Wilson Ramos’s tenure with the Nationals officially ended Tuesday night when the catcher agreed to a two-year contract with the Rays pending a physical, according to a person familiar with the situation. The deal carries $12.5 million guaranteed and can climb to $18.25 million with incentives, and is pending a physical.
The breakup with Washington became inevitable last Friday once the Nationals traded for Derek Norris to replace Ramos a day after re-signing Jose Lobaton as the backup. The Nationals declined to take a chance on a catcher currently rehabbing the second surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament in five years.
Ramos’s final act in Washington was his best. The 29-year-old Venezuelan was the top offensive catcher in baseball until August, reaching his first All-Star Game and setting career highs across the board after a strong offseason and eye surgery to improve his vision in spring training. He was on his way to a huge payday until tearing the ACL in his right knee on Sept. 26 and was resigned to believing joining an American League club — one that could offer him a part-time DH role — was best. He underwent surgery Oct. 14 and won’t be ready to play to start 2017. The Rays reportedly believe he won’t be in uniform until June at the earliest.
The injury crushed Ramos’s market value; Washington offered Ramos a three-year, $33 million in August and Ramos declined it. He expected much richer offers during the offseason. The anticipated price for him was much higher, as much as $80 million, at the time.
The Nationals acquired Ramos from the Twins as part of a two-player deadline trade for closer Matt Capps in 2010. He joined as the catcher of the future in Washington and his stint included getting kidnapped at gunpoint in Venezuela in 2011 and an endless spill of injuries that he could never quite avoid. Left to watch the postseason, Ramos was given a send-off before Game 1 of the NLDS, when he hobbled out to throw out the first pitch and received a roaring ovation.