ALEXANDRIA, Va. — When players become free agents, they are often out to find a place that meets more of their demands. Most of those demands revolve around logistics, issues like salaries and extended contracts.
But what about food? Why would a player ever want to leave an area that's willing to give them free barbeque if they stay?
Pork Barrel BBQ in Alexandria, Virginia decided to give the three Nationals free agents one last incentive to stay in the DMV area before they reconsider signing with another team: free food. Pork Barrel announced this week that it would give the players free food at their restaurant for the duration of their contracts with the Nats.
"We've always been community-minded," owner Mike Anderson said. "We felt we needed to do something to keep these guys here."
The restaurant was keen to note that Rendon should already love BBQ food, as he is a Texas native. As for Strasburg and Zimmerman, Pork Barrel wanted to point out that a high protein diet helps during the five-day recovery period for starting pitchers, and can also help when battling foot inflammations.
This isn't the first time the BBQ joint has offered free brisket. In 2013, Pork Barrel was one of the first restaurants to offer up free food to employees impacted by the government shutdown and also gave out over 700 free sandwiches to federal employees and contractors impacted by the 2019 shutdown.
"We want these guys to stay right here and eat well for the rest of their careers," Pork Barrel's Bill Blackburn said.
We do, too.
