Intrasquad lineups and Wieters news

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles have posted their first lineup for 2017. It's an intrasquad game, but let's not quibble.

Don't read too much into it. Jonathan Schoop probably isn't going to bat leadoff on opening day. But he needs the at-bats this spring before leaving Feb. 28 for the World Baseball Classic.

Home Team
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Adam Jones CF
Manny Machado SS
Hyun Soo Kim DH
Welington Castillo C
Chris Johnson 3B
Trey Mancini 1B
Chris Dickerson RF
Joey Rickard LF

Mike Wright RHP

Visiting Team
Aneury Tavárez LF
Johnny Giavotella 2B
Ryan Flaherty 3B
Christian Walker 1B
Logan Schafer CF
Chris Gentry RF
Anthony Santander DH
Robert Andino SS
Caleb Joseph C

Tyler Wilson RHP

The home reserves include Chris Davis, Seth Smith, Francisco Peña, Mark Trumbo, Adrian Marin and Garabez Rosa, the last two coming here from minor league camp. J.J. Hardy also is listed, but he isn't cleared to play.

The visiting reserves include Chance Sisco, David Washington, Dariel Álvarez, Audry Pérez, Yermín Mercedes and Erick Salcedo, the latter coming here from minor league game.

In much bigger news, Matt Wieters is set to join the Nationals on a two-year, $21 million contract that includes an opt-out after 2017, according to reports.

The Nats kept denying interest in Wieters, but his price dropped and agent Scott Boras has a tremendous relationship with the organization. This shouldn't come as a shocker. Anyone could have connected those dots.

On the day prior to the start of the Winter Meetings, I wrote that the industry buzz had the Nationals still a possible destination for Wieters and they could flip catcher Derek Norris, who was obtained in a trade with the Padres. General manager Mike Rizzo shot down the idea to local reporters.

Well, Wieters is headed to D.C. and the Nationals will likely trade from their surplus of catching.

FOXSports.com reports that Wieters will receive $10 million this year and $11 million in 2018 if he doesn't opt out.

The Orioles signed Castillo as Wieters' replacement. They didn't make the $17.2 million qualifying offer to Wieters and weren't going to invest significant money in the catching position while paying Castillo $6 million this year.

Boras told reporters at the Winter Meetings that Wieters wasn't going to sign before January and the Orioles couldn't afford to wait, which led to their Dec. 16 agreement with Castillo, who was non-tendered by the Diamondbacks.

Castillo's contract includes a $7 million player option for 2018. Wieters has an opt-out. Sounds like the same thing.

Joseph and Peña are the prime candidates to back up Castillo. The camp roster also includes Pérez, Sisco and Mercedes.

The Orioles host the Nationals on May 8-9 and play in D.C. on May 10-11.