Nationals Rumors: Selling A Potential Jake Arrieta Pursuit

Washington Nationals rumors this offseason have been relatively quiet. One to appear days before the winter meetings involve a potential pursuit of free agent pitcher Jake Arrieta. A quick look at the numbers and his birth certificate tell a tale of disastrous consequences.

Free agent pitcher Jake Arrieta is one of the top baseball nomads without a home in 2018. This will eventually change, especially now that Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Ohtani have swapped uniforms.

Things are about to get more active for all free agents, including Arrieta. According to the latest Washington Nationals rumors, the 2015 Cy Young winner could end up with D.C. in a rotation that includes Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.

Despite the greatness on paper, I’ll sell the idea of the Nationals going after Arrieta.

In the interim, it does give them a really good chance in 2018. Adding him rounds out their rotation in a way no other team can possibly compete with. If this upcoming season truly is their last realistic shot at competing before a rebuild it is a more plausible plan.

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Looking at this potential pursuit from a longer perspective, signing Arrieta has some horrible consequences. He’s on the wrong side of 30, clearly regressing, and about to put a huge dent in someone’s payroll for at least the next few years. The Nationals already inked Scherzer and Strasburg to mega-deals. Adding a third big name pitcher to the mix could handicap them sooner than later.

No matter how confident a team can feel about the rotation, it’s never a bad idea to add depth. It’s the hardest asset to acquire. So, no one can blame the Nationals to at least think about adding another ace.

However, it’s this particular choice that has me uninterested in starting a relationship.

Arrieta’s numbers last season were nothing spectacular. His 3.53 ERA and 1.21 WHIP hinted at the end of his reign as an elite arm. Though still very capable, he’s possibly finished with looking like a true ace.

The bigger issue with signing Arrieta is that the Nationals have more needs coming up in a short span. They will need to find a way to replace Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy’s offensive production after next season. With a lot wrapped up in paying Arrieta in his later years, doing so might become impossible.

Arrieta is a necessity for a team that NEEDS a number one or two. Washington has that available and is better off with more affordable options out there like Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn. They won’t break the bank and have age speaking on their behalf.

Next: Grandal not a fit for Nationals

If the Washington Nationals are interested in spending big anywhere, it’s the bullpen they must build. Three talented relievers are more important to this franchise than one top-flight pitcher. We saw that last year when the starters often them through the first three-quarters of the game only for the bullpen to blow it.