Adam LaRoche and Sean Burnett declined their mutual options and are now free agents, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports. The Nationals exercised their side of the $10MM mutual option on LaRoche's contract and the $3.5MM mutual option on Burnett's contract.
Both LaRoche and Burnett have said they'd like to stay in Washington. The Nationals retain exclusive negotiating rights for all of their free agents, including LaRoche and Burnett, until Saturday morning. Neither player gets a contract buyout in this case (it would have been $1MM for LaRoche and $250K for Burnett if the Nationals had declined).
LaRoche and the Nationals established some parameters for an extension last week, but haven't been in recent contact about a potential deal. Burnett hits the market as a candidate for a multiyear deal at a time that teams such as the Dodgers and Cardinals figure to seek left-handed relief.
I think Burnett leaves and ALR stays with Nationals.
In case ALR leaves, I would like Nats to move Morse to first and trade for Choo.
In case Burnett leaves, sign Affeldt.
IF ALR leaves then the Nats need to get a real CF instead of running Harper out there. Bourn would provide good leadoff hitter with SB and excellent defense.
Even though the Nats have a lot of talent does not mean they are guaranteed to return to the playoffs every year.. Injuries and poor play happen to the most talented of teams..
And I dont think Cards spend the kind of money Burnett is gonna get.. They need MI help and RH OF help more than anything.
Holliday and Beltran? Anyways, if ALR leaves, we don’t have a potential power bat from left side. Harper is not ready for that role I think. He is more suited to be #2 right now.
Doubtful Cards are gonna spend 4 million plus per for 2 or 3 years on a single loogy.. That was my point.. Cards will spend big money on position players and starters.. They have history of not going big on dollars for anyone else..
I doubt he will cost that much. But you guys do need a LH reliever, just like us.
If ALR doesn’t sign by Saturday I think he’s gone. I think he’ll eventually get more years and guaranteed dollars elsewhere…which means Morse moves to 1B and Rizzo needs to find a new LFer (unless you think Moore can move in full time, which I don’t – plus Harper would be the only LH batter, well except for SH Espinosa…).
I keep reading about the Cardinals seeking left handed relieves. What about the Brewers? Parra, their only lefty reliever is sure to be non-tendered after another disappointing season and they have needs for all kinds of quality in the pen, but specifically from the left side.
If the price is right LaRoche could be a good pick up for baltimore