Nationals Reportedly Re-Signing Veteran Infielder Asdrubal Cabrera
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Nationals have responded to their loss of Anthony Rendon by signing multiple veteran infielders: Howie Kendrick is back, and Starlin Castro is on his way.
It certainly hasn't been the splash that most expected to befall in the wake of losing the superstar third baseman. Interpretation aside, that approach continued on Saturday. The club has reportedly agreed to bring back Asdrubal Cabrera, whom they claimed off waivers in August following his release by the Texas Rangers, on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.
Can confirm that Asdrúbal Cabrera is coming back to the Nationals on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. The Nationals agree to terms with Starlin Castro and Cabrera in back-to-back days. A lot of versatile pieces. @ByRobertMurray had this first.
— Jesse Dougherty (@dougherty_jesse) January 4, 2020
It's worth pondering if Washington scooping up infielders on the cheap is a sign that they're raising the white flag in terms of the chase to sign coveted free agent Josh Donaldson.
As of Friday, however, the Nats were still very much involved in the Donaldson sweepstakes, so perhaps these signings are just a safety net in the event that they miss out on the Bringer of Rain.
Nats deal with Asdrubal believed to be for 2.5M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 4, 2020
Cabrera, on the other hand, is a versatile asset who clearly enjoyed his time in the nation's capital. His value as a switch hitter and ability to play across the diamond should not be understated.
In 2019, his age-33 season, Cabrera slashed .260/.342/.783 alongside 18 home runs, 91 RBI, and 69 runs scored. He'll look to muster up similar production in 2020.