In a Tweet by Bill Ladson of MLB.com, he mentions the Chicago Cubs and the Texas Rangers have jumped ahead of the Washington Nationals for free agent Brandon Webb.

The Nationals were believed to be a strong contender for Webb.  The 2006 Cy Young Award winner has a relationship with Nat’s GM Mike Rizzo since Rizzo drafted Webb while he was the Diamondback’s scouting director in 2000. The two are close friends.

Webb’s agent, Jonathan Maurer, previously has said that he would seek a contract in the $7.5 million range this winter