Washington Nationals Reportedly 'Didn't Love' Two Free Agent Aces This Offseason
Coming into the offseason, there were different positions being thrown around as areas the Washington Nationals could target with their newfound money.
First and third base were the popular areas that were being speculated upon, but there was also a thought they might get back into the ace sweepstakes to pair one of the high-end free agent starters with MacKenzie Gore at the top of their rotation for years to come.
It turned out that wasn't the case.
The Nationals opted to bring back Trevor Williams on a short-term deal, while also handing Michael Soroka a "prove it" type of contract for the 2025 season after injuries derailed the career of the former first-round pick.
With Blake Snell, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried and some other elite-level pitchers available in free agency, it was surprising to see Washington not even dip their toes into that market even with the multiple star pitching prospects and young arms they have in the mix.
But, there seems to be a reason for that.
"The Nats didn't love lefty Max Fried, who signed for eight years and $218 million with the Yankees, or fellow southpaw Blake Snell, who signed with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for five years and $182 million. The prize of the crop was right-hander Corbin Burnes, who went for six years and $210 million to Arizona," wrote Barry Svrluga of The Washington Post.
That's pretty surprising.
Two of the best starting pitchers who hit the market this winter, and even the past few cycles, were not players this organization liked.
Svrluga doesn't share why the Nationals "didn't love" those two.
Max Fried was someone they've gotten a good look at over the years since he's pitched with the division rival Atlanta Braves, and perhaps it's the injury history the southpaw has accrued during his career that made them look elsewhere.
As for Blake Snell, it's clear he's one of the best starters in Major League Baseball when he's pitching well, having won two Cy Young Awards during his career. But like Fried, he's had injury concerns during the course of his career.
Only speculation can be garnered from that, and considering the amount of money both signed for, one can only assume it was a combination of injuries and price that caused Washington to balk.
Corbin Burnes is a different story.
The right-hander has been a workhorse throughout his entire career, and adding that type of star to the mix with a lefty-heavy rotation would have been a home run.
However, it would have cost them a lot more than the $210 million he got from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Burnes wanted to stay in the state he currently lives, turning down offers and opportunities elsewhere to make that happen. And with the state of this franchise currently, overpaying would have been the only way to convince him to join this roster.
So, the Nationals sat out this cycle at the top of the market and went with a short-term approach, hoping their young arms can blossom into the types of players Fried, Snell and Burnes have been during their careers.
