Nationals, Scherzer agree to 7-year, $210M contract

Ace right-hander Max Scherzer has agreed to a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals that could actually pay him $15 million per year over the next 14 years.

Scherzer’s deal is valued at $210 million, including deferrals, which pays him $66 million more than the $144 million offer Scherzer turned down last spring from the Detroit Tigers.

The 30-year-old Scherzer was 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA and 252 strikeouts in 220 1/3 innings for the Tigers last season after winning the 2013 American League Cy Young when he was 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA.

For his career, Scherzer is 91-50 with a 3.58 ERA in two seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the last five with the Tigers. He made the All-Star team in each of the past two seasons.

The Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw ($215 million), Detroit’s Justin Verlander ($180 million) and Seattle’s Felix Hernandez ($175 million) have signed the three biggest deals by starting pitchers in baseball history — all agreeing to extensions before hitting the open market.

A source told ESPN.com that the Nationals wouldn’t have the financial flexibility to sign the free agent Scherzer unless they have a trade in place to move starter Jordan Zimmermann and possibly shortstop Ian Desmond. The Nationals did not have trades in place for Zimmermann or Desmond as of Monday’s agreement with Scherzer, which could be delayed until the team finds suitable trade partners.