Wire Taps: Washington Nationals bring Ryan Zimmerman back; sign Welington Castillo + more Nats news...

Ryan Zimmerman is going to be back for a 16th season in the nation’s capital, so the start of his 5-year/$10M personal services contract will be delayed a little longer.

GM Mike Rizzo & Co. in the Nationals’ front office also added some catching depth to the organization on Friday, signing veteran catcher Welington Castillo to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

What a super-busy late-January day of offseason activity, amirite? Go read your links...

NATS BEAT:

Zimmerman’s Back!:

Ryan Zimmerman’s return to the Nationals is finally happening - (NBC Sports Washington)
"If Ryan Zimmerman did not return to the Nationals, he at least would have a future teaching how not to negotiate."

Sources: Zimmerman agrees to return on one-year deal - (MASN)
"The only person to play in at least one game for each of the Nationals’ 15 years of existence is coming back for a 16th year."

Zimmerman returning to Nats in 2020 (source) - (MLB.com)
"Zimmerman’s deal is for $2 million with the chance to make up to $5 million in performance-based incentives for games played and plate appearances..."

Ryan Zimmerman agrees to a one-year deal to remain with the Nationals - (WaPost)
"Both Zimmerman and the Nationals understand that the first baseman isn’t built to play 150 games anymore. Injuries have limited him to an average of 92 over the past six years."

Beef:

Source: Nationals have minor-league deal with catcher Welington Castillo - (NBC Sports Washington)
"The Nationals have agreed to a minor-league deal, which includes an invitation to major-league spring training, with veteran catcher Welington Castillo, according to a source."

Nats sign veteran catcher Castillo to minor league deal - (MASN)
"The Nationals have signed catcher Welington Castillo to a minor league deal, giving themselves another veteran behind the plate, where their depth was a bit thin."

Other Nationals Links:

Top prospect Carter Kieboom set for shot at hot corner - (MLB.com)
"Getting a shot is step one. Kieboom must show the club that he has the makeup to not just play defense at the Major League level, but do so in a position that both he and the club admit is a work in progress."

Nationals Spring Training Preview: Rotation workload an important factor - (NBC Sports Washington)
"The Nationals’ biggest strength is their rotation, but there are still some question marks surrounding how their stars will perform after pitching deep into October."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

At Hot Stove dinner, Auburn Doubledays hope for future beyond 2020 | Local News - (auburnpub.com)
"With two members of the World Series champion Washington Nationals' front office in attendance, there was a lot to celebrate at the Doubledays' annual Hot Stove dinner Friday night."