Catcher Matt Wieters on Friday accepted a qualiyfing offer from the Orioles, CBSSports MLB insider Jon Heyman reports. This means that Wieters is off the free agent market and will return to Baltimore in 2016 on a one-year, $15.8 million contract.Wieters, 29, is an Orioles lifer (fifth-overall pick, 2007) who's coming off a 2015 season in which he batted .267/.319/.422 with eight homers in 282 plate appearances. For his career, Wieters owns an OPS+ of 100 across parts of seven big-league seasons. He's a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner. 
On the downside, Wieters has played a total of just 101 games over the past two years thanks to elbow problems -- problems that eventually required Tommy John surgery in June of 2014. By accepting the qualifying offer, Wieters will have a chance to re-establish his value with a healthy 2016 and re-enter the market next winter in search of a high-dollar, long-term contract.Wieters had multi-year offers available to him, but after the Twins and Braves resolved their catching situations the market tightened up a bit. So he'll presumably seek a reset next winter.Dayn Perry/CBS Sports
On the downside, Wieters has played a total of just 101 games over the past two years thanks to elbow problems -- problems that eventually required Tommy John surgery in June of 2014. By accepting the qualifying offer, Wieters will have a chance to re-establish his value with a healthy 2016 and re-enter the market next winter in search of a high-dollar, long-term contract.Wieters had multi-year offers available to him, but after the Twins and Braves resolved their catching situations the market tightened up a bit. So he'll presumably seek a reset next winter.Dayn Perry/CBS Sports
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