The Washington Nationals have reached an agreement with free agent pitcher Max Scherzer on a seven-year deal.
Scherzer, 30, joins a team already thick at pitcher though the team has a decision to make on the futures of Doug Fister and Jordan Zimmermann – one of which could be moved prior to Opening Day.
The new deal for Scherzer would run though his age-36 season and is for one year longer than the Detroit Tigers offered him during the 2014 season. He responded going 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
While the numbers for Scherzer have not been released he is expected to get over $180 million according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
Source: Scherzer seven-year deal with #Nationals will be for more than $180M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 19, 2015
For now he joins a rotation with Stephen Strasburg, Zimmerman, Fister and Gio Gonzalez. Tanner Roark who won 15 games and had a 2.85 ERA would be pushed out of the Nationals rotation for now.
Already the favorites to win the National League East, the Nationals have found a way to get even stronger.
