Stephen Strasburg's decision to re-up with the Washington Nationals on a record-breaking $245 million, seven-year contract, puts Anthony Rendon's potential return to the Nation's Capital in serious doubt.
“We really can only afford to have one of those two guys,” Lerner told NBC Sports Washington. “They’re huge numbers. We already have a really large payroll to begin with, so we're pursuing them, we’re pursuing other free agents in case they decided to go elsewhere.”
Should Lerner stay true to his word, that would put the Rangers in a serious position to sign the all-star third baseman.
In a separate report from Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Rendon is said to have already had a face-to-face meeting with the Rangers last week in Houston, led by General Manager Jon Daniels and a contingent of Rangers officials.
Rendon's agent, Scott Boras, is also said to have been in attendance at this meeting as well, though there was reportedly no official contract offer made during the meeting.
The 29-year-old is coming off of a stellar year in which he hit 34 home runs and 126 RBI, with a batting average of .319, an OBP of .412, and an OPS of 1.010.
He is a native of Richmond, Texas, and went to Rice University.
In addition to making sense as a suitor for Rendon from a geographic sense, the Rangers will move into Globe Life Park in 2020. After three consecutive losing seasons - and the cross-state rival Houston Astros turning into the most dominant team in the sport - the Rangers are looking to be aggressive on the free-agent market this offseason. Signing Rendon would create buzz heading into a new stadium, and also help the Rangers to attempt to level the playing field with the aforementioned Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics and even the Los Angeles Angels, who are seen as one of the favorites to land RHP Gerrit Cole.
The Rangers are also known to have an interest in Josh Donaldson as a fall-back option should they not be able to reel in Rendon.