Sean Burnett enters into free agent market as he declines mutual option - MLB Update
Relief pitcher Sean Burnett joins Adam LaRoche by opting for free agency and leaving Washington Nationals in a position where they will be competing with other organisations to retain both players.
Burnett was excellent at the mound in 2012 regular season.
His role in the bullpen is so significant that it will not be a surprise if the Nationals go all out to keep him in the club.
The Nationals had a mutual option on him. As expected, they invoked it but to their disappointment Burnett declined and decided to experience free agency.
He is a kind of reliever that can draw interests from various organisations. It is possible that the Nationals lose him in the free agent market owing to the fact that other clubs grant him a better deal.
After going through one of their best seasons in history, the Nationals were fairly complacent going into the offseason.
As most of their players are young, they did not have much work to do with regards to signing blockbuster deals with veterans. Apart from a few areas where they need quality players, they were largely without the burden of signing free agents.
All of a sudden, the list of the tasks to be performed in the offseason has increased for the Nationals. They have two players who they earlier thought will be retained by exercising mutual options on them having refused to continue with their existing contracts.
These players have indirectly communicated to them that they are worth more than their previous agreements suggest.
Burnett believes that his consistent shows at the mound as reliever deserve recognition through free agency. Although he may want to continue playing for the Nationals, he can switch to anywhere in case he gets the desired deal.
The Philadelphia Phillies need relievers in their bullpen after they saw them disappointing the team in the season. In light of this, they can pursue Burnett in free agency. The fact they boast the requisite resources for hiring free agents makes it easy
to believe that Burnett can go there.
Irrespective of the ultimate destination of Burnett, it will be interesting to observe as to how the Nationals value him in the free agent market.
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