Jan 21, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams (left) shakes hands with Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer (right) during a press conference introducing Scherzer as a member of the Nationals at Nationals Park. Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington Nationals introduced right-hander Max Scherzer on Wednesday after the two sides officially finalized the seven-year, $210 million contract.
Scherzer agreed to terms on the deal Monday, a contract that is the second largest for a pitcher in the major leagues behind Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw’s $215 million.
The free agent Scherzer, who won the 2013 American League Cy Young Award and spent five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, explained the factors in his decision.
“It’s pretty easy, and it’s one: winning,” he said at the news conference at Nationals Park. “When you look at the near-term and long-term, this is an organization you want to be a part of.”
The team did not release the financial terms of the deal, but the 30-year-old Scherzer reportedly will make $210 million, with half half of the money deferred. Scherzer will receive $105 million from 2015-21 and another $105 million from 2022-28.
The deal may actually pay him $15 million per year over the next 14 years — $66 million more than the $144 million offer Scherzer turned down last spring from the Detroit Tigers.
“An incredibly talented and widely-feared pitcher, Max brings even more depth to an already outstanding rotation,” Nationals owner Ted Lerner said in a statement. “We are confident he will make significant contributions to our pursuit of winning a World Series championship.”
Scherzer adds to a starting staff for the NL East champions that led the majors with a 3.04 ERA in 2014 and already has Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark.
“These opportunities don’t come up every day with players of this caliber,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. “He’s everybody’s kind of guy.”
Scherzer was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 220 1/3 innings for the Tigers last season after he was 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 2013.
For his career, Scherzer is 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA in two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the last five with the Tigers. He made the All-Star team in each of the past two seasons.
During his five seasons in the American League, Scherzer has averaged 203 innings pitched per season, to go along with 216 strikeouts and a 3.52 ERA.
