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| Catcher Kurt Suzuki has been traded from contender to contender. (Getty Images) |
Washington has acquired catcher Kurt Suzuki from the A's in exchange for minor-league backstop David Freitas.
For the year, Suzuki is hitting a disappointing .218/.250/.286 (with only one home run in 278 plate appearances), but he's been reasonably productive in all previous seasons. Suzuki is under contract for 2013 at a cost of $6.45 million, and his deal includes an $8.5-million club option/$650K buyout for 2014. It seems likely that the A's will also be including cash in the deal.
As for Freitas, the 23-year-old catcher was a 15th-round choice out of Hawaii-Manoa back in 2010. In parts of three minor-league seasons, he has a solid career OPS of .835 across three different levels, the most advanced being the High-A Carolina League.
The A's have been looking to move Suzuki for some time, and the recent acquisition of George Kottaras made him even more expendable. However, CBSSports.com Insider Jon Heyman reports that Oakland will turn to Derek Norris (whom, coincidentally, they acquired from the Nats as part of the Gio Gonzalez trade last December) as their long-term solution at catcher. Norris was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento just a few days ago, but if Seth Smith's hamstring injury requires a roster move then Norris can be recalled in short order.
The Nats, meanwhile, have been in need of additional depth at the position ever since starter Wilson Ramos went down with a season-ending knee injury back in May. Additionally, backup Jhonatan Solano was recently placed on the DL with an oblique strain.
Given the struggles (and sore back) of starter Jesus Flores, it seems likely that Suzuki, at least for the time being, will be the regular behind the plate in D.C.
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