Nats GM Mike Rizzo Admits Team Hasn't Yet Met With Stephen Strasburg or Anthony Rendon
By Michael Luciano
The Washington Nationals might have won the World Series in 2019, but the entire foundation of that title-winning team could crumble if Stephen Strasburg or Anthony Rendon leaves in free agency.
Nationals GM Mike Rizzo confirmed the worst nightmare of every Nationals fan, as he has yet to speak with either Strasburg or Rendon.
Stephen Strasburg has met with multiple teams so far this fall, according to those with knowledge of his free agency. The Nationals, as Rizzo just confirmed, are not one of those clubs.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) December 2, 2019
Strasburg, who opted out of his last deal after winning World Series MVP, and Rendon are both eyeing deals in excess of $200 million this offseason. The Nationals do not have a great track record when it comes to backing up the Brinks truck for a high-priced free agent, so naturally Nationals fans are fearing the worst.
It's not all doom and gloom, however, as Rizzo said he has had conversations with Scott Boras, and cites the familiarity between the two as cause for optimism a deal can be reached.
When directly asked if the Nationals have met with Anthony Rendon or Stephen Strasburg, Rizzo says they haven’t. But he reiterated that they have had discussions with Scott Boras, who knows where they stand. Rizzo added that they’ve been meeting w/ these guys for 10 years.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) December 2, 2019
Washington had a chance to keep Bryce Harper, and they missed out. While that worked out in their favor, losing the likes of Strasburg and Rendon would be a huge misstep.