On July 31, 2023, the Chicago Cubs made a trade to get third baseman Jeimer Candelario from the Washington Nationals. In return, the Nationals received two young players from the Cubs’ minor league team: DJ Herz, a pitcher, and Kevin Made, an infielder. The Cubs also received some money from the Nationals as part of the deal.

Jeimer Candelario, who is 29 years old, is having a fantastic season with the Nationals. He has a batting average of .258 and hit 16 home runs and 53 runs batted in (RBIs) in 99 games. Among all third basemen in the National League, he leads in important stats like wins above replacement (WAR), doubles (30), and extra-base hits (48). Candelario is a switch-hitter and can also play as a first baseman and designated hitter. He will be with the Cubs until 2025.

As part of the trade, the Nationals received a young and promising pitcher named DJ Herz. He was drafted in the eighth round in 2019 after finishing high school. This season, Herz played in 18 games and had a record of 4 wins and 6 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.92. He showed his pitching skills with 121 strikeouts and 40 walks in 87 innings. Herz has a fastball that can reach up to 97 mph, and he also uses a curveball and a changeup in his pitches. Currently, he is not on the 40-man roster, and he will likely play in Double-A Harrisburg.

The Nationals also got Kevin Made, a young infielder who was signed in 2018 as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic. This season, Made played in 76 games and had a batting average of .271, along with four home runs and 28 RBIs. He also made 18 successful stolen bases out of 22 attempts. Made is a fast and athletic shortstop and can also play as a second baseman. Like Herz, he is not on the 40-man roster yet, and he will probably play in High-A Wilmington.

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