Blanton reports to camp, S. Kieboom DFA

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Joe Blanton is officially a National. Spencer Kieboom now faces an uncertain future with the organization.

The Nationals announced their signing of Blanton to a one-year contract this morning, and the veteran reliever is already in uniform (No. 75, though that will likely change before opening day) with a locker and a nameplate inside the team's clubhouse at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches.

To clear a spot for Blanton on their 40-man roster, the Nationals designated Kieboom for assignment, leaving the catcher in limbo for now.

Kieboom, a 2012 draft pick who made his major league debut last September after Wilson Ramos tore his ACL, was one of six catchers on the Nats' 40-man roster, a list that grew with last week's addition of four-time All-Star Matt Wieters. The organization now has 10 days to either trade or release Kieboom or place him on waivers, with the ability to outright him to their minor league system if he goes unclaimed.

Blanton, 36, figures to hold a prominent spot in the Nationals bullpen, though both general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dusty Baker said his role could vary given his experience as both a long and short reliever.

"He's capable of doing a lot of different roles," Rizzo said. "He's been a quality setup man for the last couple years. He's pitched multiple innings. So he could fit as a long man, as a setup man. He's just a quality major league reliever that has flexibility. He gives the manager a lot of different options in ways to use him."

Rizzo said he had been in talks with Blanton on and off throughout the winter, recognizing the veteran's potential value to a bullpen that ranked second in the majors last season with a 3.37 ERA but lost closer Mark Melancon and veterans Matt Belisle and Marc Rzepczynski as free agents over the winter.

The deal finally came together earlier this week, with Blanton agreeing to a one-year contract that guarantees $4 million, plus another $1 million in incentives, according to sources familiar with the terms.

"One of my top two priorities was to go to somewhere that's going to have a chance to win a ring," Blanton said. "And I think here more than fits that. You look at a handful of teams that fit that bill, and this was one for sure."

Though he wasn't with any major league club for the first 2 1/2 weeks of spring training, Blanton did work extensively near his home in Napa Valley, Calif., so much so that on his first day in West Palm Beach he was already able to throw a 50-pitch bullpen session.

Manager Dusty Baker noted Blanton's impressive physique upon reporting to camp.

"He's in great shape," Baker said. "I talked to my trainer and fitness guys, and they said he's in as great of shape and as strong as anybody we have in the camp. That's a testament to, he wasn't just sitting around tending to his grapes."

Blanton recently opened a winery in Napa Valley. Baker also owns a winery with a tasting room in San Francisco.

Blanton's acquisition suggests the Nationals' closer to open the season is already in-house, with Shawn Kelley, Blake Treinen and 42-year-old Joe Nathan (who signed as a minor-league free agent) the most likely candidates. Whoever ends up pitching the ninth, Blanton could conceivably step in and take that person's previous setup job.

Though they weren't able to acquire the big-name closer they sought all along, Rizzo said he does like the entire composition of his team's relief corps, which he believes has both the quality and depth to pick up where it left off in 2016.

"Prior to the Blanton signing, we thought we had really good depth in our bullpen," he said. "I think Joe adds to that and makes us even deeper as an organization. We feel good about the guys that we're going to run out there. Let's not forget, we were No. 2 in baseball last year with just about the same components of relievers."