Updated, 1/9/21, 2:55 PM EST: Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports, Kyle Schwarber’s one-year deal with the Washington Nationals will pay him $7 million in 2020 with “an $11 million mutual option in 2022 or a $3 million buyout”.
Original Post: According to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, the Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with free-agent outfielder Kyle Schwarber on a one-year contract worth $10 million (Joel Sherman, New York Post), pending physicals.
Schwarber, 27, was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs in early December after spending his first six MLB seasons with the Northsiders (.230/.336/.480, 113 wRC+, 9.5 fWAR).
Schwarber played a pivotal role in the Cubs’ 2016 title-winning campaign, returning in late-October after tearing his ACL in April of that season to go 7-for-17 against Cleveland in the World Series.
The former first-round draft pick (2014, fourth overall, Cubs) isn’t far removed from a resurgent 2019 that saw him hit a career-high 38 home runs (.250/.339/.531, 120 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR) in 155 games played.
Though, he struggled mightily in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, hitting just .188/.308/.393 with 11 homers and 90 wRC+ in 59 games (224 plate appearances).
Washington’s added first baseman Josh Bell (trade with Pittsburgh, Dec. 24) after parting ways with Eric Thames this offseason and, in the wake of Adam Eaton‘s departure in free agency (White Sox), took a flyer on Schwarber to man a corner outfield spot.
We’ll keep you posted with new information as it becomes available.
