Nationals avoid arbitration with Anthony Rendon

The Nationals avoided arbitration with infielder Anthony Rendon today, agreeing to terms on a reported salary of $2.8 million for the 2016 season. MLBTradeRumors.com was first to report earlier this offseason that Rendon was granted an extra year of arbitration after qualifying as a Super Two player.

The Nationals have made it clear Rendon will move back to third base in 2016. He started 59 of his 80 games at second base last season while Yunel Escobar played third. But with Escobar traded, Rendon heads back to the hot corner, where the Nationals feel he'll contend for a Gold Glove.

"That's always been my position." Rendon said recently. "I feel most comfortable at third base. But like I've told you guys before, I'll do whatever for the team. I'll play any position. I feel more comfortable with the bat in my hand. If I'm in the lineup, I'm happy."

Rendon, 25, won the 2014 National League Silver Slugger award for third basemen after batting .287 with 21 homers, 83 RBIs and league-high 111 runs scored over 153 games. The stellar offensive performance earned Rendon a fifth-place finish in the NL MVP vote in just his second year in the majors.

But a sprained left MCL, strained left oblique and strained left quad sent Rendon to the disabled list for lengthy stretches last season, and the 25-year-old appeared in only 80 games. He ended up hitting .264 with five homers, 25 RBIs and 43 runs scored in his limited role.

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg, infielder Danny Espinosa and new outfielder Ben Revere are the remaining Nationals who filed for arbitration without agreeing to terms for 2016.