WASHINGTON — The Nationals signed Stephen Strasburg to a hearty extension this season, but they weren’t always so set on his future with the team.

Per former GM Jim Bowden, Washington offered the Los Angeles Dodgers a straight-up trade of Strasburg for shortstop Corey Seager in the winter of 2015 — a trade Los Angeles turned down.

Seager, a 2016 All-Star and likely National League Rookie of the Year, was one of the league’s top performers at a position in which the Nationals have long been rumored to be seeking an upgrade, at least offensively.

Seager hit .308/.365/.512 with 26 home runs, 72 RBIs, 54 walks and 133 strikeouts. He primarily hit second for the Dodgers, and played in all but five games over the course of the season.

The Nationals’ starting shortstop, Danny Espinosa, was very strong in the field, but he was a much different story at the plate. Like Seager, he played in 157 games, and his power was nearly on par, with 24 home runs and 72 RBIs, and he matched Seager’s 54 walks.

But that’s where the offensive comparisons end. Espinosa struck out 174 times, and his slash line was just .209/.306/.378.

Strasburg started the season spectacularly, winning his first 13 decisions with a 2.51 ERA. He struggled after that, however, losing four of his final six decisions, and he ended the season on the disabled list.

The trade would have benefited both teams for most of the season, but with Strasburg unable to contribute during the postseason, one team clearly would have gotten the best of the deal.

Now, the Nationals are open to trading Espinosa, per The Washington Post. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are probably not too interested in moving on from their star shortstop.

Injuries could be the deciding factor here, but for now, Seager and the Dodgers appear the clear winners of this vetoed trade.

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