If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that the Nationals will make another attempt to sign starter Jordan Zimmermann to a contract extension. The two sides had previously engaged in extension talks but agreed on only a two-year deal back in January, paying him $7.5 million in 2014 and $16.5 million for 2015. The right-hander can become a free agent after the season.
Current free agents Jon Lester and Max Scherzer are each expected to earn contracts of at least six years in the area of $150 to $200 million, which would be models for a long-term deal for Zimmermann. The 28-year-old right-hander has a 3.00 ERA over the last four seasons, a mark bested by only seven other pitchers (min. 500 innings).
In the event no progress can be made on the extension front, the Nationals would still be open to trading Zimmermann, but they would prefer to keep him around in D.C.