One day after the Nationals split four games with the division rival Miami Marlins in their first series following the All-Star break, news comes from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Washington will be looking for some arms and a catcher before the trade deadline approaches.

Rosenthal reports that the Nats are looking for starting pitchers to help ease the pain of replacing Stephen Strasburg after he is shut down when he reaches his innings limit this season.

Sources have told Rosenthal that the team is weighing their options for deals involving pitchers Ryan Dempster, Zack Greinke, and Francisco Liriano along with catcher Ramon Hernandez.

Nats fans remember Dempster’s great pitching performance against Washington in the season opener. The 35-year-old pitched all the way through two outs into the 8th inning. He allowed one hit that inning but was replaced and his replacement Kerry Wood allowed that runner to score and have the Nats tie it up.

The Nationals had agreed to a trade with the Kansas City Royals to trade Greinke in 2010 but he rejected the trade by utilizing his no-trade clause. At the time, it was reported that Jordan Zimmermann, Danny Espinosa and Drew Storen may have been apart of that deal. Instead, he was shipped to the Milwaukee Brewers. After a year and a half in Milwaukee, he’s now trade bait again. It’s amazing how things turn out over time.

In 20 games this season, Liriano has posted a 3-8 record and a 4.93 ERA on an abysmal Minnesota Twins team. That’s not exactly the kind of arm that would fit in on a staff that boasts three starters with less than a 3.00 ERA and all five under 4.00.

Hernandez, 36, would temporarily fill a need at catcher until Wilson Ramos makes his return from a torn ACL suffered in May. Washington has gone through four catchers this season.

Tags: Danny Espinosa, Drew Storen, Francisco Liriano, Jordan Zimmermann, Kansas City Royals, Kerry Wood, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Ramon Hernandez, Ryan Dempster, Washington Nationals, Zack Greinke