Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters after Washington reportedly signed catcher Kierbert Lewis to an eight-year, $50 million contract extension that “a player with his personality and level of ability is a player.” I couldn’t be happier that they chose to sign a long-term contract with us.” through last weekend.
“It is proof of [Ruiz] “And to his family and organization,” Rizzo continued. We are very confident that we are great people and great players. ”
“I’m really happy for him,” said Davey Martinez, Knott’s manager, as he sat on the stage in West Palm Beach, Fla., with Lizzo and Luis. Happy, we talk a lot about how we invest in players, but I think it’s kind of the other way around, he invests in us for the long term and that means a lot.
Lewis, who entered spring training last month, said he never expected this kind of deal to go through.
“No. I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen,” the 24-year-old catcher told reporters.
“I am grateful for this moment.”
For the rebooting ball club, signing Lewis to a long-term deal marks all the talent that has been amassed since starting an organizational reset with the 2021 deadline that brought in Lewis, Josiah Gray and pitching prospect Gerald. It provides a certain amount of stability and consistency when developingCarrillo traded Los Angeles outfielder Donovan Casey for both Max Scherzer and Trea Turner dodgers.
“I think that relationship is special,” Rizzo said of the bond between young catchers and pitchers. I think you’re looking at a club, but the catcher is the core piece, kind of like the captain or general of the field, it’s a tough job, catching, removing foul chips from the mask, inflicting minor scratches It’s not just the physical rigor that you have to worry about, it’s not just the offensive side that you have to worry about, but you also have to worry about the 13-man, the 14-man pitching staff, and Keibert’s good points: The pitching staff is as important to him as his batting average, and as he acquires and gets to know these pitchers, I think they’ll all grow together, not just on the current team, but on the future team. increase.”
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Lewis, who debuted with the Dodgers and played for the Nationals in 2021, will finish his first full season in the majors in 2022 with a .251/.313/.360 line, 22 doubles, and seven home runs in 112 games and 433 plates. I was. 992 fld%, 20 runners caught stealing and a total of 4 runners picked up first base.
“I’m happy to be in the big leagues,” Lewis said when asked what he learned about himself in his first major league appearance, which ended in September with a contused testicle.
“[That] It was my first experience in the big leagues. If you can do that, you can do better than that. I know it can be done, I have to work hard every day and the work will pay off.If the pitcher can help him pitch 5 or 6 innings and will win the game.”
“7,” said his manager, increasing the innings total he wanted to see from the starting lineup.
“Seven, eight,” Lewis joked, not giving up.
“But yeah, that’s my goal this year. Make the pitcher look good and you know the bat is there.”
