The Washington Nationals managed to avoid arbitration with Bryce Harper, and now they have done the same with star pitcher Stephen Strasburg. The team reached a deal with Strasburg on Friday, but the most interesting part of his deal could be how it affects one of his teammates.
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According to Fox Sports, Strasburg and the Nationals agreed to a one-year deal worth $7.4 million, which is a substantial raise for the pitcher, who made just under $4 mllion last season. Strasburg went 14-11 in 2014 with a 3.14 earned run average while leading the National League in strikeouts. Strasburg also established a career high in innings pitched.
Avoiding arbitration allows the Nationals to keep Strasburg under contract this year while they work out a long-term extension. The deal could also affect the future of fellow Nationals starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann.
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Earlier this offseason, Zimmermann was the subject of trade rumors, with many suggesting that he may be a good target for the Boston Red Sox. Zimmermann has been excellent for the past few years, but he is scheduled to become a free agent following the 2015 season.
The Nationals may have dragged their feet in trade discussions about Zimmermann because they were afraid that they may not be able to work out a deal with Strasburg. Although they still need to sign him long term, avoiding arbitration is a good sign about the type of contract discussions Strasburg and the Nationals have been having.
If the team is confident that they will have Strasburg around to anchor their starting rotation for the next several years, they may go ahead and pull the trigger on a Zimmermann deal. The Nationals view themselves as World Series contenders in 2015, but they do have good pitching depth, and they may opt to trade Zimmermann for prospects or help in another area of need rather than risk losing him for virtually nothing next offseason.
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