Nationals front office manager Mike Rizzo and his team signed Dominick Smith to a one-year, $2 million contract last winter, hoping the veteran left-handed infielder and outfielder would bounce back after six up-and-down seasons. I was expecting.of york metsSmith was selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2013 draft.
“We were looking at Dom as a recovery player,” Rizzo explained this winter after Smith was DFA’d by the club and became a free agent again.
“We knew he would help our young infielders on the defensive side. That was a big key.
“He was a left-handed hitter. We thought he would bounce back this year with his power — and also our report that he was a great citizen and a great guy, but… , it was all true.”
Smith performed as expected at first base, but once again struggled at the plate (He had a .254/.326/.366 batting line with 21 doubles, 12 home runs, and 47 walks, with 91 Ks in 153 games and 586 plate appearances, with an fWAR of 0.1.), came on late in terms of power, hitting six of his 12 home runs on the year in the final month, but it wasn’t enough for the Nationals to consider bringing him back.
So this winter, the club had a left-handed 1B/OF on the market who could provide pop.
When speaking to reporters at the winter meetings, Coach Rizzo explained, “I think we’ll be aggressive again this year, looking for bats that can hit the corners of the infield.”
“Whether it’s third base, first base, DH, left field, it’s a combination of all three.”
Reporters noted that the roster had all right-handed outside hitters when Nats skipper Davey Martinez spoke at WM in early December.
“I guess you read my mind,” Martinez joked. “We need a left-handed hitter.”
“We’d like to get a left-handed outfielder. It could be anyone, but it would be great to have an outfielder.”
The team reportedly signed Nick Senzel as a third baseman earlier this winter and added a left-handed outside hitter last night.
Washington Post beat writer Andrew Golden first reported that the Nats signed 30-year-old left-handed slugger Joey Gallo to a one-year/$5 million free agent contract.
The Nationals and Joey Gallo have agreed to a one-year contract, according to multiple sources. The contract is pending physical inspection.
Washington has been looking to acquire a left-handed outfielder this offseason, and they currently have one in Gallo.
— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) January 23, 2024
The deal is worth $5 million, with an additional $1 million in performance bonuses, officials said.
— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) January 23, 2024
Gallo signed a one-year/$11 million free agent contract with Minnesota last winter and finished the season with a batting average of .177/.301/.440 with nine doubles, 21 home runs, 48 walks and 142 Ks in 111 games. Ta. With his total of 332 PAs, he was worth his 0.7 fWAR.
His 42.8% K% and 14.5% BB% this year are both up from 2022, when he had a combined .160/.280/.357 line with 8 doubles, 19 home runs, and 56 walks (13.7% BB). was also rising. %), in 126 games he had 163 K (39.8 K%) and 410 PA. new york yankees And L.A. dodgersbeyond that he was worth 0.6 fWAR.
Gallo is just two years removed from hitting 13 doubles, hitting 38 home runs and hitting 4.1 fWAR with the Yanks. texas rangershe finished with a .199/.351/.458 line, 111 walks (18.0% BB%), and 213 Ks (34.6% K%) in 153 games and 616 PA.
Can the Nationals get a bounce-back season from Gallo, the power they need from the nine-year veteran and a potential trade chip at the deadline?
Where do you think he will get the most minutes: LF? 1B? DH? What are your overall thoughts on the signature?