Baltimore Orioles: Scott Boras to Meet About a Potential Matt Wieters Extension
Scott Boras will visit the Baltimore Orioles to discuss a Matt Wieters extension next week.
A contract extension could be in the mix for catcher Matt Wieters. Dan Connolly has reported that agent Scott Boras will travel to Baltimore to meet with team executive vice president Dan Duquette. Among the topics he will discuss with the Baltimore Orioles is the status of their starting catcher.
Wieters, 30, will become a free agent at season’s end after accepting a qualifying offer last winter. The catcher had missed a sizeable part of the prior two seasons after undergoing a Tommy John surgery in 2014, but he played well enough down the stretch last season. In 75 games, he batted .267 with eight home runs and average defense.
This season, on the other hand, has been a bit of a disappointment. Despite making the All-Star team, he has been just a bit better than average and has resembled nothing like his past self. His .243 batting average and .299 on-base percentage leave much to be desired, but he compensates for this with solid power totals.
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The true differentiating factor between this year and past ones is his defense, which has slipped from great to average. He still prevents steals at his career rate of 33 percent, but other defensive metrics suggest that he may not be fit for behind the plate. Perhaps most worrying is the spike in wild pitches thrown during his time behind the plate.
Whether or not a deal will occur remains to be seen, and it would certainly be a rare in-season extension for the Baltimore Orioles. Under Duquette’s watch, the Orioles have mostly negotiated in the off-season, but he did extend Adam Jones and J.J. Hardy during regular play. Duquette has also kept another long-time Oriole on the team in Chris Davis, although his contract came in the off-season. If the O’s decide to keep the team together for a few more years before rebuilding, a Wieters contract could make some sense.
This said, Wieters is a 30-year-old catcher with thousands of innings logged behind the plate. He may need to play as a first baseman or designated hitter in the near future given the toll on his knees and elbow, a fact that his agent has greatly disputed. Despite Boras’ statements, there is still a good chance that the Oriole will go the way of Joe Mauer or Mike Napoli and spend less time behind the dish as he ages.
Other factors that the Baltimore Orioles will need to consider when discussing a potential extension are their payroll flexibility and other options. The team should have a decent bit of leeway when determining next year’s spending since they only have about $96 million in guaranteed contracts versus their $143 million payroll for this season. Still, Zach Britton and Manny Machado will likely demand sizeable raises. Given back-up catcher Caleb Joseph’s struggles this season, an extension could happen if the financial calculus is just right.
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