Just under a week after knocking off the Astros in a seven-game World Series, the Nationals are undoubtedly still reveling over their first championship. But now that the offseason has arrived, they’re at risk of losing a few key contributors to free agency.
Two of the many faces of the Nationals’ improbable playoff run were right-hander Stephen Strasburg and third baseman Anthony Rendon, who each seemed to come up with one heroic moment after another throughout the postseason. Strasburg deservedly earned World Series MVP honors after going on a particularly jaw-dropping run. It’s no surprise he and Rendon, who have consistently been among the Nationals’ top players and the majors’ most impressive performers throughout their careers, were among the main catalysts for the club’s championship. And now that they’re unsigned heading into 2020, they’re about to be paid rather handsomely for their years-long shows of brilliance. The question is whether they’ll continue with the Nationals going forward.
MLBTR regards the Nationals as the favorites to sign both Strasburg and Rendon, though doing so will require the team to put its enviable financial might on full display. We project the 31-year-old Strasburg (six years, $180MM) and the 29-year-old Rendon (seven years, $235MM) to combine for $415MM on their next contracts. That type of commitment may be especially risky in the case of Strasburg – not only owing to the fact that he’s a pitcher, but because injuries have been somewhat common throughout his career. Although Strasburg did just toss a career-high 209 regular-season innings in 2019, he’s only a year removed from a 130-frame showing – which was the latest of a handful of abbreviated campaigns in his career.
Of course, the point of this exercise isn’t to list the few flaws Strasburg and Rendon may have. It’s to ask whether the Nationals will re-sign one, both or either of the superstar Scott Boras clients. Fresh off a fairytale few months, there’s surely motivation for both sides to work something out. Rendon has indicated in the past he’d like to continue his career with the only organization he has known since it selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Strasburg, meanwhile, first joined the franchise as an extremely hyped No. 1 pick in 2009. While Strasburg did just opt out of the remaining four years and $100MM left on his contract, that common sense business decision doesn’t necessarily mean he’s champing at the bit to leave D.C. What do you think the future holds for him and Rendon?
(Poll link for app users)
In terms of rankings..
Strasburg is the most likely..
Followed by both
Rendon alone
None.
Teams are hurting for TOR pitching.
Someone will outbid the Nats for Strasburg.
They’d have to outbid them by a ton m8. SS moved his family to DC over a year ago, loves it there.
DC has the first shot and it’s probably done in the next two weeks.
They have tons of money off the books.
One thing we should have learned by now, it doesn’t matter where players and their families live, or where the players are originally from. I see Stras staying in Washington, but it’ll all come down to the right amount of money. No such thing as a hometown discount anymore.
It would probably help their case if they don’t insist on deferring payments into his 60’s.
8/280 outbid them?
No team would risk that kind of money on him. Cole…yes. Strasburg with his injury history, not a chance.
Stras stays; Rendon will probably go although there’s a 50/50 chance he could stay… but then again u could say that for Stras as well. I’ll just say: I DON’T KNOW
Depends on how they see their contention window and their future too, right?
Offense is young but Scherzer and relief is aging.
there should be a “one or the other” option
Lol thanks for that… (there is) goo internet!
at least Rendon will be back
I said neither. They’d be locked up by now if they were staying.
Why wouldn’t they want to compare the Nats’ offer with others from other teams? See the highest bidder…?
i think they keep both coming off the WS victory but stras is more likely. although, i think rendon is more valuable to the franchise
@phils Your exactly right! But Stras is likely even at $150M with his health issues at times is very risky! Rendon is definitely more valuable and safer bet!
I keep hitting refresh on the site, hoping for some new transactions lol. I think Rendon goes to Rangers and Strasburg stays put.
Lol same here! I could see Rendon going to Texas but I just don’t see them contending right away. AL west going to be super tough next year! They still a few pieces away even if they did sign him. But what do I know.
Strasburg decided to forgo free agency entirely before. I have a feeling he’s going to resign in Washington.
question:
Nats have given both a qualified offer which obviously, neither will accept.
The question is, if the Nationals are not able to re-sign either of them. what is the comp pick they will receive in return? i ask this because i know the Nationals have been over the luxury tax threshold for more than 1 year in a row including 2018. i’ve seen different numbers for 2019.. I know they were very close and in at least one reference they were over. 2020 is obviously up in the air at the moment, but i don’t think 2020 impacts it at all anyways.
So, if the Nats decide to let Stras and Rendon go (like they did with Harper) and replace them with lower cost vets and groom their existing prospects like Kieboom, Difo, Sanchez and or Garcia. on the infield and Joe Ross, Fedde and Voth are options for #4, 5 in the rotation. I’m not saying they are the only options… but say they go short-term on a rebuild route. they just won a World Series and after 1/2 a dozen years of top of the division performance, those 2 results might buy the Nationals fans for a couple years of mediocre performance. after all, we’ve seen how the Astros etc have turned things around with tanking and reloading. and the Nats themselves got Strasburg, Harper and Rendon due to horrible years of performance..
So we lose Strasburg and Rendon. That’s $40million+ less they pay in 2020 for those 2 guys. and saves them paying out and estimated $400+ million for those 2 over the next 6 to 7 years. and with the way players age historically… the last half of both of those contracts would probably be below league average performance anyways. so we miss out on 3 or 4 years of prime performance but save a ton of money that can be used elsewhere.
lock up Trea Turner, Juan Soto, Victor Robles. get another year out of Max maybe. rebuild a very poor farm system and in 3 years, be right back in the thick of things.
or, pay 400million over the next 6 or 7 years. HOPE, they both stay healthy and everyone else on the team stays healthy and we’re able to suck 3 or 4 seasons of above average performance out of these 2. Man, i’d love for the Nationals to be able to sign them both. but i also know what that will do to the team. there will be no salary room to go after any complimentary players or replace current really good players if there are long-term injuries… which always happen.
Doolittle has 1 year, Scherzer, Sanchez and Ross have 2 years. Trea Turner has 3 years. plus all the holes in the team now due to players that have exited. Kendrick, Cabrera & Dozier at 2nd. Zimmerman, Adams at 1B. Hudson in the bullpen. Para in the dugout… no more baby shark.
bottom line, i went a lot longer than i planned on going with this post. but signing both Stras and Rendon, which i would love to do in a perfect world… is gonna stretch this team way too thin. that was the risk in giving Stras a 7 year deal in 2o17 with 2 opt outs in 2019 and 2020. Stras has the power in his court now after having a dynamite 2019. Rendon? we F’d up. we knew what we had in Tony2Bags. instead of slowballing, nickle-diming the guy and hoping for a cheap contract with a home-town discount… we let Arenado sign a monster deal…. we let Tony go ballistic and get near MVP numbers in the regular season and lights out performance on the world stage in the Series…. in his walk year.
i love Rizzo. he’s been a great GM, but Boras and i think the ownership thinking 1990 contracts in 2019 have tied Mike Rizzo’s hands and left us in not much of a better position than Bryce Harper’s walk year. Oh well. let’s see how this plays out.
They both got a ring. Time to turn the page & start a new cycle somewhere new. This happens a lot however it would be nice of they retain both.
In terms of value and longevity, the Nats would be better off doing whatever it takes to keep Rendon. Even TOR pitchers are volatile, and only contribute every 5th day.
Everyone else is wrong – here is the correct take: Rendon stays, Strasburg leaves. Simply put: the Nats can not afford to lose their top two bats in back-to-back years AND they would still have Mad Max and Corbin at the top of the rotation which keeps their staff a respectable level. They can also sign a guy like Wheeler or Ryu at a fraction of the price of Strasburg and still maintain a stellar rotation.
Everyone is wrong? 1,700 people agree with you so far.
Thanks for the correction GM
Bats are easier to acquire than top level pitching
The Nats have always prioritized Pitching first
I think Strasburg should stay with the Nationals his whole career
I voted Stras only, but it becomes increasingly less likely by the day.
There are so many moving pieces this off season. In a static static Status Quo [no quid but plenty of pros[ Strasburg would be the highest priority. The team in general and Rizzo in particular have always started from pitching, then defense. THe offense gets built in as you build up.
That being said, I doubt Rizzo would have a problem signing both players if the opportunity presents itself. Because there are so many moving parts Rizzo has more flexibility than he has seen in quite a while. The whole reason they HAD to be under the luxruy tax last year was so the clock would reset this year when retaining both would surely mean going over the limit. now if they do sign both the luxury tax penalty will be minimized, And then there is the possibility of a trade to clear room. Finally there are several players who could be back at bargain pirces of their contract option was declined.
My gut says we Keep Stras (7-10 years) and Rendon goes to a city with a greater budget for a similar length deal
Went with Rendon. Figure Kieboom takes over 2B and nobody is certain about 1B. They will need a bat. Why not a return?
Nats may have to settle for a cheaper option to replace Strasburg and hope the rest of the rotation steps up. Then possibly make a deadline deal in late-July for an arm.
One way to save a little cash is to cut Michael Taylor.
I don’t know about Strasburg.
Such an injury risk. I hope
all these World Series good
feelings don’t cloud the Nats
thinking…..
say goodbye to these two nationals lol
If I were John Mozeliak of the Cardinals, Rendon would be my top Winter Target. Here’s the rationalization——-The Ownership has extended Mozeliak an additional 3 years on his contract. This indicates the Cardinals Ownership don’t care about all of the Dead Money contracts Mozeliak has piled up over the last 4 seasons. (Matt Carpenter being the latest). Anthony Rendon fits every need the Cardinals have on their infield and on offense!!! No matter how much it cost or how many contract years it takes, if I were Mozeliak, I’d make it happen!!! What’s one more bad contract going to mean?? Especially if it is a productive one!!!! Then, if I were Mozeliak, because of Koltan Wong’s success from 2019, I would trade Wong, Gorman and Webb to Cleveland for Lindor.as a rental for 2 years in hopes of signing him in the future long term. Tommy Edman would go to Second base. Then I’d trade DeJong and a top prospect to Washington for one of their current top Relievers. I’d resign Ozuna on a team friendly 3-4 year contract with an opt out clause after 2 years and with No-no trade clause in his contract. Lastly, I’d sign Madison Bumgarner. Batting order would be this;
Edman
Lindor
Goldschmidt
Ozuna
Rendon
Molina
Fowler
Bader
Starting pitchers would be;
Flahnery
Bumgarner
Hudson
Mikalus (Misspelled)
Wainwright
Bullpen would be;
Berbbia
Gant
Miller
Webb
Reyes
C. Martinez
Gomber when healthy
Etc.
wouldn’t this make a National League pennant challenging team???
The Owners would have a stroke…..But I’d like it!!!
Based on the title of the article, I came here expecting to vote on who I thought were the two biggest Nationals free agents.
Seems like you have that covered, even without my input.
The Nats like Trump whom a few idolized on Monday will have one term as both president and WS champion. Rizzo. You made your bed. Now lie in it. Have that big dope of a manager lie with you
Bitter Spider?