Washington Nationals: Max Scherzer Is Going Nowhere

Despite the recent wave of trade rumors, Washington Nationals’ ace Max Scherzer keeps proving every start he is going nowhere.

Since coming to the Washington Nationals in 2015, Max Scherzer has been arguably the best pitcher in all of Major League Baseball over that near five-year span. Scherzer has never finished lower than fifth in National League Cy Young voting in his time in D.C. and has a decent chance to take home his third in four years this season.

After his dominant start against the Arizona Diamondbacks last night, Scherzer leads the National League in pitchers WAR, strikeouts, innings pitched, and F.I.P. The 34-year-old currently has recorded 26 more strikeouts than the player who sits in second behind him, who just happens to be his teammate Stephen Strasburg.

The Nationals’ ace is well on his way to being a strong candidate for another Cy Young and is once again solidifying his case for being the best pitcher in all of baseball. Despite all this, rumors have surfaced recently about Scherzer possibly being moved at the deadline by the Nationals.

Bleacher Report even published an article on Friday titled “Top Potential Trade Packages and Landing Spots for Nationals Star Max Scherzer.”

Now it is not uncommon for rumors to pop up this time of year, no matter if they have any true substance to them at all, but don’t fool yourself into believing them as fact. Max Scherzer is going nowhere, you can bet the farm on it.

When Washington signed Scherzer in the 2014-2015 offseason, there were many questions about why a team so loaded with starting pitching would give another starter such a lucrative contract. In fact, in a February 2015 survey by 35 MLB executives, the Scherzer deal was rated the “worst free agent signing.”

It would not be surprising if the same people who voted in that poll are the ones advocating Washington will deal Scherzer at this year’s trading deadline.

Scherzer is, in many’s opinion, the best pitcher in baseball, and the Nationals are a team that will be competitive for the next four to five years at least. Washington built its foundation on excellent starting pitching, they are not going to give up the best they have ever had.

The prospect haul the Washington Nationals could get in return for Max Scherzer would be mouthwatering, but what he does for this team every five days gives fans the same effect. Don’t buy into the rumors Nationals fans, you are going to be seeing Mad Max in a curly W for the rest of his career.