Chad Cordero and the Nats have come to terms on a one-year contract, avoiding arbitration. According to sources, the deal is for $6.2 million, which makes Cordero the highest-paid player on the Nats' current roster, ahead of Nick Johnson ($5.5 million) and Dmitri Young, Austin Kearns and Paul Lo Duca (all $5 million).

This leaves the Nats with only three remaining unsigned, arbitration-eligible players: Felipe Lopez (who could get around $5 million himself), Jon Rauch (perhaps $1 million to $1.5 million) and Tim Redding ($750,000 to $1 million). Those players can come to terms at any point with the club on one-year deals, but if they haven't agreed by next Friday, both sides must submit arbitration figures to the league. Arbitration hearings take place in February.