Nationals rumors: Ryan Madson, Mike Gonzalez, Tyler Clippard, Sean Burnett

With several players reaching free agency and others that could potentially be traded, the Washington Nationals’ bullpen could undergo an overhaul this offseason, reports Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post:

The Nationals could undergo something of an overhaul in their bullpen. It’s not a certainty, but they have plenty of potentially moving parts.

Left-hander Sean Burnett is expected to decline his portion of the $3.5 million mutual option for the 2013 season. While he has said he’d like to re-sign with the Nationals, he will likely command a hefty contract on the free agent market as a southpaw with his track record.

Right-hander Tyler Clippard can still be under contract for next season, but Kilgore wonders if he’d be more valuable as a trade chip. No reliever in baseball has pitched more innings over the past three years than the 27-year-old.

The Nationals signed left-hander Mike Gonzalez after the 2012 campaign began, and the veteran turned in an impressive season in D.C. He will become a free agent once again, but Kilgore says the Nationals should be interested in re-signing him.

After deciding which in-house options they’d like to retain and which they’d rather part ways with, Kilgore believes Washington could target right-hander Ryan Madson, who’s set to hit the open market once again if the Cincinnati Reds decline their portion of his $11 million mutual option. Kilgore says the 32-year-old would add a tested arm in the back of the Nationals’ bullpen.