Is Matt Wieters running out of suitors?
When the Atlanta Braves reportedly came to an agreement on a deal with Kurt Suzuki on Saturday, another potential landing spot for free-agent catcher Matt Wieters fell off the board.
The 30-year-old remains one of the top free agents available, but as his list of potential suitors continues to shorten, the four-time All-Star must be wondering if he'll be able to find a job before spring training begins next month.
With time ticking and teams settling in with the rosters they have, here are three teams that could still potentially sign Wieters.
Washington Nationals
Though the Nationals already possess a deep core of catchers who could play at the big-league level, including Derek Norris, Jose Lobaton, and Pedro Severino, they make a lot of sense for Wieters.
Washington is in win-now mode, hoping to get the most out of the Bryce Harper era before the superstar becomes one of the most highly sought-after free agents in sports history in 2019. Acquiring the former Baltimore Orioles backstop would send a message to the Nationals' fan base that they're willing to pull out all of the stops to bring a championship to the city.
Harper himself endorsed the idea of Washington signing both Wieters and closer Greg Holland in a recent tweet, but ownership must reportedly give general manager Mike Rizzo the green light before he can spend any more money.
If the Nationals intend to move past the first round of the postseason for the first time, a veteran backstop with playoff experience such as Wieters may be the answer.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels haven't shied away from making a number of deals to improve their ballclub throughout the offseason, and they may have flown under the radar with their clever - and cost-effective - signings.
Wieters is a potential bargain because of the market's lack of interest in his services, and Angels GM Billy Eppler may see an opportunity to swoop in and grab one more piece to help his team contend in what's shaping up to be a tough American League West.
L.A. has reportedly had internal conversations about acquiring Wieters, and he'd be an upgrade offensively over anything the Angels currently have in their organization.
2016 stats
| PLAYER | PA | HR | RBI | OPS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Wieters | 464 | 17 | 66 | .711 | 1.7 |
| Martin Maldonado | 253 | 8 | 21 | .683 | 0.8 |
| Carlos Perez | 291 | 5 | 31 | .568 | 0.0 |
Colorado Rockies
Yes, this idea is out of left field, as the Rockies haven't reportedly shown any interest in acquiring Wieters - but they have made it very clear they're going for it by acquiring Ian Desmond and Mike Dunn.
Colorado was reportedly in on Mark Trumbo before he re-signed with the Orioles, so GM Jeff Bridich could instead use that money to acquire Wieters.
The Rockies are high on catchers Tony Wolters and Tom Murphy, but they only have a combined 103 games of big-league experience. If Colorado is as serious about contending as it appears, adding a veteran like Wieters would be wise.
Like everyone else who plays in Colorado, Wieters would rake at Coors Field, and could set himself up to land a better deal in free agency in the future. It seems like a win-win.