning.