Nationals, Reds agree to Brandon Phillips trade

The Nationals and Reds are in agreement on a trade that would send Brandon Phillips to Washington in exchange for prospects, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Phillips must waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal to the Nationals, and a source close to the situation says that "discussions are ongoing" about that possibility.

Phillips added fuel to the trade speculation with a tweet Thursday night. 513 is the area code for Cincinnati and 202 is the area code for Washington, D.C.

513 to 202 ✈️ #PapaPope #OnDeck

— Brandon Phillips (@DatDudeBP) December 18, 2015

Phillips has 10-and-5 rights, meaning that he can block any trade. He is entering the second-to-last season of the 6-year, $72.5 million extension he signed with Cincinnati in 2012, and is owed $27 million over the next two seasons. Phillips is reportedly considering waiving his no-trade clause to be reunited with manager Dusty Baker in Washington, but will require some sort of financial compensation due to his significant ties to the Cincinnati area.

Washington has being aggressive in its pursuit of second base help, with Daniel Murphy and Kelly Johnson among the other options they have considered. It appears at this point that Phillips is their top option, but they could look at other options if he is unwilling to leave the Reds.