Jordan Zimmermann Is Worth Overpaying for in Blockbuster Winter Trade

Major League Baseball shopping season is upon us, and the shelves are sagging with free-agent pitchers. So why even talk about Jordan Zimmermann?

The Washington Nationals ace is signed through next season, and while he's been the subject of trade whispers, it'd surely require a bushel of blue chips to land him.

And yet, even in a market saturated with arms, Zimmermann is worth the cost.

First, a quick recap: During the general managers meetings in November, word leaked that the Chicago Cubs were "in talks" to acquire Zimmermann, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. 

The buzz was promptly killed by multiple sources, including Nats GM Mike Rizzo, who told James Wagner of The Washington Post it had "no basis." 

Zimmermann told Wagner he was "a little shocked" by the rumor, but added, "It’s a business. I know that. If they feel they want to trade me and get something in return that will help them later down the road, I totally understand." 

Player	Age	2014 IP	ERA	WHIP
Jordan Zimmermann	28	199.2	2.66	1.072
* Jon Lester	30	219.2	2.46	1.102
* Max Scherzer	30	220.1	3.15	1.175

At the very least, Zimmermann's name was injected into the offseason scuttlebutt. He is apparently available...for a hefty price.

Shortly after the GM meetings, ESPN.com's David Schoenfield cited a report that "had the Nationals expecting three major-league ready prospects in return for Zimmermann."

That's a lot to ask. Especially when pitching-hungry clubs can keep their prospects and simply sign one of the many marquee names on the market.

Want an ace? How about Max Scherzer or Jon Lester? Too rich for your blood? We've got James Shields and Brandon McCarthy right over here. 

Plus, there's a gaggle of big arms set to hit free agency next year, including David Price, Johnny Cueto and Zimmermann himself. 

Why, in this pitching-rich climate, would a team sacrifice trade pieces to land a starter?

To put it simply, Zimmermann isn't just any starter.

He's 28 years old and coming off of another stellar season: 2.66 ERA, 1.072 WHIP, 182 SO, 199.2 IP. He posted the highest WAR (5.2) among National League pitchers, non-Clayton Kershaw division, per FanGraphs. He tossed a no-hitter on the regular season's final day.

And he's owed "only" $16.5 million next season, a relative bargain.

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Consider the Cubs. Yes, that earlier rumor proved premature, but it gained traction because it made sense.

Chicago has made an offer "north of $135 million" over six years to Lester, according to CSN Chicago's David Kaplan. 

Instead, if you're Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, why not dig into your deep farm system and acquire a pitcher who's two years younger than Lester and will be significantly cheaper in 2015?

As Matthew Pouliot of Hardball Talk notes, "The Cubs would be an ideal suitor, with several possible long-term options to fill the Nationals’ hole at second base," including Starlin Castro, Addison Russell, Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara.  

Pouliot proposes a Zimmermann-for-Russell swap, though it might take even more than that. And it'd be worth considering—if Zimmermann is willing to sign an extension.

That's a big "if." Any club that ponied up for Zimmermann would need assurance that he'd be more than a one-year rental. Otherwise, why not wait to see if he's available at the trade deadline for a reduced price, or simply go after him when he becomes a free agent?

Nothing will be settled until Lester and/or Scherzer signs, allowing the rest of the pitching dominoes to fall.

Once that happens, though, a number of hurlers could be on the block, per MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, including Cole Hamels, Jeff Samardzija, Mat Latos and Doug Fister, Zimmermann's teammate.

If Zimmermann isn't willing to sign beyond 2015, he becomes a less appetizing option. But if he is, he might be the tastiest morsel on this offseason's loaded pitching buffet.

All statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.