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.
That’ll go over REAL well with Strasburg.
Weren’t Stras and Leake on the same little league team?
Yes, and Leake was a little graphic, or at least childish, in criticizing Stras when he reached the bigs.
I really hope the giants or Nat’s pull it off.
Who hopes that either of two teams signs a player? People generally want one team, “their team,” to get the guy.
A fan that doesn’t want the Cardinals to get him so presumably an NL Central fan
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.
It would put Strasburg on the block.
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.
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 Werth’s? Except with less purpose.
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.
So would this put Roark or Ross on the trade block?
It would put Strasburg on the block
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…
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.
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.
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.
If this deal goes through I think Rizzo is going to trade Strasburg to the highest bidder.
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.
Dark horse. As for the contest, i’m out, done, finished.
80 million for Mike Leake? What a country.
Leake+$30m=zimmerman?
why are you comparing a first baseman to a pitcher?
um, Jordan Zimmerman for $110M?
who is jordan zimmerman? never heard of him. i know Ran Zimmerman signed a 100 mil deal tho
Dude’s name is Rya Zimmerman but nice try.
Ironically, you made the same mistake. But nice try. Dudes name is Ryan.
Unless your reply was sarcasm
Wonder if the Lerners have decided to go all in for Harper and let Strasburg go for a haul?
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.
that’s the first time Ive ever seen a first baseman referred to by “a # 1”
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
The Lmao part is the one where im right. There is only one Zimmerman. So maybe I should keep the gm part. “Lmao”
Ever heard of Jordan?
yes
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.
I can never pass up a chance to point out the spelling and read the confusion
Strasburg as a Yankee for 10 years “confirmed”
Gotta do what you gotta do to keep Harper at least 4 or 5 year extinction!
I know his bat was good but I didn’t realize our very existence was at stake.
Didnt really see a need to sign leake. Surely they want a highly regarded bat before another mid roation pitcher.
I honestly can still see the dbacks signing him on a home town discount at 5/65 later down the road.
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.
Since when is being in the majors a degree of closeness to the majors?
Petit to Nats.