Report: Nationals interested in Keuchel, wary of long-term deal
The Washington Nationals are interested in adding free-agent left-hander Dallas Keuchel to their club, but not at the terms he's seeking.
Even after committing $140 million in free agency to southpaw Patrick Corbin, Washington's front office is looking at Keuchel but are leery of giving him the five- or six-year deal he's looking for, a source told Mark Zuckerman of MASN.
Keuchel has drawn interest from several clubs so far this offseason, with the Phillies, Braves, Reds, and Blue Jays all linked to the 2015 Cy Young winner, so the Nationals have competition for his services.
If the Nationals were to acquire Keuchel, they'd add another stellar hurler to one of the more intimidating rotations in baseball.
| PITCHER | IP | ERA | WHIP | SO | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer | 220.2 | 2.53 | 0.91 | 300 | 7.2 |
| Patrick Corbin | 200 | 3.15 | 1.05 | 246 | 6.3 |
| Stephen Strasburg | 130 | 3.74 | 1.20 | 156 | 2.3 |
| Dallas Keuchel | 204.2 | 3.74 | 1.31 | 153 | 3.6 |
| Joe Ross | 16 | 5.06 | 1.31 | 7 | -0.1 |
The 30-year-old Keuchel is arguably the best left-handed starting option left on the market with Corbin and J.A. Happ already finding deals.
In 2018, Keuchel logged 200-plus innings for the third time in his career, but also allowed an MLB-high 211 hits.