The Washington Nationals won the World Series in 2019, but it appears that at least one of their key pieces will not be returning to the club next season. Stars in right-hander Stephen Strasburg and third baseman Anthony Rendon are free agents this off-season as we all know, but according to recent reports, the Washington Nationals can only afford to retain one of them.
Hope #Nats fans are prepared. Sounds like one of Rendon/Stras ain't come back (if either do). https://t.co/3V6w3K7TvS
— Bill Rohland (@BillRohland) December 6, 2019
In this case, it appears that they would be more likely to re-sign Stephen Strasburg as opposed to Anthony Rendon solely based on total value of contract. This development means well for the Dodgers as it eliminates competition on at least one of the marquee free agents they have been rumored to be targeting this offseason.
Nationals owner Mark Lerner told Donald Dell in a recent interview that he does not intend to re-sign both of the stars:
“We really can only afford to have one of those two guys. They’re huge numbers. We already have a really large payroll to begin with.”
Lerner elaborated further on his stance:
“We’re pursuing them, we’re pursuing other free agents in case they decided to go elsewhere. Again, it’s not up to us. We can give them a great offer — which we’ve done to both of those players. They’re great people. We’d be delighted if they stay. But it’s not up to us, it’s up to them. That’s why they call it free agency.”
All of this means good things for the Dodgers in their free agency endeavors. The fewer teams they have to deal with in terms of competition, the less stressful the winter will be for the Dodgers fan base, organization, and hopes.
