"The Washington Nationals agreed on a two-year contract extension with Michael Morse on Friday afternoon, thereby avoiding salary arbitration for the final two years of the slugger's existing contract. The Associated Press reported the deal was worth $10.5 million.

The length and financial terms of the extension were not disclosed by the team but a source confirmed to The Washington Times that it was a two-year deal.

The deal was agreed on prior to Tuesday's noon deadline for teams to come to terms or exchange figures for salary arbitration and was contingent on Morse passing a physical. Morse and the Nationals both filed figures with the league office — Morse at $5 million and the Nationals at $3.5 million — but now that he's passed his physical, those numbers become a mere formality.

The extension is the cherry on top of Morse's breakout season when he hit .303 with 31 home runs and 95 RBI. After one of the best offensive seasons in the major leagues, it's safe to say Morse earned himself a significant raise. He made just $1.05 million in 2011 and now, with spring training a month away, he comes in as the starting left fielder. Morse was originally acquired from the Seattle Mariners in 2009 for Ryan Langerhans in a minor-league swap."