Nats shopping Lannan

[love_that_reefer]

Per MLBTR

After beating John Lannan in an arbitration hearing this week, the Nationals are now aggressively shopping the left-hander according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The move would potentially clear $5MM in payroll, and Rosenthal says it could allow the team to pursue Edwin Jackson or Roy Oswalt.

Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, and Jordan Zimmermann are locks for Washington's rotation, and Chien-Ming Wang is a safe best as well given his $4MM salary. That leaves Lannan and Ross Detwiler for the final spot, though Detwiler is out of options. He could potentially shift to he bullpen if the team is able to move Lannan and sign someone like Oswalt or Jackson.

Lannan, 27, is the team's highest paid pitcher. He posted a 3.70 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings last year. It marked the third time in four seasons that he has started 30 games, pitched 180-plus innings and kept his ERA under 4.00. He will be under team contract as an arbitration-eligible player in 2013.

The Tigers could use a lefty starter. Indians and Reds could use one too. I wanted Oswalt to see with a team like the Nats all offseason. Hope they can sign him.

[catman]

Lannan is an "innings eater" type of pitcher. He could help a team that doesn't need an ace, which the Tigers certainly don't. Lannan would be a good pickup, but at what cost?