MLB Rumors: Angels emerge as suitor for Jason Heyward

The Cubs and Cards were thought to be the main contenders for Heyward, who starred in St. Louis previous year and is being highly pursued by his incumbent team as well as the Cubs, the darling of this free-agent market, who already stole John Lackey from the Cardinals and jumped in to sign Ben Zobrist when the Mets and Nats were viewed as the favorite.

Yes, according to a Jon Morosi report, the Angels have decided they would like in on this battle for Heyward now, making things all the more interesting going forward with this chase here. Still, MLB Trade Rumors predicts Heyward’s youth and skillset will net him a 10-year, $200 million deal. Signing Heyward would assure a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nationals?src=hash” #Nationals /a of long-term OF piece.

Talks between teams and Heyward’s representatives at Excel Sports Management have progressed to the point that an agreement could be reached within the next several days, sources told Ken Rosenthal and me.

Washington entering the discussion for Heyward this late may seem as a surprise, but the club did the same when they signed Werth back in 2010 and Max Scherzer last offseason. So with the clear need for an everyday outfielder, coupled with the anticipated expansion of revenue streams linked to the Wrigley Field renovation, the Cubs have had steady involvement in the Heyward marketplace. In that sense, Heyward is a natural fit for the Nationals’ long-term payroll outlook.

And the scariest part, for the Cardinals and Cubs, of the Angels jumping in here?