Nationals, IF Lopez agree to one-year contract

Jan 23, 2007 - 8:19 PM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Washington Nationals and infielder Felipe Lopez reached an arbitration agreement on a one-year, $3.9 million contract late Monday night.

Acquired last July in an eight-player trade with the Cincinnati Reds, Lopez batted .274 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in 156 combined games with Washington and Cincinnati.

Lopez, 26, is a career .262 hitter with 56 homers and 238 RBI in parts of six seasons with the Nationals, Reds and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Nationals figure to use Lopez as an everyday player either at second base or shortstop. The speedy infielder is coming off a 2006 campaign in which he had a career-high 44 stolen bases, the fifth-highest mark in the National League.