The Washington Nationals Sign Utility Player

The Washington Nationals have signed Derek Dietrich, according to Jon Heyman. The details of the contract have yet to be released. The veteran just opted out of his deal with the New York Yankees earlier this week.

He did not appear in a single game with the Yankees this season, though. Instead, he spent this season with their Triple-A affiliate, the Scranton Wilke-Barre RailRiders. In 36 games with the team, the 31-year-old had a .215 batting average and hit five home runs. Therefore, it is fair to state that he had some struggles at the plate.

Over his 8-year MLB career, he has played for the Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers. In 2018, he managed to hit 26 home runs, so perhaps the Nationals are hoping he can provide that kind of pop to their lineup. However, it is important to note that he hit under .200 in both of the seasons that followed.

The Nationals are tied for third in the NL East with a 42-44 record. Due to their division being a bit weak, they are only 4.5 games out of first. Thus, one cannot fault them for looking to upgrade their roster. If Dietrich can find his old form, this signing could be extremely beneficial for them.