It was not exactly the second-half start they wanted. But at the very least the Nationals returned from a post-All-Star break, 11-day, nine-game road trip sporting a few hopeful signs.

They won two of three games at National League East rival Atlanta. The pitching staff surrendered three runs or less four different times. Starters Lastings Milledge and Ryan Zimmerman returned to the lineup from the disabled list and unheralded outfielder Willie Harris was named National League Player of the Week.

That’s about as much positive news as a team can wring out of a 2-7 road trip. But with the competitive portion of this season long over for the Nats, the focus now is on who is healthy, who is part of the team’s long-term future and who will be gone by the end of their six-game homestand, which begins tonight against the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.

“It was a rough West Coast trip,” manager Manny Acta told reporters Sunday. “We won two out of three games in Atlanta and I didn’t hear that question [about hitting rock bottom]. How many games make rock bottom? Losing 2-0, 1-0? I really don’t know that definition.”

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The non-waiver trade deadline is 4 p.m. Thursday and the Nats have already made one move — trading reliable closer Jon Rauch (17 saves, 2.86 ERA) to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Triple-A prospect Emilio Bonifacio.

But with Bonifacio expected to get the first crack at second base next season, veterans Ronnie Belliard (.227, nine HR, 31 RBI) and Felipe Lopez (.235, two HR, 25 RBI) are now more expendable. Belliard, who helped the St, Louis Cardinals to a World Series title in 2006, has far more value as an off-the-bench hitter to a contending team. Lopez has suffered through a second straight miserable season and likely won’t bring much of a return.

Another potential trade option is at catcher, where the Nats still have three on the roster even after catcher Johnny Estrada was designated for assignment last week. With 23-year-old Jesus Flores entrenched now as the starter and Wil Nieves a standard backup, Paul Lo Duca is the most likely trade candidate.