Washington Nationals: Grading Mike Rizzo’s 10 best free agent signings
By Brian Foley
Max Scherzer (2015-present)
If Werth was Rizzo’s first foray into the deep end of free agency, the Scherzer signing was a full-on cannonball. Rizzo inked the right-hander to a seven-year, $210 million deal as Washington looked to find that missing piece to push them over the top in the October.
Scherzer has certainly done his part in his three years in town. Nats fans have been treated to two Cy Young awards and another top-five finish, two top-10 MVP campaigns, three All-Star nods, two strikeout titles, two no-hitters, and a 20 K performance.
From 2015-17, the 33-year-old ranks in the top three in innings, starts, wins, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, and batting average against. His dominance on the mound, along with his phenomenal durability, makes him a surefire Hall of Famer. It also means he has a good chance of living up to his monstrous contract, which expires in 2021.
The one knock against Scherzer is that he has not put the Nationals over the top in the playoffs. His 3.72 postseason ERA with Washington is certainly below his standards, and the chaotic fifth inning in the Game 5 loss to Chicago did happen on his watch. But, the Nats’ playoff failures have been a team-wide issue, rather than just Scherzer’s fault.
Expect more greatness from Scherzer in 2018 and beyond as we watch perhaps the best Nationals player thus far.
Grade: A