With Justin Morneau available, would Nationals have interest in veteran's lefty power bat?

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

October 30, 2015, 6:52am

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Justin Morneau's option was not picked up by the Colorado Rockies. Would the Nationals be interested in the first baseman? They would certainly covet a left-handed power bat of this stature, but would injury concerns and a logjam at that spot make them hesitate?

Ryan Zimmerman is at first base for the Nationals and is coming off an oblique injury that finished his 2015 season early.

Would the Nationals consider Zimmerman in left field, Bryce Harper in center field and Jayson Werth in right field, and add Morneau to first base? Where does that leave Michael A. Taylor and who will be the leadoff hitter?

Adding the 34-year-old Morneau as a lefty power bat at first base is a formula that worked well in 2014, when the Nationals ran away with the National League East with Adam LaRoche at that spot.

Morneau had a $9 million option for next season with the Rockies that the team decided not to pick up. In 2014, Morneau hit .319, which won him the NL batting title with Colorado. He was the American League Most Valuable Player in 2006 with Minnesota.

However, Morneau has had concussion issues. In May, he was hurt in a game against Anaheim and didn't return until September. But in the final month, he hit well again to finish batting .310 for the season.

* Right-hander John Simms tossed another four solid innings as Salt River (7-6) defeated Peoria 5-2 in Arizona Fall League play. Simms scattered four hits, allowed one unearned run, two walks and struck out three. He is now 2-0 in three games this fall over 11 innings with two earned runs allowed with nine strikeouts and four walks.

Second baseman Chris Bostick went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored.