WASHINGTON — 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer will become the highest-paid right-handed pitcher in major-league history after agreeing to a $210 million, seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals that includes a record $50 million signing bonus.
A person familiar with the negotiations outlined the terms to The Associated Press on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced. It creates a formidable rotation for the Nationals — who could try to boost the rest of their roster by trading one of their other starters.
Washington is now the 4-1 favorite to win the World Series, down from 6-1 odds when the offseason started.
Scherzer’s signing bonus tops the previous high of $30 million for any player, given by the Cubs to pitcher Jon Lester this offseason. Scherzer plans to establish residency in Florida, which would shield his signing bonus from D.C. income tax, the person familiar with the negotiations said.
The person said the pitcher is scheduled to take a physical Tuesday, one of the steps needed for the deal to be finalized.
The 30-year-old right-hander’s contract is the second-largest for a pitcher, behind only Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw’s $215 million, seven-year deal that runs from 2014-20. The previous high for a righty was the $180 million, seven-year agreement from 2013-19 signed by Justin Verlander, another Cy Young Award winner for the Tigers.
Scherzer turned down an offer from Detroit last March that would have paid him $144 million from 2015-20, an average of $24 million per year.
The Nationals will lose what would have been the 27th pick in June’s amateur draft, while the Tigers will gain an extra pick after the first round.
