Pitcher Max Scherzer has reportedly signed a seven-year deal with the Washington Nationals worth $210 million. The money is apparently being deferred which means Scherzer will be on the Nats payroll through 2028. 

It isn’t quite Clayton Kershaw money, but he did get more than $200 million.

Scherzer has spent the past five seasons with the Detroit Tigers where in 2013 he won the AL Cy Young Award going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 240 strikeouts. He wasn’t too shabby last season with an 18-5 accompanied by a respectable 3.15 ERA along with 252 strikeouts.

Unless the Nats trade either Doug Fister or Jordan Zimmermann, their rotation will consist of Scherzer, Steven Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Fister and Zimmermann with Tanner Roark moving to the bullpen. If the Nats hang on to both Fister and Zimmermann then they are going for broke in 2015. The Nats won the NL East in 2012 and 2014, but failed to advance beyond the NLDS. 

So where does that leave the Tigers rotation? In addition to the departure of Scherzer, the Tigers previously traded Rick Porcello to the Red Sox for Yoenis Cespedes. The Tigers 2015 rotation appears to be Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez, David Price (who just signed a one-year deal worth nearly $20 million), ex-Red Alfredo Simon and ex-Yankee Shane Greene. The Tigers could try to sign James Shields or trade for Cole Hamels. Verlander had on off-season in 2014 and Sanchez had trouble staying healthy last year. But I think the Tigers can make it without Scherzer.

The question is can the Nats make it with Scherzer?