Having told reporters eight days beforehand the Nationals were in the market for a middle-of-the-order type of bat this winter, with the likeliest fit at first base or in one of the corner outfield spots, Washington’s GM and President of Baseball Operations Mike Rizzo traded a couple of pitching prospects to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Christmas Eve for switch-hitting, power bat Josh Bell.
“Josh is a big acquisition for us, he’s the middle of the lineup bat that we were looking for,” Rizzo said in a Zoom call with the Nationals’ new first baseman and reporters on Saturday afternoon.