Long Beach Native on Trading Block with Nationals?

The Washington Nationals are reportedly trying to trade Long Beach native John Lannan from the team's pitching rotation.

The 27-year-old lefty lost his arbitration case with the team and will be paid $5 million instead of the $5.7 million he sought this season, according to Yahoo Sports.

With his new salary, Lannan still became the team’s highest-paid pitcher for 2012, after he earned $2.7 million last season and went 10-13 with a 3.70 ERA, according to Fox Sports. His potential departure comes after the Nationals struck as deal with free-agent Edwin Jackson, a right-hander who was given a one-year deal for approximately $10 million.

A devout Yankees fan growing up in Long Beach who sat with his father along left field at the original Yankees Stadium, Lannan threw a four-hitter against the Yankees in the Nationals’ 3-2 win in front of 46,052 spectators at the new Yankees Stadium in June 2009.

“It’s beautiful and is a great upgrade,” Lannan, a 2009 Chaminade High School graduate, told Joe Benigno on his WFAN radio show the day after his debut at the new Yankees Stadium.

Asked if it’s his dream to pitch for the Yankees one day, Lannan told Benigno at that time: “Well, I’m happy where I’m at right now, but it’s every kid’s dream to play for the home team. So whatever happens happens, but to play for a New York team would be great.”