The Washington-Nationals made it a priority to add a left-handed bat to their lineup this offseason, and they did so on Tuesday along with first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith.
Smith has agreed to a one-year deal with Washington, sources told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Smith’s contract is for his $2 million, plus he includes a performance bonus of $2 million. The club has not confirmed the contract and a physical examination is pending.
Smith, 27, went unbid by the Mets in November after batting . 194 without a home run in 58 games. The 11th overall pick in the 2013 Draft, he played his first six seasons in the majors of his league career with Queens.
Smith can factor in the Nationals’ roster composition at multiple positions: He’s played left field for the majority of innings. 979 fielding percentage in his 1,330 frames recorded, and most recently he has started 107 games in the 2021 position.
Smith also has a lot of playing time at first base (1,152 innings), including starting 20 games in 2022. He can back Joey Meneses.
The Nationals can also name Smith as the designated hitter, or as one of several if the committee tackles the role.
Smith is looking for an offensive turnaround in the new NL East uniform. A .246/.308/.424 career hitter with 46 homers in 447 games, Smith thrived in a shortened 2020 season, posting .993 OPS with 10 homers and 21 doubles in 50 games. was recorded. However, he struggled to replicate that success the following season and was not bid after being demoted to the minors last year.
The Nationals added other veterans to their roster this offseason via unbidded free agency. I signed a yearly contract.
Smith is the second former Met to join the Nationals this winter after right-hander Trevor Williams signed a two-year contract with Washington in December. Smith and Williams were teammates in 2021-22.
The Nationals’ 40-man roster is currently full, and a corresponding roster move must be made to make room for Smith.