Agent Scott Boras says contenders for Anthony Rendon lining up with seven-year offers
What agent Scott Boras says during his annual debriefing at the winter meetings always carries some weight, but this year more so than others.
He represents Stephen Strasburg, who signed a record deal Monday; Gerrit Cole, who is going to break Strasburg’s record soon; and Anthony Rendon, the Texas Rangers’ No.1 off-season target.
There are others on the Boras Corp. list of clients looking for teams (Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dallas Keuchel and Nicholas Castellanos) and others who are candidates for contract extensions (Joey Gallo).
Rendon, though, is currently commanding most of the Rangers’ attention, and Boras said on Tuesday that the action is picking up.
The bottom line appears to be a seven-year contract that will pay Rendon north of the $210 million he was offered late last season by the Washington Nationals.
“I would say it is what you would expect for a guy, that only he and Mike Trout have 6.0 WAR appraisals in the past three years,” Boras said. “He is literally at the top of the game’s greatest. The respective demand has been equal to that performance level.
“Every club kind of has him in an appropriate level of the seven-year range. It’s pretty consistent. That was something he was offered before he became a free agent.”
The Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers are also interested in adding Rendon, and, reportedly, so are the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers and Angels were in a bidding war the winter of 2010 for another third baseman, Adrian Beltre.
Nolan Arenado of the Colorado Rockies is MLB’s highest-paid third baseman at $32.5 million a year. It seems reasonable to expect Rendon’s contract to clear that level, even if only modestly.
Rendon is from Houston and lives there in the off-season. Boras confirmed that geography might play a role in where Rendon ends up playing, but it won’t be the deciding factor.
The Rangers have tried to sell Rendon on the commitment ownership has made to winning, both in terms of the new ballpark and other facility upgrades throughout the organization as well as giving the go-ahead for past midseason acquisitions when the Rangers have contended.
Rendon rates the top third baseman available this off-season, with another free agent, Josh Donaldson, next. The Rangers could also pursue a trade if they miss on Rendon and Donaldson.
“I would like to get it done sooner than later,” manager Chris Woodward said. “Obviously, it’s out of my hands. It’s important. It’s, obviously, a need for us. We need, obviously, that position filled, and preferably with a right-handed bat. Doesn’t have to be, but I would like to get that done and I know Jon Daniels would like to get it done as well as just to focus on things that we could address. Hopefully we do get it done soon.”
