Washington Nationals: 5 Scott Boras clients to watch

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Scott Boras has established an excellent rapport with the Washington Nationals, and several of his big-name clients could benefit the Nats. Here are five to watch.

It is no secret that super-agent Scott Boras has built a great rapport with the Washington Nationals. The Nats’ 2017 Opening Day roster featured ten Boras clients, good for nearly half the roster.

Jayson Werth, Stephen Drew, and Oliver Perez are all Boras clients who have since hit the open market, but the Nats’ roster is still littered with players represented by the super-agent. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as Boras represents many of the most talented players in the league, but there is an obvious connection.

The Nats have had a history of signing Boras clients late in the off-season, and could do so again this year. Max Scherzer and Matt Wieters were both signed within a month of the start of Spring Training, and both deals were believed to be products of Boras’ relationship with the Nats.

Now, several of Boras’ big-ticket clients remain on the open market a month away from Spring Training. The Nats have laid low all off-season, but they could come out of hiding to add or extend yet another Boras client.

The Nats do not have any glaring holes, but it would not come as a surprise to anyone if they once again signed a Boras client late in the off-season. Some might even say it would be business as usual.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at five Boras clients to keep an eye on throughout the remainder of the off-season.

Bryce Harper

Although Bryce Harper is not a free agent, he is entering the final year of his contract. His potential free agency case has been a hot topic of discussion for years, but it is ramping up as the fateful 2018 season approaches.

However, Harper may not reach the open market. Despite all of the talk of him possibly going to the New York Yankees or Chicago Cubs after 2018, the Nats are working towards a contract extension. It would be atypical for a Boras client to sign an extension before hitting the open market, but Harper is a special case.

Drafted as a 17-year-old, the Nationals are the only organization Harper has ever known. He appears to be comfortable in DC, so why leave?

If Harper signs a long-term deal with the Nats, they are his team. Having been established in 2005, they are lacking extensive history. If Harper were to remain with the Nats, he could be their first legend.

Harper departing in free agency once looked like a foregone conclusion, but, now, the Nats seem to have as good of a chance as any team to sign him.

Although an extension is unlikely to be agreed upon before the start of the season, this is a situation worth keeping an eye on. If nothing else, the Nats could make steady progress towards an eventual extension.

Anthony Rendon

Like Harper, Anthony Rendon is not yet a free agent. However, he is a prominent Boras client approaching the end of his current contract. He is under team control through 2019, but there has been talk of a potential extension this off-season.

The 27-year-old third baseman is coming off of a career year, which has his value at an all-time high. Although it is a controversial topic, many Nats fans have proclaimed that they would rather re-sign Rendon over Harper. His productivity rivals that of Harper’s, but he will come much cheaper.

According to FanGraphs, Rendon led the National League in WAR in 2017. He is the definition of an under-the-radar superstar, but those who follow the Nats understand what he means to the team.

Although Rendon is not due to hit the open market for another two seasons, there have already been discussions regarding a possible extension. Earlier this off-season, Boras said that the two parties would wait until they worked out Rendon’s 2018 status before negotiating an extension.

If this is still the case, they can now begin to negotiate a long-term extension. On Friday, the Nats and Rendon avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $12.3 million deal for 2018. Now, the two parties should begin to look towards the future.

The Nats are obviously interested in locking up Rendon, but the interest appears to be mutual. During Nationals WinterFest last month, Rendon said he would be open to signing a long-term deal with the Nats.

Again, it is not typical for a Boras client to sign an extension prior to hitting the open market. However, a Rendon extension appears very possible and could even happen within the next month or so.

J.D. Martinez

The Nats’ outfield is already crowded, but room could certainly be made for J.D. Martinez. The 30-year-old outfielder has established himself as one of the premier bats in today’s game, and has the potential to put the Nats over the top.

However, Martinez will not come cheap. He was reportedly seeking $200 million earlier this off-season, which is absurd. Due to his extraordinarily high asking price, he has not garnered much serious interest this off-season.

With Spring Training right around the corner, Martinez may be forced to sign a lesser contract and hit the market again next year. Boras said that Martinez is willing to wait into Spring Training to sign a deal he feels he deserves, but he could be bluffing.

If Martinez elects to sign a pillow contract, the Nats could be the perfect destination. Adding him to an already-potent lineup featuring Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy, and Rendon would cause opposing pitchers to quake with fear. This lineup would have the potential to become one of the greatest of all-time, and it would put the Nats in an even better position to win it all in 2018.

Chris Cotillo also reported earlier this off-season that the Nats are a dark horse to sign the slugger. Add in the fact that Martinez is a Boras client, and a marriage appears perfectly plausible.

Signing Martinez would require a bit of creativity and may be unlikely, but it is certainly a possibility. The longer into the off-season that Martinez remains a free agent, the harder Boras will push to have him join the Nats.

Jake Arrieta

Of all of Boras’ free agents, Jake Arrieta may be the best fit with the Nats. The fifth spot in their rotation is currently up for grabs, with no clear frontrunner. A.J. Cole, Edwin Jackson, Erick Fedde, and Tommy Milone would compete for the job if Spring Training started today, which is a terrifying thought for some Nats fans.

The Nats appear to be willing to begin the season with an unestablished fifth starter, but Arrieta is a potential fit for the job. He is a Boras client, which is enough in itself, but he has also established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in the league.

The Nats also have several starters whose days in DC may be coming to an end. Gio Gonzalez‘s contract expires after 2018, Tanner Roark‘s contract expires after 2019, and Stephen Strasburg has opt-outs after 2019 and 2020. If Arrieta were to sign with the Nats, he would become a fixture near the front of the rotation for years to come.

Although the Nats do not necessarily need Arrieta, it would not be the first time they signed a starting pitcher represented by Boras without a pitching need. Prior to the 2015 season, the Nats signed Scherzer, adding him to a pitching staff that already included Strasburg, Gonzalez, Roark, Jordan Zimmermann, and Doug Fister.

However, the Nats appear unwilling to meet Arrieta’s demands. He is reportedly seeking a contract similar to Scherzer’s, but he is older and his arm has undergone more stress. If Arrieta does not significantly decrease his asking price, any hope of him coming to DC will be dashed.

Greg Holland

Following the trend of having strong pitching, the Nats’ bullpen is uncharacteristically strong heading into 2018. Led by Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson, and Brandon Kintzler, the Nats’ relief corps is in great shape.

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However, they could still add a closer represented by Boras, as they did prior to the 2013 season when they signed Rafael Soriano with Drew Storen already in tow. If the Nats choose to make a similar move this off-season, Greg Holland could be donning the Curly W come Opening Day.

Holland, 32, is coming off of a phenomenal season in which he led the National League in saves. Unfortunately, there is cause for concern moving forward.

The most obvious obstacle is the fact that Holland missed all of 2016 after undergoing Tommy John surgery the previous off-season. His first season after surgery, 2017, was terrific, but pitchers typically struggle the most in their second season back.

Holland also spent 2017 with the Colorado Rockies and appeared in 30 games at Coors Field, which is the most difficult environment in the league to pitch in. In addition to being extremely hitter-friendly, it can also be exceptionally taxing on pitchers’ arms, which could hurt Holland moving forward.

All things considered, Holland is probably not a worthwhile risk for the Nats. With a solid bullpen already in place, they should look to sign a safer reliever if they sign a reliever at all. However, you never know with the Nats when Boras clients are involved.

Next: Erick Fedde on the outside looking in

Although the Nats could easily enter the season with the roster as it is currently constructed, it is not in their nature to not at least court a big-name free agent. Considering how many Boras clients remain on the open market in mid-January, do not be surprised if the Nats make a splash in the near future.

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