The MLB Winter Meetings have begun and there have already been some significant moves. Right now one of the top free agents on the market is pitcher Jake Arrieta. The veteran starter will likely be seeking a big payday after being one of the National League's most dominant pitchers from 2014-2016. Though he had some inconsistencies in 2017, his second half suggested he was back on the right track again.
What he is worth at the moment is up for debate, but everyone knows agent Scott Boras will not sell him short and that he may seek over four years and in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Recent rumors have suggested that the Washington Nationals are interested in Arrieta. The Nationals have made the playoffs the last two years with 95+ wins and could seek Arrieta's services to be a solidified three starter. Reports started surfacing this morning on Twitter from several beat reporters.
Source: Nationals have expressed interest in Jake Arrieta.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 12, 2017
Scott Boras is trying to engage the #Nationals on Jake Arrieta, sources say. The Nats already have $385M invested in Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. But that hasn’t stopped Boras from making his pitch to Ted Lerner.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 12, 2017
A person familiar with the Nationals' thinking described their interest in Arrieta as "tepid." I describe contact between Boras and Nats on a high-profile free agent as "inevitable."
— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) December 12, 2017
Nationals situation
Right now most of the roster from the 97-win team from 2017 will remain intact for next season, however, there will be some significant contracts expiring soon.
The Nationals window for contention may not be open very long, especially with Bryce Harper's contract expiring after 2018 so the Nats will want to go all out now to get a title. They have had the past five years or so to play for a World Series but their inability to get past the NLDS has derailed that.
The rotation itself already has three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer along with Cy Young finalist Stephen Strasburg as the top two guys.
Putting in a guy like Arrieta would solidify their top-three rotation as one of the best in baseball on paper. It would make sense or the Nationals and Arrieta to find each other as a fit or at least looking into for several reasons. New manager Dave Martinez was the bench coach with the Cubs for many years and knows Arrieta well.
It is also worth noting Arrieta's 3.08 ERA and 1.082 WHIP in nine career postseason games, which could be intriguing for the Nationals as they still seek their first postseason series win.
Money
While Arrieta would seem like a solid fit in Washington, money is always a question. They are already investing a lot of money into Strasburg and Scherzer at the top of their rotation. Strasburg is signed through 2023 and will make roughly $18.3 million next year with Scherzer making $22.1 million next year and signed through 2021. (Both figures include signing bonuses). Plus it is worth noting that Arrieta is 31 and giving a massive deal to players of his age can be risky, so the Nats probably do not want to go over a certain amount.
Will the Nationals want to pour out a lot of money for Arrieta? That will be the primary thing discussed between the two parties. What comes of these rumors will remain to be seen, but there seems to be a high possibility that the two sides will have extensive talks.
