Several sources have reported, including Todd Zolecki, that the Nationals have signed Jayson Werth. MLB fans are always wanting small market teams to succeed in free agency, so here it is. The deal is reported at seven years and $126 million, which is ridiculous and will hinder the team considerably, but the Nationals got a legit bat.
↵This means the Braves will continue to see Werth the same amount of times a year for quite a while. His career numbers against the Braves are .290/.395/.479, 10 HR, 36 RBI in 217 at bats. Obviously Werth is a great hitter and success comes for him against most teams, but these numbers rank pretty high in comparison with his stats against other teams. It is something the Braves have had to deal with since 2007, and they will continue to deal with it for the next seven years. Get used to the nasty beard.
↵Considering the fact that Werth is 31 years old, a seven-year deal is very high, and giving him that much overall money is reckless for a team like the Nationals. They are banking on competing once Stephen Strasburg returns and Bryce Harper makes it. But whether they will have the resources to surround their core will be the question.