The Nationals announced that catcher Israel Pineda has been designated for assignment. The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for Joey Gallo, whose one-year, $5MM contract with D.C. is now official.
Pineda was a member of the Nationals’ 2016 international signing class, and he has spent his entire career in the organization. Still only 23 years old, Pineda has hit .231/.291/.374 over 1529 plate appearances in the minor leagues, though he hit quite well at Double-A in 2022 and earned his first MLB call-up that September when Keibert Ruiz went on the injured list.
After appearing in his first four big league games, Pineda didn’t make it back to the Show in 2023 due in large part to injuries. A fractured ring finger and an oblique strain limited Pineda to just 41 total games, and he had only a .496 OPS over 153 PA split over three minor league levels. This rough year made Pineda expendable on Washington’s 40-man, though there might be a chance he simply clears waivers and remains in the minors as a depth option.
Ruiz and Riley Adams have the catching situation covered at the MLB level for the Nats, leaving Drew Millas (with 11 games) as the only other backstop in the organization with any Major League experience. If Pineda isn’t brought back, the Nationals figure to be in the market for some veteran depth to bring into Spring Training on a minors deal.
Imagine going home and telling your family you were DFA’ed so Joey Gallo could have a roster spot.
Gallo is Spanish for roster.
That 101 OPS+ last year was decent. Besides, he was pretty good just 2 seasons ago, in 2021 and was elite in 2019. He had 5 straighr seasons of being above average (WAA > 0).
Another aging, never much of a player, veteran getting another over-priced contract. In lieu of a retirement, simply show up, do little, be injured. Finish out the career. Anyone in AAA would have been a better choice for the Nationals. Boggles the mind to see this repeatedly happen.
BG
Imagine thinking Gallo was never much of a player
Please don’t respond with his batting average
Filihok, that’s like telling someone not to think of an elephant. But more so with BG as batting average and Ks are all he sees in Gallo.
Why put an elephant in our head?
CD
Let them think of batting average all they want.
But if they use it to say why “he sux”…
I’m not all that familiar with the Nationals 40 man but do they have incredible catching depth or something? I can’t imagine giving up on a 23 year old cheap controllable backstop over other players on the back end.
they don’t, but he’s 4th in the pecking order. They likely will have Millas getting the bulk of the reps in AAA. I think that, coming off of last year’s injuries, they expect he can clear waivers and be outrighted. Anyone claiming him will need to burn one of his two remaining options. They exposed him to the Rule 5 after 2021 and he was not claimed.
he can’t hit his minor league numbers, especially last season (.176ba, .496 OPS) was bad, only average defensively. I doubt anyone will claim him on waivers and trade for him, He will pass waivers and mostly be reassigned as non roster depth, or let go to see if another team will take a flyer as non roster depth.
and he passes through waivers and has been outrighted to Rochester. Low risk waiver, tbh.
Look on the brightside the Nats are retiring those city connect jerseys
Apparently the Nats are following through and making Stephen Strasburg report to spring training to keep collecting his salary. Which means they’re basically working with a 39-man roster each offseason.
The Lerners have always acted in seemingly strange and mysterious ways. I love how members of their family sue each other for seemingly trivial reasons.
The author of this article missed a chance to have an epic comment thread – headline should have read “Washington turns back on Israel”
Underrated comment riffraff
Washington dumps Israel for upcoming campaign
Speaking of him, whatever happened to Michael Pineda. Last I knew he was with Detroit in 22.
He is so close to catching that ball. He must be some kind of Jedi mind catcher