The free agent signing of outfielder Jayson Werth by the Washington Nationals looks like one of the worst in recent history.

Werth is a 31-year-old right fielder who hit 27 home runs and had 85 RBIs for Philadelphia last year. He also had a career-high OPS of .920. He’s good defensively and can even play centerfield if needed.

That effort made him one of the most attractive free agents on the market and Washington rewarded him with a seven-year, $126 million deal. It’s a superstar-like contract for a guy who has made one All-Star team and is not even considered a No. 3 or No. 4 hitter.

That’s a major overpayment for GM Mike Rizzo, whose team won 69 games last year and isn’t close to contending. There’s a good chance Washington looks to trade him in a couple of years, with Rizzo’s name forever being linked to this bad contract. That’s especially true when he’s still being paid big money at 38-years-old!

Werth may ultimately wish he had signed with a team like Boston for one less year, but a chance to be in the playoffs every season. Of course, that extra $20-30 million he made will cheer him up quick.

The only people happy about this contract are guys like Carl Crawford and Adrian Beltre, who are still trying to cash-in on free agent deals. Their price tag just went way up.

Werth’s signing will not affect MLB Future Odds at BroburySports.com, but the other free agent deals and trades certainly will. Check out the odds as they're updated continuously.  

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