*Photo from the Chicago Tribune*
The Washington Nationals have signed OF Kyle Schwarber to a one year deal, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The deal is worth $10 million in guaranteed money. Schwarber will earn $7 million in 2021, and there is a mutual option for the 2022 season worth $11 million, with a $3 million buyout, guaranteeing Schwarber $10 million. The Nationals have confirmed the deal.
Schwarber had a bit of a down season in 2020, hitting just .188 with 11 homers and 24 RBI, posting just a .701 OPS in 59 games played for the Chicago Cubs. In Schwarber's career, he has a .230 batting average with a .816 OPS, hitting 121 homers and 279 RBI in 551 games played. Schwarber has 6 major league seasons under his belt, making his debut in 2015. Schwarber has spent his entire career with the Cubs up until this point.
Schwarber said of his mindset for the 2021 season that "I told Rizz(Nats GM Mike Rizzo) when we talked on the phone, I said, ‘I'm not approaching this as a one-year deal. I'm going to come in, I’m going to give you everything I have, and I'm going to play as if I've been here five years and still got a couple more years left. I'm going to give you everything I've got, I'm going to invest myself into winning and that's what I want to do here.'"
The National League is expected to go back to not having a DH in the 2021 season, meaning Schwarber would be put back in the field, playing left field for the Nationals, as he's done his entire career with the Cubs. Schwarber has been a below average fielder, so he'll have to work on his defense in order to stick in the lineup every day.
Schwarber said of playing the outfield that "I’ve improved a lot since 2015. I think I’ve become definitely an above-average defender. I know the numbers don’t say that about me, but you know what, I think that I’ve made a lot of improvement on definitely the throwing side of the game, being able to keep guys from advancing to second base there on some borderline doubles, definitely getting a lot more baseballs that I need to get to. I’m excited about coming out there, playing left field every day for these guys and playing a good, solid defense."
Schwarber's signing means that current LF and superstar of Washington Juan Soto will be shifting over to right field, which fills the void left by Adam Eaton, who had his option declined by the Nationals and signed with the White Sox in free agency. Schwarber will slot in with Soto and young CF Victor Robles as the likely opening day starters for the Nationals in the outfield.
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