Stevenson avoids arbitration, agrees to 2022 contract

The Nationals got a jump start on what should be a hectic Tuesday in advance of Major League Baseball's non-tender deadline and Wednesday night's expiration of the collective bargaining agreement, agreeing to terms with Andrew Stevenson on a 2022 contract to avoid arbitration.

Stevenson, who qualified for arbitration despite having not yet accrued three years of big league service time as a so-called Super Two player, stands to earn a modest raise from his 2021 salary of $579,100.

The 27-year-old outfielder becomes the first of the Nats' 10 arbitration-eligible players to agree to terms in advance of Tuesday's deadline. All clubs have until 8 p.m. to tender contracts to any unsigned arbitration-eligible players. All others will be non-tendered and immediately become free agents.

The Nationals aren't expecting to complete any more deals tonight, so that leaves them facing decisions on nine players Tuesday: Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Joe Ross, Erick Fedde, Victor Robles, Wander Suero, Ryne Harper, Austin Voth and Tanner Rainey. The club doesn't need to agree to terms with these players now, only to tender a contract in advance of the arbitration-filing deadline later this winter.

Stevenson never appeared to be in serious danger of being non-tendered, because for now he remains the Nationals' fourth outfielder, with a salary that remains more than affordable.

The Nats will hope for a better performance from Stevenson next season, though, after he posted a disappointing slash line of .229/.294/.339 with five homers and 23 RBIs over 213 plate appearances.

Stevenson's struggles, though, came primarily when he was in the lineup. He hit a paltry .184 with a .248 on-base percentage in 136 plate appearances as a starter. He was remarkably more effective as a pinch-hitter, batting .319 with a .794 OPS and four of his five total homers coming in only 49 plate appearances off the bench.

The Nationals made one other move earlier Monday, re-signing veteran reliever Luis Avilán to a minor league contract, a source familiar with the deal confirmed. Avilán made the opening day bullpen last spring, but appeared in only four games before injuring his elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery. The 32-year-old left-hander expressed a desire to return from the major procedure in 2022, and the Nats will give him an opportunity to do so on a non-guaranteed deal.