With the trading deadline rapidly approaching, the speculation continues to ramp up regarding the haves pillaging the have nots for players to be used during the playoff push.

One name that keeps coming up in trade talks is the Washington Nationals’ Adam Dunn. Who wouldn’t want a 40-homer, 120-RBI guy in the middle of their lineup? And with the Nationals out of the playoff picture and Dunn unsigned for next season, he becomes a popular person for teams to zero in on.

The White Sox are said to be very interested. I’d think a team like the Padres, who could desperately use another big bat, would even toss Dunn in the outfield in order to get his offense. An AL team like the Rays would love to have Dunn as their DH.

And yes, dealing Dunn is a tempting possibility for Nationals GM Mike Rizzo. Getting some quality prospects in return would help Washington’s future, and given that Dunn would be a rental for whatever team acquires him, there’s the possibility that he would simply re-sign with the Nats after the season is over.

But the best course of action regarding Dunn, and to a lesser extent, Josh Willingham, would be for the Nats to do nothing.

Look, I know the Nats have been bad with Ryan Zimmerman, Dunn and Willingham anchoring the 3-4-5 spots, but getting a troika of solid hitters in those positions is more difficult than it seems. So, breaking that up doesn’t seem prudent, especially when Zimmerman is under contract and both Dunn and Willingham have expressed a desire to remain in D.C.

Now, I now the fiscally prudent Nats are blanching at giving Dunn – a slugger on the downward slope of his career – a big-budget deal, but dealing Dunn, a fan favorite, would be a slap in the face to those fans who have seen the franchise take baby steps toward respectability this season.

Dunn’s 22 homers and 59 RBI are nothing to sneeze at, considering the struggles the Nationals have had at the top of the lineup. If Washington can import a productive leadoff man next season, Dunn could be an even bigger RBI guy.

Willingham also has been a steady presence in the lineup with 15 HR and 49 RBI, but also has been mentioned as trade bait. Sure, he’s not the best left fielder in the world, but that is the spot on the field where you stick your weaker defenders (when it comes to the Nats, however, that axiom is thrown out the window), in order to keep their offense in the lineup.

I’m just not sure that it would be worth it for Washington to deal either one of these guys unless they got some amazing offer, something that generally doesn’t happen by the July 31 deadline. Right now, the Nationals don’t need to subtract.

I would expect the Nats to hold on to Dunn, swallow hard and sign him to a contract after the season. It might be a tougher decision with Willingham, but unless Rizzo gets major-league ready talent, it’s not worth it to deal Willingham either.

At some point, the Nationals have to stop playing for the future and concentrate on the now. Shuttling off some of their best players would be a step in the wrong direction for a franchise that’s finally seemed to have found its way after wandering around in the dark for several years.