Turning the page on Max Scherzer; Why Washington?

Oct 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Tanner Roark throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the fifth inning during game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

MCB: With one of the best starting rotations in 2014, who is the odd man out for the Nats?

DOD: Right now, the odd man out for the Nationals is Tanner Roark, unless Mike Rizzo and company trade one of their starting pitchers. If they do, in my opinion, I think it is Stephen Strasburg that gets dealt because he is under club control till after the 2016 season unlike Zimmermann or former Tiger Doug Fister. Roark was top ten in all of baseball in WAR last year and went 15-10 with a 2.85 ERA.

Even with those great numbers, Roark seems to be a fit for the bullpen. He has good velocity on his fastball and is a four-pitch pitcher. Plus, maybe he emerges as one of the candidates in the bullpen for the eighth inning job, depending on whether or not the team gets another player to replace Tyler Clippard, who is now in Oakland. With Gio Gonzalez still on the team, he is going to be the #5 starter. This is a rotation that is deep not only on the major league level, but has good young arms in the farm system with guys such as Lucas Giolito, A.J. Cole, and Taylor Jordan.

Up next, does this make the Nationals more of a contender or were they already a contender without Scherzer?