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Doug Fister And The Nationals Avoid Arbitration, Reportedly Agree On 1-Year/$7.2M Deal

The Washington Nationals' newest starter said last weekend that he would prefer to avoid going to arbitration with his new team and this morning Doug Fister and the Nats have reportedly agreed on a 1-year/$7.2M deal. That leaves just one arbitration-eligible National unsigned this winter.

By Patrick Reddington
USA TODAY Sports

Doug Fister and the Detroit Tigers avoided arbitration last winter when they agreed on a 1-year/$4M deal. According to several reports this morning, Fister and his new team, the Washington Nationals, were able to avoid arbitration as well as the two sides have reportedly agreed on a 1-year/$7.2M deal for 2014:

The 6'8'' right-hander who will turn 30 on February 4th finished his fifth major league season at (14-9) with a 3.67 ERA, 3.26 FIP, 44 walks (1.90 BB/9) and 159 Ks (6.86 K/9) in 33 games, 32 starts and 208 2/3 IP over which he was worth +4.6 fWAR for the Tigers.

When he spoke to reporters last weekend at NatsFest in the Gaylord Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, MD, Fister said he would like to avoid arbitration with his new team. "We both want to settle," Fister said. "It's one of those things that nobody ever wants to go to arbitration. So, we're looking to see what we can do. At this point we'll see what kind of plays out."

A hearing could have been a rough way to begin his tenure in the nation's capital and Fister said he preferred to avoid it. "We don't want to [go to arbitration]," he said. "You never want to start off or ever have that problem. So I'm sure there's going to be something that we'll be fine with." Fister, his representatives and the Nationals were apparently happy with $7.2M

The deal with Fister leaves only RHP Tyler Clippard unsigned from among the 10 arbitration-eligible players the Nationals had this winter.

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