The Hot Stove in Washington Is Red Hot

Fans in DC woke today to an embarrassment of riches when it was announced that Max Scherzer has agreed to terms and will be the mainstay of the Nationals rotation going forward for the next 7 years. The Washington Nationals inserted themselves again into the 2015 hot stove discussions just when everything seemed the quietest. Their acquisition of Trea Turner and Joe Ross in the three-way trade between San Diego, Tampa Bay and Washington could be one of the best in Mike Rizzo’s masterful collection, but the plum in the pudding will be Max Scherzer.

The signing of Scherzer had more to do with Ted Lerner, Washington’s principal owner, and his willingness to meet Scott Boras’s price, but the brain trust in Washington has put together what has to be considered the run away winner in the category of teams most improved in the off-season. FanGraphs has them ranked first overall in their 2015 Power Chart  after the Scherzer signing, and indeed, Washington and the Dodgers are in danger of lapping the competition. The reason they play the games is because these projections are so notably inaccurate, but the everyday lineup that Washington will put on the field early in April ranks ahead of any other and their starting rotation is without parallel. Will Rizzo tinker with the hand he has assembled so far? The odds are good that he will.

In the unlikely event that the Nationals stand pat for the remaining months before Opening Day, the current rotation would be Jordan Zimmermann, Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister, and Gio Gonzalez. Tanner Roark, who started 31 games in 2014 and pitched to a 2.85 ERA, was one of the team’s best starters, but he would slide to the bullpen in all likelihood. The bullpen is the one weak link on the team and slotting Tanner Roark in as a key late inning reliever would be a big help, but no one is confident at this point that Mike Rizzo is done. He could be. He doesn’t have to do a thing for the rest of the off-season and the Nationals still would be the favorites in the NL East to win their third pennant there in the past four years.

Rizzo filled the hole at second base with Yunel Escobar who cost him Tyler Clippard. Clippard is the first of the group of Washington players who will become free agents at the end of the 2015 season. Ian Desmond, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Denard Span are the others. Does Rizzo hold them or fold them? He can play the hand out knowing that he has the best cards of anyone at the table, or he can put things to the test with another trade.

The speculation about where Jordan Zimmermann might make sense began almost immediately after the signing of Scherzer was announced. J-Zimm is a good ole boy from northern Wisconsin, where he maintains close ties to his family and the notion of him coming home to Milwaukee was an early favorite. But the Brewers don’t have much to offer and they play in the National League. Whether it is Zimmermann or one of the other four starters that is traded, the first choice would be an AL team.

The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most active AL teams in bolstering themselves for 2015. Seattle was rumored in the mix several months back, but they refused to part with one of their young pitchers for either Desmond and/or Zimmermann, so the default may be Boston, where the Red Sox could use an ace at the head of their rotation and they have more pitching depth than Seattle from which to deal.

After the trade of Stephen Souza, the Nationals could look to add depth in the outfield. Would the Red Sox be willing to trade top-ten prospect Manuel Margot for a one-year rental? Or if the deal is for a Stephen Strasburg, would Boston sweeten the deal with a pitcher in return like Brian Johnson?

Trades with teams like Boston or Toronto, both of whom are playing for 2015, make more sense than Milwaukee or other NL teams unlikely to contend next season. The Blue Jays have everything but an ace at the head of their rotation and they have pitching depth to trade as well. Would the Blue Jays meet Rizzo’s asking price, probably Aaron Sanchez or Daniel Norris for Zimmermann or Fister?

Those are the only questions left to be answered in Washington, unless you count Jayson Werth who had arthroscopic surgery to repair his shoulder and may not be ready to start the season. Barring a setback to the current timetable, he should be ready on Opening Day and if not, Michael Taylor will get another taste of the big leagues in all likelihood.

The off-seasons in Washington have become almost as entertaining as the regular season, but that will all change when the final moves are done and the 2015 Nationals, however they may finally be constructed, take the field. The Marlins and Cubs look good and when the Dodgers come to town it will be a chance to think about post season matchups. Pitchers and catchers is little more than a month away and my season tickets are burning a hole in my pocket as we speak. Go Nats!