Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals. (Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)
Max Scherzer could get traded from the Washington Nationals to teams like the San Francisco Giants or the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of the deadline.
As long as the Washington Nationals stay below .500, ace pitcher Max Scherzer will be the hottest starting pitcher to potentially be on the trading block.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com speculated on if Scherzer would be dealt at the deadline, as well as to where he might end up. While expects Scherzer to be dealt if the Nationals are unable to assert themselves in the NL East race, he believes teams like the San Francisco Giants and the Toronto Blue Jays could be in the mix to land him for a run to the postseason. He is a free agent in 2022.
Why are teams like the Blue Jays and Giants such intriguing landing spots for a guy like Scherzer?
Max Scherzer trade rumors: Will Nationals ace go to the Blue Jays or the Giants?
Feinsand only ruled out two contenders that would not be in the market for Scherzer: The Los Angeles Dodgers because their rotation is already incredibly top-heavy and the Tampa Bay Rays due to their small-market nature. So conceivably contending teams like the Giants or the Blue Jays could put together a compelling enough of an offer to pry Scherzer out of the nation’s capital.
As stated in his post, Feinsand did write that Scherzer could return to Nationals in free agency after a cup of coffee elsewhere, a la Aroldis Chapman with the New York Yankees in 2016. If the Nationals were to get top prospects for him, that might tip the scales to Scherzer re-signing with Washington in his free agency, even if he is dealt ahead of this summer’s MLB trade deadline.
Any number of teams could be in the mix to trade for Scherzer, even San Francisco and Toronto.