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Washington Nationals and Wilson Ramos avoid arbitration, agree on 1-year/$5.35M deal

Washington Nationals' catcher Wilson Ramos and the Nats avoided arbitration by agreeing on a 1-year/$5.35M deal which was announced this afternoon. Ramos, 28, was one of five arbitration-eligible Nationals this winter, and he could become a free agent next winter.

By Patrick Reddington
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report from the Washington Nationals on Twitter this afternoon, the Nats have avoided arbitration with 28-year-old catcher Wilson Ramos, agreeing on what is reportedly a $5.35 million deal for 2015.

Ramos was one of five Nationals, (along with infielders Danny Espinosa, Anthony Rendon, newly acquired outfielder Ben Revere and starter Stephen Strasburg), to file for arbitration yesterday.

Less than 24 hours later, he and the Nationals avoided arbitration by agreeing on the one-year deal.

Ramos played in a career-high 128 games in 2015, struggling offensively (.229/.258/.358, 16 doubles, 15 HRs, 0.4 fWAR in 504 PAs), but putting together a solid defensive season behind the plate which earned him a Gold Glove nomination.

"It made me feel good," Ramos said of staying healthy throughout last season after struggling with injuries in recent years.

"I was excited to play a lot of games, stay healthy, that's the most important thing... just concentrate on staying healthy and being behind the plate for a long time."

The veteran catcher was arbitration-eligible for the last time this winter and could potentially become a free agent after the 2016 campaign unless the Nationals sign him to an extension before next offseason.

"I'm very excited, very happy for all I did behind the plate," Ramos said this winter, looking back on his sixth major league season.

"What I did behind the plate made me feel good because I'm learning every year more and more. With my offense, I'm a little bit not happy, but I know I have to work and need to work a lot try to do a better job next season."

MLBTraderumors.com's arbitration projections had Ramos getting $5.3M in 2015 after the backstop earned $3.55M last year:

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