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Nationals’ Interest In Mike Leake Cooling Off

By Jeff Todd | December 9, 2015 at 6:44pm CDT

6:44pm: The Nationals’ interest in Leake has cooled off, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Washington is now pursuing other pitchers, Rosenthal adds, and a deal with Leake is considered to be unlikely.

3:17pm: Rizzo confirmed that the club had made an offer to Leake, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports (Twitter links), though he said that was true of many other players and added that the club hasn’t been very active on the market for starters.

Of course, even as Rizzo spoke, Buster Olney of ESPN.com was reporting on Twitter that the Nats “have made progress” towards signing Leake.

1:16pm: Washington has extended Leake an offer, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports on Twitter. He adds that the team is “pushing” to get a deal done, reflecting the earlier report and suggesting that there’s serious interest from the Nats.

10:11am: The Nationals are among several teams “making [a] push” for free agent righty Mike Leake, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. We’ve heard Leake tied to numerous other organizations in recent weeks, including teams such as the Giants and Cardinals.

MLBTR’s Steve Adams profiled Leake recently, explaining that his market appeal lies in a combination of age, health, the lack of a qualifying offer, and solid production. Both Adams and MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes have predicted five-year, $80MM contract for Leake, placing him among the 15 or so free agents with the greatest expected earning power.

Washington represents a surprising addition to the market for Leake. The team was a notable pursuer of Ben Zobrist and has been busy in the relief market, but hasn’t been connected with any starting pitchers despite losing Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister to free agency.

That’s because the Nats already have a solid rotation lined up for 2016. Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Gio Gonzalez would represent the clear top three, with Tanner Roark and Joe Ross looking like a solid 4-5 pairing and youngster like A.J. Cole and Lucas Giolito knocking on the door.

Of course, as I explained in the Nationals’ offseason outlook, there are numerous possibilities for creative action this winter for Rizzo and co. It’s certainly possible to imagine that a Leake signing could work in concert with some other move involving one of the team’s current starters. Or, bumping other arms into the bullpen could function to bolster a relief corps in need of depth.

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45 comments
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Comments

  1. DLinVA

    5 years ago

    That’ll go over REAL well with Strasburg.

    Like
    Reply
    • drazthegr8

      5 years ago

      Weren’t Stras and Leake on the same little league team?

      Like
      Reply
      • DLinVA

        5 years ago

        Yes, and Leake was a little graphic, or at least childish, in criticizing Stras when he reached the bigs.

        Like
        Reply
  2. xman1813

    5 years ago

    I really hope the giants or Nat’s pull it off.

    Like
    Reply
    • cxcx

      5 years ago

      Who hopes that either of two teams signs a player? People generally want one team, “their team,” to get the guy.

      Like
      Reply
      • Nathaniel Brownson

        5 years ago

        A fan that doesn’t want the Cardinals to get him so presumably an NL Central fan

        Like
        Reply
      • xman1813

        5 years ago

        Well, I’m a giants fan, so I would like them to get him, because I feel that he could really help them. I want the nationals because I don’t like the cardinals, so if the giants don’t get him, I would hope that the nationals can take him away from St. Louis.

        Like
        Reply
    • Jamespfunk

      5 years ago

      It would put Strasburg on the block.

      Like
      Reply
    • rayanselmo

      5 years ago

      As a Giants fan, I hope the Nationals get him. Leake’s a league-average starter, always has been and likely always will be. That’s fine if you’re just filling in the back of your rotation – but don’t hand out a five-year deal just to do that.

      Like
      Reply
      • hojostache

        5 years ago

        Same. I think Leake’s contract will be an overpay before the season is out…and an albatross by the end of the second season.

        Like
        Reply
        • lonechicken

          5 years ago

          Like Werth’s? Except with less purpose.

          Like
          Reply
          • ianthomasmalone

            5 years ago

            They got two exceptional seasons out of Werth’s deal. If he’s okay in one of his remaining two, the contract won’t be that bad, considering they signed him to make it known to the world that they were done losing.

            Like
            Reply
  3. justinept

    5 years ago

    So would this put Roark or Ross on the trade block?

    Like
    Reply
    • Jamespfunk

      5 years ago

      It would put Strasburg on the block

      Like
      Reply
      • justinept

        5 years ago

        Hmm. That’d be interesting. 1 year of a potentially dominant, pitcher with injury concerns and a $10.5 million projected salary… I’m sure they’d get something really solid back, but I’m curious to see what that is…

        Like
        Reply
        • Jamespfunk

          5 years ago

          Since the Chapman debacle with the Dodgers. I’d like to see Strasburg/Storen packaged to LA. I’m with you Justin, it be interesting to see the return on a 1 year contract. Although the team trading for him will be able to offer a qualifying offer and get that compensation.

          Like
          Reply
          • LH

            5 years ago

            That would take at least Urias and maybe even seager, not saying it would be fair compensation but look at the packages being put together, even for rentals. Also as a Nats fan and following stras for six years I really think he would thrive back in California.

            Like
            Reply
    • lonechicken

      5 years ago

      Yeah, when I first heard of this rumbling, I kept thinking, “You know who’s also at a nice age, relatively healthy, and doesn’t come with a qualifying offer for much cheaper? Tanner Roark.

      Like
      Reply
  4. Jamespfunk

    5 years ago

    If this deal goes through I think Rizzo is going to trade Strasburg to the highest bidder.

    Like
    Reply
  5. domrep

    5 years ago

    I would think this puts Roark on the block. As a Nats fan, I was unhappy with the way he was treated last year, never got into a groove because they kept switching him from spot starter to long innings guy out of the pen. Joe Ross is simply under team control for a longer period, though they could probably get more in return for him as a result.

    Like
    Reply
  6. Johnny Shoe

    5 years ago

    Dark horse. As for the contest, i’m out, done, finished.

    Like
    Reply
  7. raef715

    5 years ago

    80 million for Mike Leake? What a country.

    Like
    Reply
  8. mike156

    5 years ago

    Leake+$30m=zimmerman?

    Like
    Reply
    • natsgm

      5 years ago

      why are you comparing a first baseman to a pitcher?

      Like
      Reply
      • mike156

        5 years ago

        um, Jordan Zimmerman for $110M?

        Like
        Reply
        • natsgm

          5 years ago

          who is jordan zimmerman? never heard of him. i know Ran Zimmerman signed a 100 mil deal tho

          Like
          Reply
          • cxcx

            5 years ago

            Dude’s name is Rya Zimmerman but nice try.

            Like
            Reply
            • natsgm

              5 years ago

              Ironically, you made the same mistake. But nice try. Dudes name is Ryan.
              Unless your reply was sarcasm

              Like
              Reply
  9. basquiat

    5 years ago

    Wonder if the Lerners have decided to go all in for Harper and let Strasburg go for a haul?

    Like
    Reply
  10. hojostache

    5 years ago

    Zimmerman’s contract is looking better and better…and he doesn’t even have to be a #1 for it to be worthwhile in today’s market. Crazy.

    Like
    Reply
    • natsgm

      5 years ago

      that’s the first time Ive ever seen a first baseman referred to by “a # 1”

      Like
      Reply
      • cjsk49er

        5 years ago

        You do realize I hope that there are two Zimmerman’s. One is a pitcher that just signed recently. Maybe take that GM off your name. Lmao

        Like
        Reply
        • natsgm

          5 years ago

          The Lmao part is the one where im right. There is only one Zimmerman. So maybe I should keep the gm part. “Lmao”

          Like
          Reply
          • xman1813

            5 years ago

            Ever heard of Jordan?

            Like
            Reply
          • natsgm

            5 years ago

            yes

            Like
            Reply
        • kingjenrry

          5 years ago

          He’s pointing out that Ryan Zimmerman is spelled one way whereas Jordan Zimmermann has two “N”s at the end. It’s a dad joke, but technically, he’s right.

          Like
          Reply
          • natsgm

            5 years ago

            I can never pass up a chance to point out the spelling and read the confusion

            Like
            Reply
  11. galihaaben

    5 years ago

    Strasburg as a Yankee for 10 years “confirmed”

    Like
    Reply
  12. bringoutthegimp

    5 years ago

    Gotta do what you gotta do to keep Harper at least 4 or 5 year extinction!

    Like
    Reply
    • kingjenrry

      5 years ago

      I know his bat was good but I didn’t realize our very existence was at stake.

      Like
      Reply
  13. ammiel

    5 years ago

    Didnt really see a need to sign leake. Surely they want a highly regarded bat before another mid roation pitcher.

    Like
    Reply
  14. brandonmarin

    5 years ago

    I honestly can still see the dbacks signing him on a home town discount at 5/65 later down the road.

    Like
    Reply
  15. kingjenrry

    5 years ago

    It makes no sense to me why the Nats would be in on Mike Leake when they have Giolito and Ross so close to the Majors.

    Like
    Reply
    • cxcx

      5 years ago

      Since when is being in the majors a degree of closeness to the majors?

      Like
      Reply
  16. Matt Galvin

    5 years ago

    Petit to Nats.

    Like
    Reply

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