Cardinals sign backup catcher Matt Wieters to deal for 2020

St. Louis Cardinals' Matt Wieters, right, follows through on an RBI-single during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in St. Louis. (Scott Kane/AP)

ST. LOUIS — The Cardinals signed catcher Matt Wieters to a contract for the 2020 season on Wednesday, bringing back the 33-year-old veteran to fill the same role behind Yadier Molina as last season.

Wieters was a four-time All-Star with Baltimore before spending two seasons with Washington and then joining the Cardinals. He was a non-roster invitee who wound up starting 54 games and appearing in 67 last season, hitting .214 with 11 homers and 27 RBIs while helping St. Louis win the NL Central.

The former fifth overall pick of the Orioles also showed off the defensive chops that won him a pair of Gold Gloves, throwing out 8 of 19 runners attempting to steal.

Wieters is a career .250 hitter with 146 homers and 546 RBIs. He needs 11 more hits to reach 1,000 for his career.

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