Washington Nationals Could Upgrade Rotation After Free Agent Relaxes Demands

The Washington Nationals now have an opening to snag a massive upgrade for their young starting rotation.

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty (0) pitches in the fifth inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

No one would blame the Washington Nationals if they had a little heartburn when it comes to big-money pitching contracts.

The Nats are still playing Stephen Strasburg on the long extension he signed in 2020. In fact, Strasburg remains the highest-paid Nationals player. Washington just got out from under Patrick Corbin’s toxic deal.

The last thing Washington wants is a repeat of a deal like that.

This offseason the Nationals have limited their starting pitching expenditures to Michael Soroka, who signed a one-year deal for $9 million, and Trevor Williams, who returns on a two-year deal worth $14 million.

If that’s it, then the pair serve as the backstop for a young rotation led by MacKenzie Gore. But there is enough uncertainty for Washington to consider pursuing one more veteran.

So far, the Nats have stayed out of pursuits for pitchers like Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes. But, an opening was created over the weekend for Washington to approach the top remaining starter on the market in Jack Flaherty.

Flaherty, who is coming off winning his first World Series, is one of those players that is looking for a long-term deal. But, this weekend, The Athletic reported that Flaherty is now open to the idea of short-term deal.

It’s not to say he’s turned his back on finding security. But, the market has shifted in a way in which he might have to go the route that free agents like Snell and Matt Chapman went a year ago.

That doesn’t mean a discount. It means a short-term deal with a high average annual value in salary and opt-outs that would allow Flaherty to explore the free-agent market as early as next offseason.

For Washington, that might be of interest. Sure, Flaherty would likely require a deal with an AAV of $20-25 million — he made $15 million last season — but the idea of slotting him in as one of the top two starters in this rotation is intriguing.

Plus, unlike the Strasburg and Corbin deals, the Nationals could create mutual opt-outs to get out of the deal early if things go south.

Flaherty is entering his age 29 season at a time in which his value has never been higher. He’s coming off a career year in 2024, in which he went a combined 13-7 with the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had a 3.17 ERA, with 194 strikeouts and 38 walks in 162 innings.

The former first-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals made his MLB debut in 2017 with the Cards and played most of his career there.

He has a career record of 55-41 with a 3.63 ERA, with 942 strikeouts and 292 walks in 829.2 innings. He has a lifetime 10.2 strikeout rate per nine innings.