According to sources, it seems as if the market for Max Scherzer has been limited to two teams. The right-hander is expected to sign a seven-year deal soon and one team said to be involved is in the National League.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports writes Scherzer is "talking seriously" to the Washington Nationals and at least one other team about the seven-year contract. The other team can at least be said to not be the Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros, all of whom FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal says are not involved in talks with the right-hander.
Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish and SB Nation writes there is an "increasing sense throughout the league that Scherzer will end up with the Nationals." Washington avoided arbitration last week with starters Stephen Strasburg ($7.4 million) and Doug Fister ($11.4 million), but both Fister and Jordan Zimmermann will become free agents after the 2015 season. It was speculated they would trade one of the right-handers earlier this offseason.
Rosenthal says Zimmermann is the most likely candidate for the Nats to trade if they do indeed land Scherzer, but he also notes the team would be willing to deal Strasburg if they can't get what they want in a deal for Zimmermann. Earlier this offseason the idea of trading Zimmermann and signing Scherzer was tossed around for a short while, and now it may become a reality.
Oddly enough, Washington's general manager, Mike Rizzo, was the scouting director of the Arizona Diamondbacks when the team selected Scherzer in the first round back in 2006. The Nationals had the best starting rotation in the MLB last season and the addition of Scherzer would likely further separate them from the pack.
We wrote back in November that the addition of Scherzer and trade for Zimmermann wouldn't be a bad idea since Washington has Strasburg under club control through the 2016 season, left-hander Gio Gonzalez through the 2018 season, and right-hander Tanner Roark through the 2019 season. They also have their No. 1 prospect, starter Lucas Giolito, making his way through the minors. The 20-year-old went 10-2 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 20 starts with Class-A Hagerstown this past season.
We'll be updating as more news becomes available.
UPDATE: Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports Scherzer to the Nationals is "very close."
