Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Dominic Smith is signing with the Washington Nationals, as USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale first reported. FanSided‘s Robert Murray reports that the deal is one-year, $2 million with an additional $2 million available in performance bonuses.
Smith, who was projected to make $4 million for the 2023 season through arbitration, was non-tendered by the Mets nearly two months ago.
This past season, the former Mets’ first baseman and outfielder hit just .194/.276/.284 with zero home runs in 58 games at the major league level. After enduring some early season struggles, the Mets demoted Smith to Triple A-Syracuse, where he posted a .839 OPS with 10 home runs over 54 games.
Smith, formerly a first-round pick of the Mets back in 2013, made his major league debut with the club in 2017. In 447 major league games spanning six years with New York, Smith hit .246/.308/.424 with 46 home runs and 179 RBIs. His best year as a pro came during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, in which Smith hit .316/.377/.616 and posted a .993 OPS with 10 home runs and 42 RBIs over 50 games.
The California native was never able to regain that form, as he hit .244/.304/.363 and posted a .667 OPS with 11 home runs, playing in a career-high 145 games in 2021—a season that was marred by minor injuries. He followed up that performance with his worst season to date and saw his role in the organization evaporate once the Mets acquired first baseman/DH Daniel Vogelbach from Pittsburgh in July.
Staying in the NL East, Smith will have a chance to face off against his former team more often than not. He’ll likely take over their first base job with the team losing Josh Bell to free agency and non-tendering Luke Voit. The team’s other first base options include Jeimer Candelario and Joey Meneses with no real threat waiting in the wings in the minors.
