Jayson Werth Agrees To Seven-Year $126 Million Deal With Washington Nationals

The Washington Nationals made an early splash Sunday evening when the team announced they’d agreed on a seven-year deal worth $126 million for right fielder Jayson Werth.

The 31-year-old Werth, who helped the Phillies win the 2008 World Series, hit .296 this year in his fourth and final season with Philadelphia. He had an NL-high 46 doubles, 27 homers and 85 RBI. Werth was selected in the first round of the 1997 draft by the nearby Baltimore Orioles.

Werth’s new deal comes just days after former Nationals first baseman Adam Dunn left town for a four-year deal worth $56 million with the Chicago White Sox. Many fans were critical of the Nationals front office after they refused to dish out the cash necessary to keep Dunn in Washington.

“We took some light criticism about Adam Dunn leaving,” Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said. “People said it was the money. But it’s not about the money, as this deal shows. We gave Jayson Werth more.”

Werth’s new contract is 12th-largest among current players, which is ironic considering he has been selected to just one All-Star game in eight major league seasons. Experts claim that Werth’s stats are a direct result of a stellar surrounding lineup, something that has been a constant in Philadelphia for the last few years.

Werth’s new deal was negotiated by his agent Scott Boras, a name that is becoming more and more familiar in Washington. Boras also negotiated the contracts for both of the Nationals top-draft picks the past two seasons, pitcher Stephen Strasburg and outfielder Bryce Harper.

Allowing a player like Dunn to leave town, after being so committed to helping turn around the Nationals organization, can only leave fans scratching their heads.

Werth reportedly turned down $100 million deal with the Boston Red Sox in search of more money. So the question becomes: does he care more about the money or the championships? Even as a Nationals fan, I am clearly aware that the Red Sox are much closer to a World Series than the Nationals.

Although the contract may seem a little too large and perhaps a little too soon, we can’t hate on the guy until he takes the field at Nationals Park. Before we judge him and/or criticize the front office, we must first witness the production. Then we can determine what Jayson is really Werth.