Anthony Rendon made 2019 his year. Playing in a contract year, Rendon led the Nationals to a 93-win season with a career year. The Nationals third baseman hit .319/.412/.598 with career-highs 34 home runs, 126 runs batted in, 117 runs scored, and 7.0 fWAR.
The Nationals brass understands how valuable Rendon is for the club, especially following Bryce Harper’s departure. As the Nationals prepare for Tuesday’s NL wild-card game, the team’s power that be are trying to keep Rendon in the nation’s capital.
According to Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post, the Nationals offered Rendon a seven-year deal that pays in the range of $210-215 million. However, the offer comes with deferrals “to be paid off within the seven years after the contract expires.”
Svrluga notes that Rendon and his agent Scott Boras are expected to test free agency despite the Nationals’ offer.
“People familiar with Rendon’s thinking said he has indicated to ownership that he feels he has earned the right to free agency.”
Barry Svrluga/ the Washington Post
Deferrals are more common in Major League Baseball, and the deal offered to Rendon is similar to the one Washington signed right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer.
Presumably the Nationals cannot afford allowing the 29-year old Rendon to walk in free agency, especially after Harper left the team to sign with NL East rival, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Yet, the two sides went through a stalemate with negotiations during the summer. Rendon told 106.7 the Fan in July that he and his agent had not heard from the Nationals in a month. General manager Mike Rizzo refuted Rendon the next day, saying the club talked to Boras.
That did not halt Rendon’s MVP-caliber season. And now he could land a huge deal on the market. Big spending teams in need of a third baseman will surely be ready to go after him which may include division rivals, Atlanta and Phillies, who pulled away Harper.
