WASHINGTON (AP) -Catcher Johnny Estrada is negotiating with the Washington Nationals, who learned this week that Paul Lo Duca will be sidelined for up to six weeks.
The 31-year-old Estrada is coming off knee and elbow operations and became a free agent last month when the New York Mets declined to offer him a contract for next season.
Estrada played for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2007, batting .278 with 10 homers and 54 RBIs, and drawing only 12 walks as part of a .296 on-base percentage. He threw out six of 79 base stealers.
The Brewers traded him to the Mets in the offseason.
An All-Star in 2004 with Atlanta, Estrada is a .280 career hitter with 42 homers and 281 RBIs in 589 games spanning seven major league seasons. He has spent his entire career in the National League, also playing for Philadelphia and Arizona.
Lo Duca, who signed a $5 million, one-year deal with Washington as a free agent, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Monday. The Nationals also have catcher Jesus Flores, who never played above Double-A before last season.
The Nationals traded last season’s starting catcher, Brian Schneider, to the Mets in December.
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