The Washington Nationals will have to do some soul searching during the All-Star Break and heading into trade season.

At 45-41, Washington remains mired in mediocrity. But it’s just 6.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East and would be a wild card team if the season ended today.

How the next couple weeks play out could determine Washington’s future. That includes a potential fire sale.

In talking about this possibility, primarily ace starter Max Scherzer, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo didn’t completely close the door.

"He's the guts of this organization… it would've taken something incredible for us to consider."@Nationals GM Mike Rizzo discusses the Scherzer trade rumors, his club's 2019 campaign and more with @MadDogUnleashed on #HighHeat. #OnePursuit pic.twitter.com/mFHYt0xphn — MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 5, 2019