The Washington Nationals made a splash by signing Max Scherzer on the free agent market and now GM Mike Rizzo could consider trade deals with Jordan Zimmermann or Doug Fister and this comes as David Price also could be a target for teams like the NY Yankees, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, LA Dodgers or Chicago Cubs.
The Nationals jumped and signed Scherzer after he sat on the market all offseason and the deal is worth over $200 million and will be a seven year contract. According to ESPN.com, the deal is unique compared to other big money contracts, as it will have deferred money with Scherzer getting $15 million annually for 14 years. The deal also has a $50 million signing bonus and could lead to the Nationals making a trade with one of their other pitchers.
The way the deal is structured could allow the Nationals to keep Fister and Zimmermann as well as Ian Desmond after signing Scherzer, but Mike Rizzo also can listen to trade offers. Scherzer comes in after a strong season and he went 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA with over 200 innings and 250 strikeouts. Scherzer won the Cy Young award two years ago and went 21-3 with a sub 3.00 ERA and he signed this major deal after previously turning down a six year, $144 million extension with the Detroit Tigers.
The Nationals starting rotation has Stephen Strasburg, Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez, and potentially Tanner Roark if now of those players is moved and now Scherzer joins that. The Nationals already had one of the deepest pitching rotations and now they add a Cy Young winner to the mix and that gives Rizzo the flexibility of moving someone or standings pat and staying strong. Last season the Nationals won the NL East and they are the favorites once again this year and now Scherzer could make them the overall favorites in the National League.
Buster Olney and other have pegged Zimmermann as a target for the Chicago Cubs im free agency next winter if he is not traded, as Theo Epstein reportedly has always been interested in acquiring him. Even if Zimmermann is not traded, the signing of Scherzer likely means that he will be on his way out after this season. Zimmermann will now be a prime target at the deadline along with Fister and the Nationals may find better deals this summer rather than this winter.