Now-former Nationals’ catcher Wilson Ramos signs 2-year deal with Tampa Bay Rays

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. - If it wasn’t clear that Wilson Ramos was not coming back to the Washington Nationals before this past Friday, the Nationals’ trade with San Diego for one-time Nationals’ prospect Derek Norris pretty much officially signaled the end of Ramos’s time in the nation’s capital.

The 29-year-old catcher was well on his way to a big payday in free agency this season when he suffered a torn ACL and damage to the medial meniscus and lateral meniscus, in his right knee in late September.

It was the second significant injury to the knee in his career.

Ramos admitted at the time it might mean his future was in the American League.

“I would love to stay here and keep playing for this team,” Ramos said through an interpreter.

“They’ve given me the opportunity in my career that I haven’t gotten anywhere else.

“Unfortunately this injury happened so close to the end and it may affect whether I’m able to stay [with a] National League team or not, but if it’s up to me, I definitely would like to keep playing for the Nationals and play as long as I can.”

He finished his seventh major league season with a .307/.354/.496 line, 25 doubles and 22 home runs in 131 games and 523 plate appearances at 3.5 fWAR.

Ramos might not be ready for the start of the 2016 campaign, but he’s been hard at work since undergoing surgery, trying to make sure he’s able to come back as soon as possible.

According to reports tonight, pending results of a physical, which is an important note considering the circumstances, Ramos has signed a two-year with the Tampa Bay Rays: