Dodgers, Giants Could Land Scherzer

It’s sounding more and more likely that Max Scherzer will be moved before Friday’s MLB trade deadline. A large portion of the league would love to acquire the three-time Cy Young winner, but only a few teams have a realistic chance of executing a deal for the Washington Nationals ace.

At least eight teams are interested in acquiring Scherzer, according to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. Scherzer can veto any deal, and he reportedly prefers a handful of suitors over the others.

The San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres are on Scherzer’s unofficial list of preferred destinations, according to reports. All three NL West teams are in pursuit of the 37-year-old as they vie for first place and the best record in the league.

Los Angeles and San Francisco rank first and second, respectively, in team ERA. The Giants are three games ahead of the Dodgers and 5.5 games in front of the Padres atop the division.

The Nationals want to find a deal as soon as possible, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. Scherzer is in the final year of his contract, and Washington is a long shot to make the playoffs.

Both the New York Yankees and New York Mets have checked in on Scherzer, but the starter is unlikely to end up in the Big Apple. Scherzer reportedly doesn’t want to play in the Bronx. The Nationals aren’t expected to help out the divisional rival Mets, who sit 7.5 games in front of Washington atop the NL East.

The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays have also been linked to Scherzer.

A Scherzer trade could swing the pennant race in either the AL or NL. The best pitcher of the last decade, Scherzer is just about as dominant as he was during his first Cy Young campaign in 2013. The veteran has a 2.83 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and 142 strikeouts in 105 innings pitched.

The 2020 season was the first year since 2012 in which Scherzer failed to finish in the top five in the Cy Young race.

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