Fister, Nationals agree to one-year contract

Right-handed starter Doug Fister and the Washington Nationals have agreed to terms on a one-year, $7.2 million contract, avoiding arbitration.

The Nationals announced the deal via their Twitter account Saturday.

Fister was acquired from the Detroit Tigers in a trade this offseason after he went 14-9 with a 3.67 ERA over 208 and two-thirds innings in 2013. He made $4.08 million last season and when submitting his arbitration figure asked that his salary more than double to $8.5 million. The Nationals had offered $5.75 million.

Right-handed reliever Tyler Clippard is the only other Nationals player who still could go to arbitration. He asked for a raise to $6.35 million from $4 million; the team offered $4.45 million. Clippard was 6-3 with a 2.41 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 71 innings in 2013.

AP