The Washington Nationals are bringing back a respected player from their 2019 World Series championship team.
Veteran catcher Yan Gomes has agreed to stay on a two-year, $10 million contract, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday night.
Gomes formed a formidable tandem with fellow veteran Kurt Suzuki last season. He appeared in 97 matches, producing 12 homers and 16 doubles to go along with his usual excellent defense. The duo will officially stay intact for 2020 as Suzuki finishes out his own two-year, $10 million contract.
The 32-year-old Gomes started the final four matches of the World Series after Suzuki sustained a hip flexor. He contributed three hits and caught Daniel Hudson’s strikeout to end the series.
The Gomes signing continues a hot start for the catching market.
In the last week, Yasmani Grandal, Travis d’Arnaud, Dustin Garneau and Stephen Vogt have all agreed to new deals. Grandal set the pace by signing a four-year, $73 million deal with the Chicago White Sox.
Jason Castro and Robinson Chirinos are the best catchers still available.
Together, their production was in about the middle of the pack compared to all of baseball. Nats catchers were good for 1.1 Wins Above Replacement, 19th in the Majors per FanGraphs, while posting an 88 wRC+, tied for 12th best in MLB for an offensively challenged position.
When the Nationals declined Gomes’ $9 million club option earlier this month, they insisted they did not want to close the door on Gomes and remained open to bringing him back at a lower price. By bringing him back through 2021, the Nats retain the better defensive catcher of the duo and are betting Gomes still has a rebound left in his bat.
In his first year in D.C., Gomes hit .223/.316/.389 -- a disappointing year especially coming off his 2018 season with the Indians, when he made the All-Star team and hit .266/.313/.449, with 16 homers and 103 OPS+.
