Rumor: Yankees have been scouting Nationals' system, report says

Could a Yankees-Nationals trade be in the cards this summer? According to Washington Post writer Barry Svrluga, the Yankees have been scouting Washington's Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse, and are scheduled to visit the nation's capital at some point this week. While the Nationals (56-37) own a six-game first place lead in the National League East, Washington is one of several teams that have expressed interest in Yankees relievers Andrew Miller and Aroldis Chapman this past month, regardless of whether or not New York elects to be sellers. Last December, Washington was in the running for Chapman before the Yankees grabbed him, and according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, shipping the 28-year-old flamethrower to D.C. would make the most sense. But the Nationals also haven't shied away from Miller, and have kept a tab on the 31-year-old since last season. In the meantime, the return for one of the Yankees prized arms is unclear, as Washington has yet to formally introduced any prospect as available.  But the list would start with 22-year-old future ace Lucas Giolito and 23-year-old second baseman Trea Turner, who have both debuted in the major leagues as the Nationals' top two prospects according to Baseball America. If Washington is unenthusiastic about moving Giolito or Turner, 19-year-old outfielder Victor Robles could be a potential fit. In 18 games with High-A Potomac and 64 with Low-A Hagerstwon, Robles has hit a combined .271 with seven home runs and 37 runs batted in. The fourth-best prospect, right-hander Erick Fedde, was a first-round pick for the Nationals in 2014, but the 23-year-old missed the entire 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery. Another High-A player, Fedde has collected 66 strikeouts with a 3.76 ERA in 67 innings. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has emphasized the importance of acquiring younger talent, and perhaps a swap with the Nationals could satisfy both teams' needs.