Nationals face tender decisions with nine players today

After a frantic Monday that saw a handful of clubs handing out hundreds of millions of dollars to free agents like candy, every major league club now faces a busy Tuesday deciding whether or not to retain a bunch of its own players.

By 8 p.m. today, teams must tender contracts to all arbitration-eligible players. Those who don't receive offers are non-tendered and immediately become free agents.

So while the Nationals have been awfully quiet on the transaction front so far this winter, they have plenty of decisions to make today, with nine arbitration-eligible players who have not yet signed.

The list was 10 before Andrew Stevenson agreed to a one-year, $850,000 contract Monday night. The 27-year-old outfielder has nothing to worry about now until spring training. Now attention shifts to the remaining unsigned nontet of Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Joe Ross, Erick Fedde, Victor Robles, Wander Suero, Ryne Harper, Austin Voth and Tanner Rainey.

For players like Soto, Bell and Rainey, this is merely a procedural drill. The Nationals will tender all of them contracts, but likely won't settle on salaries until later in the winter (pending the league's likely lockout set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Thursday).

The decisions on the rest of the group merit at least some contemplation.

Ross will be attempting to return from a partially torn ligament in his elbow that abruptly ended his 2021 season. The right-hander was told he could attempt to rehab the injury and avoid the second Tommy John surgery of his career for now, but it's entirely possible he'll report for spring training, still experience elbow pain and need season-ending surgery after all. Given that, the Nationals may be reluctant to commit to a salary that is projected to be about $3 million for Ross.

Fedde is healthy but is coming off a disappointing season that saw him squander another opportunity to earn a permanent spot in the rotation. The right-hander wound up with a 5.47 ERA and 1.440 WHIP across a career-high 133 1/3 innings. Out of options, Fedde has to make the opening day roster or be placed on waivers. He's projected to make about $2 million in 2022.

Robles is attempting to bounce back from a second straight disheartening season, this one leading to his demotion to Triple-A Rochester. The 24-year-old outfielder was the starting center fielder on a World Series champion in 2019. Now he's not even assured of a spot on the opening day roster, projected to earn roughly $1.75 million if he's tendered a contract.

Suero also was demoted to Triple-A after a disappointing season in which the 30-year-old reliever posted a 6.33 ERA and 1.406 WHIP over 42 2/3 innings. Eligible for arbitration for the first time, he's projected to make $900,000 next season.

Harper is also arbitration-eligible for the first time despite entering his age-33 season. The right-hander enjoyed solid numbers for much of the season, but wilted late after being placed into higher-leverage situations and finished with a 4.04 ERA and 1.178 WHIP over 35 2/3 innings. He's expected to receive a modest salary raise to $800,000.

Voth, another first-timer in arbitration, briefly looked like a viable middle reliever during the season's first half but really struggled down the stretch and wound up with a 5.34 ERA and 1.483 WHIP in 57 1/3 innings. If tendered, he's in line for a salary around $1 million.