MLB Rumors: Latest Buzz on Max Scherzer, Yovani Gallardo and More

Spring training is only a month away, but the MLB offseason is still in full swing. 

The free-agent market still features a handful of game-changing names, while several teams continue to be very active in the trade market. 

Let's take a look at the latest gossip from around the league. 

Washington Nationals Close on Max Scherzer?

Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo was the director of scouting for the Arizona Diamondbacks when they drafted Max Scherzer, so it would make sense that he wants to sign the 30-year-old free agent. 

CBS Sports' Jon Heyman has the rumor: 

According to Heyman, the Nats and "at least one other club" have discussed a seven-year deal with Scherzer, who turned down a six-year extension offer from the Detroit Tigers during the regular season. A deal is expected to be made in the "coming days."

Sources cited by The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore seem to back up those assertions:

Scherzer, who won the AL Cy Young award in 2013, was nearly as dominant in 2014, finishing 18-5 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 252 strikeouts in 220.1 innings. He has been one of the best starters over the last three seasons, averaging 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

If the Nationals landed him, they would have a rotation of Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann and Doug Fister. Gonzalez was the worst of those in 2014, and he still averaged over a strikeout per inning with a solid ERA+ of 105, per Baseball-Reference.com. 

That would be some unbelievable depth. 

Nats Shopping Jordan Zimmermann or Stephen Strasburg?

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

Maybe even a little too much depth. Washington also has Tanner Roark, who was tremendous in 2014, so they may opt to trade someone if they are able to sign Scherzer. 

According to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi, both Zimmermann and Strasburg would be placed on the block:

Statistically, Zimmermann was better than Strasburg in 2014. But he's also a little more than two years older and has just one season left on his contract, while Strasburg is under team control through the 2016 season, per Cot's Baseball Contracts. 

Strasburg, one of the most exciting pitchers in the league, led the NL in strikeouts last season and is a more valuable long-term asset than Zimmermann. Trading the 26-year-old would likely only be a final-resort, avoid-at-all-costs kind of move. 

Yovani Gallardo Returning to Texas?

Al Behrman/Associated Press

In 2004, the Milwaukee Brewers spent a second-round draft pick on Yovani Gallardo, a high school pitcher out of Forth Worth, Texas. 

Now, more than a decade later, it sounds like the 28-year-old is headed back to the Lone Star State. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal passes along the report:

Milwaukee Brewers manager Doug Melvin simply said "nothing to report" when asked about the deal by the Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt.

In his eighth season with the Brewers, Gallardo went 8-11 with a 3.51 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 146 strikeouts in 192.1 innings in 2014. There is some slight concern, though, as the 28-year-old's strikeout rate has decreased the last two seasons, while his batting average against has been at a career-worst .261 both of those years. 

Still, he's a solid veteran pitcher, he has history with Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux and he has just one year left on his contract, minimizing the risk involved for Texas, which needs rotation help. 

For Milwaukee, it may clear room for a run at free agent James Shields, as RotoJunkie.net's Jason Collette suggested:

This makes plenty of sense from both sides.