Wire Taps: Washington Nationals’ rotation now with Anibal Sanchez instead of Tanner Roark; Bryce Harper to LA?

Will Bryce Harper eventually end up in LA? There are different takes out there on what the Dodgers’ big deal with the Reds last night means when it comes to Harper. There are also plenty of takes out there about the Nationals replacing Tanner Roark with Anibal Sanchez, after Roark was dealt to the Reds and Sanchez signed a 2-year deal with deferred money, making him the No. 4 in D.C. behind Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin.

Catch up on the latest Nationals news...

NATS BEAT:

How the Nationals’ new rotation stacks up vs. NL's best - (NBC Sports Washington)
"Tanner Roark and Gio Gonzalez will not make a start for the team for the first time since 2012. In are Patrick Corbin and Anibal Sanchez."

Harper to L.A. just makes too much sense for both sides - (MASN)
"If you think the Dodgers aren’t interested in Bryce Harper ... well, you haven’t been paying close enough attention."

Major Dodgers trade could have ramifications in Bryce Harper sweepstakes - (NBC Sports Washington)
"The biggest non-financial reason why this move is interesting, specifically in regards to the Nationals, is what it could mean for Bryce Harper."

Dave Martinez grateful for Patrick Corbin - (MLB.com)
"One thing that stands out right now is Pat Corbin. That's pretty good. [Laughs.] You know, last year was special for me just because it was my first Christmas as a manager, so for me that was a gift." - Davey Martinez

Anibal to the Rescue - (NatsGM)
"Washington obviously preferred Sanchez as their 4th starter to Roark, an interesting decision considering the strengths and weaknesses of both pitchers."

Nats top prospects: No. 8 - RHP Sterling Sharp - (MASN)
"Baseball America national writer Carlos Collazo likes the move up the chain Sharp has made this past season, and looks to Sharp as a possible back-of-the-rotation starter in years to come."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Nationals Get Anibal Sanchez To Replace Tanner Roark - (FanGraphs)
"A year ago, nobody wanted Sanchez, but some changes to his pitch-mix revived his career, and now the Nationals have rewarded those changes and the upside Sanchez brings over Roark..."

Stafford government contractor, Potomac Baseball team up to honor vets, active duty military | Local Business - (fredericksburg.com)
"SimVentions, a government contractor based in Stafford County, has teamed up with Potomac Baseball LLC to honor active and retired military and their families."

MLB 2019 predictions: Trends that will define baseball - (SI.com)
"The player who finished in second place, Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals, became the youngest player to hit a regular-season home run in Yankee Stadium at age 19."

NL EAST UPDATES:

Zach Britton? Mike Minor? Status quo? The latest on Phillies' search for a lefty reliever - (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
"Entering the offseason, the Phillies had hoped to add a high-end lefty to their bullpen. With [Andrew] Miller off the board, where do they go from here?"

Mets receiving interest in Travis d'Arnaud, Kevin Plawecki - (NYPost)
"The Mets aren’t finished trying to trade and could be using their catchers in an attempt to secure roster depth."

What does the sale of Fox Sports Florida mean for the Marlins and their future TV deal? - (Sun Sentinel)
"The Marlins’ contract, which ends after the 2020 season, is one of the worst in baseball, with the Marlins earning just $15 million to $ 20 million per year."

Charlie Culberson sits down for holiday Q&A - (MLB.com)
"The Dodgers were better than us, and they played better than us during that series. But just being part of that electric environment that night we won was pretty special." - Charlie Culberson