Chalk this up as one giant non-story:
↵↵↵The Nationals have scouted B.J. Upton, but aren't interested in acquiring him now and haven't discussed a possible trade with the Rays, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson. Ladson's source says the Nationals scouted Upton on routine assignments.
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Sounds pretty innocuous, no? Some people are already talking about how much return Upton will bring and if the Nationals are a good fit, but this rumor has little to no teeth in it. From all reports, Washington scouted Upton last year and nothing came of it, so this is likely just a team doing their due diligence scouting.
↵Of course, the Rays are likely to trade Upton at this year's trade deadline. Top prospect Desmond Jennings is off to a hot start down in Triple-A, and Upton is due for a significant raise in arbitration this off season and will be a free agent the following year. If Upton isn't traded at this year's trade deadline, the Rays will likely move him this upcoming off season; it simply depends on when the Rays think they can get the best deal for him. If a team presents them with a great offer during this season, I'm sure the Rays would jump on it.
↵As the months go forward, there will likely be a number of trade rumors swirling around Upton. Some will be unlikely or based on mere conjecture, while others may actually have some substance to them. The Nationals are one team that seems to be a good fit - they could use a center fielder like Upton and they have plenty of young talent the Rays might like to acquire - but it's still way too early to expect a trade to happen.
↵I see this rumor as a signal that hey, the Nats might be interested in Upton come July. But at the same time, I'm sure there are a multitude of other teams that have scouted Upton that we haven't heard about. It's a long season - let's wait until June before we seriously start thinking about trades.
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