Written by Eddie Matz at ESPN.com
The Washington Nationals have reached agreement with former Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters on a two-year, $21 million deal, a source confirmed to ESPN’s Jim Bowden on Tuesday.
The deal is for $10.5 million in 2017 and $10.5 million for 2018, for which Wieters can opt out, a source confirmed to Bowden. Of the $21 million, $5 million is deferred, sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney. FanRag Sports first reported Wieters was close to an agreement with the Nationals.
The Nationals, in an attempt to replace All-Star catcher Wilson Ramos — who signed a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason — already had acquired veteran backstop Derek Norris from the San Diego Padres. And though their roster also features established backup catcher Jose Lobaton, the Nationals were consistently mentioned as one of the teams that could be a potential landing spot for Wieters.
The 30-year-old was drafted fifth overall by the Orioles in 2007. Since making his big league debut in 2009, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound switch-hitter has hit 117 home runs, third most among catchers, and has 437 RBIs and a .256 batting average.
Wieters earned his fourth All-Star selection last season, hitting .243 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs in 124 games. A two-time Gold Glove winner, he threw out 35 percent of baserunners attempting to steal.
In the final game of the season, Wieters helped Baltimore clinch a wild-card berth by becoming the first Orioles player since Roberto Alomar in 1996 to homer from both sides of the plate in the same game.
In 2014, he played in just 26 games before suffering a right elbow injury that ended his season and required Tommy John surgery. In November 2015, Wieters became the second player ever to accept a qualifying offer, signing a one-year, $15.8 million contract to remain in Baltimore.
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