The Washington Nationals reached an agreement with Josh Harrison, as long as he passes the appropriate medical exam. The Nats had investigated Harrison before signing Brian Dozier before the 2019 season, but so far they reached a deal, even though he had several major league offers on hand.
Harrison was recently released from the Phillies after failing to make his Opening Day roster. The veteran infielder has played primarily second and third base in his career, but is a flexible defender who can also see outfield time in a pinch.
Harrison has struggled to find his footing since his best years with the Pirates. After signing a $ 2MM deal with the Tigers the offseason, a partially broken hamstring ended his season in late May, leading to his release in August. Harrison appeared in just 36 games with the Tigers, cutting a hard-to-bear .175 / .218 / .263. The 33-year-old still owns a professional triple cut of .273 / .313 / .401 for nine seasons.
The Nationals have their infield minutes quite well between Starlin Castro, Asdrubal Cabrera, Trea Turner, Howie Kendrick, Eric Thames and Carter Kieboom. The organization was rocked by Juan Soto’s positive coronavirus test on opening day, according to Dougherty, and this move could be as simple as Nats wanting to protect themselves again in an uncertain gaming environment. They’ve been bitten by a lack of depth in the past, and while Harrison isn’t the type of ballplayer likely to energize a fanbase, he’s a veteran who might be more capable than a rookie of handling dynamic playing conditions. 2020. (GG) (Taken MLB Rumors)