Nationals sign Jeremy Accardo

The Washington Nationals have signed right-handed reliever Jeremy Accardo to a minor-league contract with an invitation to big-league camp, the team has announced.

Wait, didn't he sign a three-year deal with the San Francisco Giants earlier this winter? Nope, that's left-hander Jeremy Affeldt. Though Accardo did pitch for the Giants a few years back. Confusing stuff.

Accardo, 31, spent most of the 2012 season with the Cleveland Indians, but was released in mid-August and picked up by the Oakland A's, where he finished the year. The right-hander posted a 4.82 ERA and struck out 7.0 batters per nine in 37⅓ innings overall on the season, actually giving him his best numbers since 2009.

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An eight-year vet, Accardo owns a career 4.30 ERA and 6.5 K/9 rate over 262 appearances in stints with the Giants, Blue Jays, Orioles, Indians, and A's. The right-hander had a fantastic year with Toronto in 2007, amassing a 2.14 ERA in 67⅓ innings, but those numbers were strongly aided by an unsustainable .250 BABIP against.

With the way the Nats' bullpen (and entire team, really) is stacked at the moment, it seems highly unlikely that Accardo will get a spot on the 40-man roster when the season breaks.