Nationals agree to terms with Matt Adams

The Washington Nationals have signed first baseman Matt Adams to a one-year, $4 million deal that will bring Adams back to Washington, D.C. for his age-30 season. The deal is pending a physical.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was first to report the agreement, while Yahoo’s Jeff Passan was first on the terms.

Adams has spent seven seasons in the majors, tallying more than 700 games. In 2018, he spent 94 games with the Nationals before being acquired on waivers by the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 121 total games last season, Adams slashed .239/.309/.477 with 57 runs knocked in on 73 hits, including 21 home runs. He walked 27 times while striking out 73.

Adams was drafted by the Cardinals in 2009, and made his MLB debut in 2012. He played in St. Louis until May 20, 2017, when he was traded, along with cash, to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor-leaguer Juan Yepez. Adams spent the rest of the season with Atlanta before signing with the Nationals in the offseason; he spent the summer with Washington before he was claimed off waivers by the Cardinals on August 21, 2018. He became a free agent this offseason.

Adams is primarily a first baseman, however he has played in the outfield 35 times. He has made less than $12 million in total career earnings, and the $4 million he makes in 2019 will be a single-season high for him.

The Nationals have been busy this offseason. You can now add signing Adams to the list of accomplishments, one that includes trading away Tanner Roark to the Cincinnati Reds, acquiring Yan Gomes from the Cleveland Indians and Kyle Barraclough from the Miami Marlins, and signing Patrick Corbin, Trevor Rosenthal and Kurt Suzuki.

Ryan Zimmerman is the current starting first baseman for the Nats. But signing Adams provides strong depth as Washington looks to defend itself in a suddenly-challenging National League East division.