According to multiple media reports, the Nationals have traded right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard to the Oakland Athletics for shortstop Yunel Escobar. This move was first reported on twitter by Jon Heyman of CBS, and has been confirmed by Bill Ladson of MLB.com, and is now pending physicals. [Update: The Nationals have announced the deal in a press release excerpted below the break.]
Clippard, 29 this season, arrived in Washington from the New York Yankees in 2008 at the nadir of the Nationals franchise, and has been a towering force out of the bullpen since then. In 2011 and 2014, he would be the Nationals’ representative at the All-Star Game, and has been the 8th inning man for the Nationals for several seasons, averaging 70 appearances per season and amassing a 34-24 career recorded a 2.68 ERA. Clippard is in his final year of arbitration and was expected to claim between $8.5M and $10M this season.
Escobar, 32, arrives in Washington after a very short off-season stay in Oakland, having come from the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The Cuban-born shortstop has two years remaining on his contract and a third year under team control. Escobar is slated to earn $5M in 2015 and $7M in 2016. Primarily a shortstop, Escobar has played some games at 3B and 2B over his career, and would likely be a contender for the open 2B slot in the Nationals infield.