Report: Nats agree to 1-year deal with Blanton

Not even a week after signing catcher Matt Wieters, the Washington Nationals reportedly decided to upgrade their bullpen as well, agreeing Tuesday to a one-year, $4-million deal with veteran right-hander Joe Blanton, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The deal includes some deferred monies and an additional $1 million in performance bonuses, according to FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, is pending a physical.

Blanton, who turned 36 in December, has thrived since reinventing himself as a reliever two years ago, managing a 2.29 ERA and 1.8 WAR in 107 relief appearances over the past couple seasons. Last year, the burly Kentucky native served as the Los Angeles Dodgers' primary setup man, authoring a 2.48 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP and 25.4 percent strikeout rate over a career-high 75 outings.

The Nationals' bullpen enjoyed a strong 2016 season, incidentally, finishing sixth in the majors in WAR (5.2) and second in league- and park-adjusted ERA (80 ERA-), but the offseason losses of Mark Melancon and Matt Belisle loomed large as spring training began.

Projected 2017 bullpen