Nationals have interest in Jason Marquis

MLB.com's Bill Ladson is reporting that the Nationals are interested in free agent pitcher Jason Marquis and the interest is believed to be mutual. Marquis, who went 15-13 last season with a 4.04 ERA, likes the moves the Nationals have already made this season and wants to be apart of turning things around in D.C.

"I want to play for a team that is headed in the right direction and making the moves that is necessary to get themselves back to being a winning organization," Marquis told MLB.com

Marquis benefitted from being around veterans Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux from his time in Atlanta and Chicago, and passed on what he learned to pitchers Jorge De La Rosa and Ubaldo Jimenez, who had success in Colorado in 2009.

The Nationals core of young pitching talent would only benefit from a veteran presence in the rotation, and while Marquis may not be a number one type starter, he is played for winning organizations every where he's gone and could offer a lot of insight to the Nationals' staff, particularly 2009 first round picks Stephen Strasburg and Drew Storen.

Marquis, 31, could command a two to three year deal worth 8-10 million dollars annually.