Nationals agree to sign former Diamondbacks 1B Josh Bell

The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with former Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Bell on a one-year contract worth $6 million according to a person familiar with negotiations.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity late Sunday because the deal was subject to a successful physical. MLB Network was first to report the contract.

Bell returns to Washington after spending the 2021 season and bulk of 2022 there. He was sent to San Diego with Juan Soto at the deadline in ’22

Now 32, Bell played for Cleveland, Miami and Arizona the past two seasons. He is veteran of 1,159 Major League Baseball games, and in the regular season, he is hitting .258 with 171 home runs and 613 RBIs.

The D-backs acquired Bell from Miami for cash considerations ahead of the trade deadline last season, using Bell to fill in with Christian Walker suffering an oblique strain.

Bell played 41 games with Arizona and hit .279 with a .796 OPS and five home runs. The Diamondbacks lost Walker in free agency to the Houston Astros, but they pivoted to trading for Josh Naylor from Cleveland.

The Nationals are also bringing back former Arizona State Sun Devils starting pitcher Trevor Williams.

The team agreed to terms with Williams on a two-year contract worth $14 million, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press.

The right-handed starter spent the past two seasons with Washington. Williams made just 13 starts in 2024 while spending more than three months on the injured list with a strained muscle in his throwing arm.

Williams, 32, has a 4.30 ERA in 202 major league appearances with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Nationals since making his debut in 2016.

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