Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals' moves this offseason have them poised to challenge for a World Series title immediately, but life goes on beyond 2015, and so do the careers of the team's latest acquisitions.

Without hyperbole or hesitation, one can reasonably say the Washington Nationals, on paper, have constructed one of the best starting rotations in baseball history. 

The Washington Nationals, already one of the deepest pitching teams in baseball, made a splash late Sunday night when they inked right-hander Max Scherzer to a massive seven-year free-agent deal.

The Washington Nationals and Stephen Strasburg reached an agreement on a one-year deal to avoid arbitration Friday. The ace will earn more than $7 million in 2015.

The team confirmed a deal was in place:

William Ladson of MLB.com provided the details:

If the Washington Nationals made headlines with blockbuster trades involving their star players this offseason, it would be far less stressful for fans than the team's conspicuous inactivity.

The Nats have made small trades here and entered talks there, but Washington has yet to check off anything on the top of its to-do list. And, as of now, that strategy has benefited some players and left others in precarious spots.

The Washington Nationals have been maddeningly patient this winter, but the team still has a few months to let its fans stew and a short list of pieces that could fill its only visible hole: second base.

Nationals rumors this offseason have been largely dominated by who might be leaving the team. Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Ian Desmond are no closer to learning their fate. 

The Washington Nationals are almost three months into the offseason and general manager Mike Rizzo's finger is still resting on the trigger of nearly all of the team's biggest potential maneuvers. 

The Washington Nationals are taking a noticeably patient approach this offseason, but last week the team put a clock on it with the announcement of spring training dates. 

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Viera, Florida, Feb. 19 with position players arriving five days later on Feb. 24. To put it in more dramatic terms, the preseason is less than two months away.