Nationals claim Pedro Florimon off waivers from Twins, designate Eury Perez for assignment

The Washington Nationals have acquired infielder Pedro Florimon, claiming him off waivers from the Minnesota Twins, the club has announced. In a corresponding move, the Nationals also designated outfielder Eury Perez for assignment.

Florimon started the season off in the majors, nabbing the Opening Day start at shortstop for the Twins. In total, Florimon has hit .092/.179/.132 in 86 major league plate appearances this season, spending a majority of the year at Triple-A Rochester, where he hit .257/.328/.389 with 12 stolen bases. Of course, Florimon is not known for his offense, instead providing positive value with his glove from the shortstop position. For his career, Florimon has tallied 21 defensive runs saved in just over 1,700 innings.

Due to the timing of his acquisition, Florimon is not eligible to play in the postseason for the Nationals, so there is no clear immediate motive for the move. It's likely that Washington simply views him as an up-and-down middle infield option for next season.

The Nationals DFA'd Perez to make room for Florimon on the 40-man roster. The 24-year-old Perez played in just 67 games this season, all at the minor league level, as he dealt with a fractured toe. The Nationals' 20th ranked prospect by Baseball America entering the season, Perez has played in 22 career major league games, coming during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He hit .310/.371/.409 in 273 plate appearances across three levels this season.