One MLB official told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recently that "word is spreading in the industry that the Washington Nationals have emerged as the favorite" to sign Prince Fielder.
What to make of this rumor? Haudricourt is reliable, but he made it clear that he is relaying the opinion of "the industry" as passed through one MLB official. So the source doesn't appear to be from Scott Boras' camp, nor from the Nationals. Still, the rumor echoes something ESPN's Buster Olney wrote on Thursday: "Some rival executives strongly believe that Washington will be the eventual landing place for Fielder." That same day, a Nationals player suggested to Jon Heyman the team was in the mix.