The Nationals would very much like to keep free agent Adam LaRoche, but they’re sticking to their guns at the moment and only offering a two-year deal. Fortunately for them, it may yet be enough to get a deal done.
According to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, the Rangers are not purusing LaRoche, and MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli writes that the Orioles’ interest seems “minimal at best.”
ESPN’s Jayson Stark reported earlier in the day that the Orioles were going in “hard” on LaRoche.
If the Rangers and Orioles aren’t involved, that may leave the Nationals and Mariners as LaRoche’s primary bidders. The Mariners may be legitimate threats there, but one wonders if they’d really overpay for LaRoche when they still have Justin Smoak and maybe Jesus Montero as possible long-term first basemen.
Update: In a twist, FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the Mariners are interested in acquiring Michael Morse from the Nationals. Presumably, they’d have to leave LaRoche alone and let him go back to Washington in order to have a shot at Morse.
