The Washington Nationals have reportedly signed free agent pitcher Max Scherzer to a contract worth over $180 million over seven years, according to FOX Sports and after spending that much money, there is a chance that general manager Mike Rizzo could trade Jordan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, Stephen Strasburg or Doug Fister before the 2015 season starts.
Scherzer has been waiting out the market all offseason and many expected him to sign for a number significantly higher than Jon Lester did with the Cubs. According to Fox Sports, the Nationals signed Scherzer over teams like the St. Louis Cardinals, NY Yankees and Detroit Tigers, who all had reported interested in the pitcher. Scherzer won the Cy Young in 2013 and was dominant that season, going 21-3 and finishing with an ERA under 3.00. Last season Scherzer had another strong year and that came as he was in the final year of his contract.
Scherzer rejected an extension worth over $140 million from the Tigers before the season and essentially bet on himself that he would perform well. Scherzer joins an already stacked rotation in Washington and that is why many think Rizzo will trade someone. The rotation already has Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez and now they add Scherzer. Both Fister and Zimmermann are heading towards free agency and that makes them potential options to get moved.
According to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, the Nationals would be open to listening to offers for Strasburg, who was a former number one overall pick for Washington. Strasburg has a contract for the next two seasons and could get moved after Scherzer comes in. Scherzer was previously traded from the Diamondbacks to the Tigers in the deal for Curtis Granderson and he comes in having won 91 games in his career with a 3.58 ERA. Scott Boras is his agent, so it's no surprise the deal was this large.
The Nationals appear to be going all in on this season, as they have made some trades and free agent deals to try and win the World Series in 2015. The team won the division last season and has gone to the playoffs in two of three years and has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. Scherzer is a power pitcher and now the Nationals have the chance to make trades from depth and strength, with likely Fister and Zimmermann moving.
The Nationals lost to the Giants in the playoffs and finished the season 96-66 on the year in the NL East. The Nationals had one of the best rotations in baseball last season and ranked first in ERA, second in quality starts and second overall in WHIP.
