Nationals tender contracts to five, but not reliever Craig Stammen...

Earlier today the Washington Nationals announced that they agreed on contracts for 2016 with both 1B/OF Tyler Moore and backup catcher Jose Lobaton.

Moore, 28, received a raise to $900,000 according to a report by CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, after the 2008 sixteenth-round pick and veteran of four major league campaigns posted a .203/.250/.364 line, 12 doubles and six home runs in 97 games and 200 plate appearances this past season after agreeing on a $518,200 deal with the Nationals last March.

Lobaton, 31, who signed a 1-year/$1.2M deal last January, reportedly avoided arbitration again this year by agreeing on what Washington Post writer James Wagner wrote on Twitter was a $1.38M deal after putting up a .199/.279/.294 line with four doubles and three home runs in 44 games and 136 plate appearances in a -0.3 fWAR campaign in the nation's capital.

Those deals left the Nationals with six arbitration-eligible Nats about whom they had to make decisions before tonight's midnight eastern deadline to tender contracts or non-tender players.

The Nationals announced on Twitter tonight that they tendered contracts to five of their six remaining arbitration-eligible players.

Craig Stammen was not tendered a contract for the 2016 season.

Drew Storen, right-hander starter Stephen Strasburg, catcher Wilson Ramos and infielders Danny Espinosa and Anthony Rendon were:

RHP Craig Stammen has not been tendered a contract for the 2016 season.

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) December 3, 2015

The #Nats have tendered contracts to the following arbitration-eligible players: D. Storen, D. Espinosa, W. Ramos, S. Strasburg & A. Rendon.

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) December 3, 2015

Stammen, 31, was a question mark as the deadline approached.

The seven-year veteran has been a reliable presence in the bullpen since moving into a relief role in 2010, but he suffered a torn flexor tendon in his right arm early this year and was forced to undergo season-ending surgery.

Stammen told MASNSports.com's Byron Kerr this week he had already started throwing as he prepares for the 2016 campaign and he said he thought he had, "... a really good chance of staying healthy the whole season and having another productive season."

Rival executives asking about Nats' Joe Ross?

Photo © Rich Schultz/Getty Images

The reliever earned $2.25M in 2015 after avoiding arbitration with the Nationals last winter. He was coming off a solid season in middle relief out of the Nats' pen which saw him post a 3.84 ERA, a 3.19 FIP, 14 walks (1.73 BB/9) and 56 Ks in 72 ⅔ IP in a 0.6 fWAR campaign, but he made just five appearances this season before suffering the injury.

MLBTraderumors.com projected a $2.4M salary for Stammen this season... is it surprising to you that the Nationals didn't tender a contract to Stammen? Do you think he'll end up in the Nats' 'pen in the end anyway?