Lefty’s Wild 24-Hour Trade Ride | Washington Nationals News

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It's August 5th. This is Washington Nationals News Today, powered by AI, your team, your update. Will Dion, a left-handed pitcher, was on a bus with his AAA team, the Columbus Clippers, heading to Syracuse. He wasn't thinking about a trade at all. But the very next day, he found himself in a different clubhouse, wearing a new uniform, with a shot at the Major Leagues for a different organization. It was a whirlwind 24 hours for him.
He was one of four players the Nationals acquired from the Guardians in a trade. Along with Dion, the Nats also got fellow Lefty Josh Hartle, right-hander Kendeglys Virguez, and outfielder Nick Mitchell. Dion, who's 26, was originally drafted by Cleveland back in 2021
He actually made his Major League debut against the Nationals earlier this year.
Dion mentioned that his first batter in the big leagues was James Wood, who's apparently taller than him even when he's on the mound. This season, Dion pitched in 12 Major League relief appearances and 21 in AAA. He also has a history of making a lot of starts in his professional career. The Nationals manager, Dave Martinez, knows Dion well. They're both from Louisiana, and Martinez remembers Dion pitching really tough against his old teams in the minor leagues. He described Louisiana players as super competitive and not easily rattled, which he thinks is a great quality for a pitcher. After finding out he was traded, Dion still had four and a half hours left on that bus ride. He used the time to say goodbye to his teammates and make some calls. The next morning, he drove four hours to Philadelphia to join his new team. He seems pretty excited about the Nationals, calling them an organization that's on the rise and getting better in every way.