Free-agent pitcher Max Scherzer has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals, a source confirmed Sunday night to ESPN.com's Jim Bowden.
A source had earlier told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Nationals wouldn't have the financial flexibility to sign the right-handed Scherzer unless they have a trade in place to move starter Jordan Zimmermann and possibly shortstop Ian Desmond.
As of Saturday, the source told Stark, the Nationals did not have trades in place for Zimmermann or Desmond.
Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY SportsFree-agent pitcher Max Scherzer has reportedly agreed to a seven-year contract with the Nationals.
The Washington Post and CBS earlier reported the deal.
Neither the Nationals nor Scherzer's agent immediately responded to requests by The Associated Press for comment Sunday night.
The NL East champion Nationals' starting rotation already includes Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister -- Scherzer's former teammate with the Tigers -- Gio Gonzalez, andTanner Roark.
Scherzer, 30, is a career 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA in seven seasons with Arizona and Detroit. He won the 2013 American League Cy Young Award and has made the All-Star team in each of the past two seasons.
He was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 2014, a year after going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and being voted the best pitcher in the American League.
He turned down an offer from Detroit this past March that would have paid him $144 million from 2015-20.
A source had earlier told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that the Nationals wouldn't have the financial flexibility to sign the right-handed Scherzer unless they have a trade in place to move starter Jordan Zimmermann and possibly shortstop Ian Desmond.
As of Saturday, the source told Stark, the Nationals did not have trades in place for Zimmermann or Desmond.
Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY SportsFree-agent pitcher Max Scherzer has reportedly agreed to a seven-year contract with the Nationals.
The Washington Post and CBS earlier reported the deal.
Neither the Nationals nor Scherzer's agent immediately responded to requests by The Associated Press for comment Sunday night.
The NL East champion Nationals' starting rotation already includes Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister -- Scherzer's former teammate with the Tigers -- Gio Gonzalez, andTanner Roark.
Scherzer, 30, is a career 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA in seven seasons with Arizona and Detroit. He won the 2013 American League Cy Young Award and has made the All-Star team in each of the past two seasons.
He was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 2014, a year after going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and being voted the best pitcher in the American League.
He turned down an offer from Detroit this past March that would have paid him $144 million from 2015-20.
