WORST

5. C Matt Wieters, Washington Nationals

The Orioles made a difficult call in parting ways with Wieters, their longtime catcher, after the 2016 season. He was a team leader who commanded great respect on the field and in the clubhouse and had a good rapport with Orioles pitchers. Ultimately, the club decided that Wieters’ declining on-field production wasn’t worth the price tag he’d carry — specifically, the one-year, $10.5 million contract (with another $10.5 million player option for 2018) that he signed with the Nationals.

By the numbers, the Orioles’ decision looks like the right one. Wieters has dropped off the table at the plate. He’s batting .230 with nine homers and 50 RBIs this year, and his .637 OPS was the third-worst in the NL among hitters with at least 400 plate appearances.

Do the Nationals regret the contract? Probably not. Wieters has worked well with their pitching staff, and the club is a whopping 72-30 in games he starts. Still, it’s alarming how quickly his offense has cratered.

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