The Nationals have announced a deal to bring back free-agent infielder Stephen Drew, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post first reported (Twitter links). Drew, a client of the Boras Corporation, will be guaranteed $3.5MM and can earn up to $1.2MM more in incentives, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (Twitter links).
Drew, 33, enjoyed a strong bounceback year in 2016 after a pair of subpar offensive campaigns. Over 165 plate appearances, he slashed .266/.339/.524 and drove eight home runs. A bout with vertigo kept him out for a lengthy stretch, but he made it back in early September.
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Having traded Danny Espinosa,while shifting Trea Turner back to his natural shortstop, the Nats were arguably in need of another middle infielder for depth purposes. Though youngster Wilmer Difo could certainly fill a utility role, he might be better-served receiving regular time at Triple-A. Plus, Drew brings a lengthy history of solid glovework, pop from the left side, and that fabled veteran presence.
It’s reasonable to expect that the southpaw-swinging Drew will spend most of his time filling in at short, second, and third. But perhaps the most interesting dimension of this signing is what it could mean for the team’s setup at first base. If Ryan Zimmerman can’t turn things around as an everyday player, then Drew could step in at second with the defensively challenged Daniel Murphy sliding over to first against tough right-handed starters. Then again, the Nats do still have left-handed-hitting slugger Clint Robinson available as an option behind Zimmerman, and he wouldn’t have much roster function if Murphy spends time there. All said, then, while Drew will obviously take one bench spot, there remains plenty left to sort out in D.C.
Great news for Nats fans. Drew was a big help last year off the bench.
How many years are the Nationals going to squander their World Series window pretending that Ryan Zimmerman is still a top player?
They must have such respect for him as a person within that organization.
They should grab Carter or Lind or Moss and have a credible Plan B for 1st base.
At least through 2019 when his contract expires. They can’t just make him disappear.
I know a guy
I think they do legitimately respect and believe in him, though obviously much of his value dissipated when he was forced off of third. His batted ball numbers suggest he was pretty unlucky last year, so I suspect they will give him a full chance to rebound.
That being said, I was an advocate of the idea of adding Moss to split time spelling Werth and Zimmerman — at least, before they brought back Heisey and Drew. Not sure there’s enough room for him to get PAs to make that reasonable (or cost-efficient) at this point, if it ever really was. Since Lind can’t play the OF, I’d imagine they’d only consider him (if at all) if he could be had for very little, though I doubt they are fully committed to Robinson. Carter just doesn’t fit very well at all to me as a right-handed hitter who can’t play the OF.
Before last year Zimmerman was absolutely fine when he was healthy, they don’t need him to be the Zimmerman of old to continue being competitive. Adding another strikeout prone player like Carter is a waste of a roster spot. Zimmerman was also one of the most unluckily hitters in all of MLB last year. He consistently got good wood on the ball and his exit velocity was great, he just couldn’t buy a hit.
Wow, talk abt being overpaid..How does Drew do it?
He told them he could close.
He can do that better than he can hit.
So, that .850ish OPS is nothing to you? Yeah, $3.5MM is suuuuuuch an overpay.
He had a good year last year
I always wondered how good he would’ve been if he didn’t blow his ankle back with Arizona in 2011. Same with Conor Jackson, got valley fever way back in 2009