The Cardinals officially announced Wednesday that they have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with potential backup catcher Matt Wieters. Word of the deal broke Tuesday, but it was not confirmed until Wednesday. Financial details have not yet been released.
Though the 32-year-old Wieters will be competing for the backup job, he’s no stranger to success at the big league level. He first broke into the majors at 23 with the Baltimore Orioles. Over his next eight seasons, Wieters made four All-Star appearances and won two Gold Gloves for the O’s.
His last two seasons in Washington weren’t as fruitful though. He hit just .230 and had a mere .658 OPS with the Nats. His power seemingly disappeared too. After hitting 17 home runs in 2016, his last year in Baltimore and the year in which he made his last All-Star appearance, Wieters only hit 18 combined in his next two years.
Over his entire 10-year career, the left-handed hitting catcher has a slash line of .251/.315/.410. He’s hit 135 homers and drove in 519 runs as well. In a stretch from 2011 – 2013, his most productive seasons, Wieters clubbed 67 home runs and drove in 230 runs.
The Cardinals won’t be looking for 20 home runs per year out of Wieters though. All they need is a catcher to give them serviceable starts when Molina needs days off. Fortunately for them, Wieters is suited perfectly for that role. Additionally, he could add another left-handed bat to their currently right-handed heavy bench.
Another potentially interesting note on Matt Wieters is that he is represented by Scott Boras. That’s interesting because Boras also works for Bryce Harper and Dallas Keuchel, two guys that would greatly improve the Cardinals roster. At the least, the Wieters pick up means the Cardinals have been in contact with Boras.
Other big news that broke out of Cardinals camp Tuesday was the contract extension of Miles Mikolas. After a big comeback season where he tied for the league lead with his 18 wins and posted a 2.83 ERA, the Cards decided to lock him up for another four years. The new deal will pay Mikolas $68 million starting in 2020.
Featured Image by Getty Images
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
