Washington Nationals: 5 Scott Boras clients to watch
By Drew Douglas
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.