Kyle Schwarber one-year deal with Nationals

The Nationals have a one-year deal with Kyle Schwarber pending a physical, a source confirmed to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the deal. Schwarber adds strength to the lineup around Juan Soto, who the Nationals have now tackled twice off-season, with the addition of Josh Bell

The Nationals have a one-year deal with Kyle Schwarber pending a physical, a source confirmed to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the deal.

Schwarber adds strength to the lineup around Juan Soto, who the Nationals have now tackled off-season twice, with the addition of Josh Bell via the trade in late December.

Schwarber was not tendered by the Cubs this off-season after six seasons with the club.

With the National League teams assuming that there won’t be a universal designated hitter this year, Schwarber would play his normal left field position. That probably means that Soto would play the correct field – his position during the Minors. Soto played in his left field debut, as Bryce Harper was the team’s right fielder and remained in the same position when Harper left for the Phillies. Manager Dave Martinez started Soto for the first time in the right field in the Majors in the last six games of the 2020 regular season.

Schwarber has had -29 above-average outs in the left field since 2017, second-least in position behind only Matt Kemp (-32).