WASHINGTON — Forgive Washington Nationals owner Mark Lerner if he got swept up in the scene.

Speaking after a news conference Wednesday to announce the addition – via a $210 million, seven-year contract – of 2013 AL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, Lerner was thinking big thoughts. After all, the club’s starting rotation, at least for the moment, also includes Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez.

“If they all stay healthy,” began Lerner, whose father, Ted, is the team’s principal owner, “I guess it’s a possibility we may give up the fewest runs in National League history during a 162-game schedule, which is amazing.”

Let the speculation begin, then.

Who will start on opening day, an honor that’s gone to Strasburg the past three years? How good could this staff be?

As it is, in 2014, Washington’s starters led the majors with a 3.04 ERA.

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How far can those pitchers take the Nationals, who won the NL East in 2012 and again last season?

And, perhaps most intriguingly, will General Manager Mike Rizzo keep that group intact? Or will he wind up trading someone, perhaps Zimmermann or Fister, who can both become free agents after next season?

Until those last two questions are answered, Rizzo certainly shares Lerner’s enthusiasm for the current collection of arms.

“We’ll stack our rotation up with anybody’s in our division, our league and maybe in baseball,” Rizzo said, “and compete against them.”

ASTROS-RANGERS: Houston traded catcher Carlos Corporan to Texas for minor league right-handed pitcher Akeem Bostick.

REDS: Right-hander Jason Marquis reached agreement on a minor league deal that includes a spring training invite.

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BREWERS: Left-handed pitcher Dontrelle Willis signed a minor league contract with an invitation to major league camp in spring training.

GIANTS: Second baseman Marco Scutaro was designated for assignment as he recovers from back surgery.

THE DEFERRED compensation agreement included in Darryl Strawberry’s 1985-90 contact with the New York Mets was auctioned for $1.3 million by the Internal Revenue Service.

The buyer will get a monthly check from the Mets for $8,891.82 over the next 18-plus years.

OWNERS AND umpires ratified a five-year collective bargaining agreement that extends through 2019.


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