WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Washington Nationals have placed catcher Derek Norris on waivers, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, as they seek to move on from the catcher to dwindle their glut at the position. FanRag Sports was the first to report the news.Once Matt Wieters signed with the Nationals late last month to take the starting catcher job projected for Norris, it became only a matter of time before Norris and his $4.2 million were cleared off the club’s books. 
Ideally, the Nationals would find a trade partner, but they haven’t found much of a market for Norris, who batted .186 for the Padres last season and likely won’t get claimed off waivers.The Nationals could also release Norris and if they do it by March 15 — this Wednesday — they’d only have to pay 30 days of his salary (approximately one-sixth of it because the regular season is 183 days long) because his arbitration contract isn’t guaranteed. If they wait until after Wednesday, they’ll have to pay 45 days of Norris’s $4.2 million. Releasing him by the end of Wednesday is the likelier outcome.Washington reacquired Norris, a Nationals 4th-round draft pick in 2007, for minor league right-hander Pedro Avila in December, seemingly making him Wilson Ramos’s replacement behind the plate. But Wieters remained on the market as spring training began and Nationals ownership was keen on adding the Scott Boras client at a cheaper price than the 30-year-old Wieters was expected to garner at the beginning of the offseason. Eventually the four-time all-star signed a two-year, $21 million contract with a player opt out after this season that would pay him $10.5 million per year with some money deferred, creating a glut at catcher.While Wieters is slated to make his Nationals debut Sunday, Norris has gotten out to a strong start, though the sample size is small. Norris is 6 for 15 with two home runs in eight games, but his playing time is likely to plunge with Wieters playing in games with Jose Lobaton and Pedro Severino also needing game action.Jorge Castillo/Washington Post
Ideally, the Nationals would find a trade partner, but they haven’t found much of a market for Norris, who batted .186 for the Padres last season and likely won’t get claimed off waivers.The Nationals could also release Norris and if they do it by March 15 — this Wednesday — they’d only have to pay 30 days of his salary (approximately one-sixth of it because the regular season is 183 days long) because his arbitration contract isn’t guaranteed. If they wait until after Wednesday, they’ll have to pay 45 days of Norris’s $4.2 million. Releasing him by the end of Wednesday is the likelier outcome.Washington reacquired Norris, a Nationals 4th-round draft pick in 2007, for minor league right-hander Pedro Avila in December, seemingly making him Wilson Ramos’s replacement behind the plate. But Wieters remained on the market as spring training began and Nationals ownership was keen on adding the Scott Boras client at a cheaper price than the 30-year-old Wieters was expected to garner at the beginning of the offseason. Eventually the four-time all-star signed a two-year, $21 million contract with a player opt out after this season that would pay him $10.5 million per year with some money deferred, creating a glut at catcher.While Wieters is slated to make his Nationals debut Sunday, Norris has gotten out to a strong start, though the sample size is small. Norris is 6 for 15 with two home runs in eight games, but his playing time is likely to plunge with Wieters playing in games with Jose Lobaton and Pedro Severino also needing game action.Jorge Castillo/Washington Post
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