Source: Nats bringing back Bell on one-year deal

The Nationals’ offseason got a little warmer on Sunday night when they agreed to bring back Josh Bell on a one-year, $6 million deal, a source confirmed.

The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by The New York Post’s Jon Heyman.

Bell, 32, spent 1 ½ seasons with Washington after coming over in a trade with the Pirates on Christmas Eve 2020 that saw minor leaguers Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean go to Pittsburgh.

In his first season with the Nats, the switch-hitting Bell slashed .261/.347/.476 with an .823 OPS, 24 doubles, 27 home runs and 88 RBIs in 144 games.

Bell then slashed .301/.384/.493 with an .877 OPS, 24 doubles, 14 RBIs and 47 RBIs in 103 games in 2022 before being included in a blockbuster trade with the Padres. The Nats had already agreed upon a historic package of prospects (MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, James Wood and Robert Hassell III) for Juan Soto. But general manager Mike Rizzo reportedly also wanted right-handed flamethrower Jarlin Susana.

For Susana to be included, the Padres wanted Bell as well, so the Nats also received Luke Voit to replace him at first base.

Bell’s time with the Padres wasn’t great. He only hit .192 with a .587 OPS in 53 games before becoming a free agent. He then bounced around between the Guardians, Marlins and Diamondbacks over the next three seasons.

A first baseman for much of his career, Bell isn’t known for his defensive prowess. So he’ll likely join the Nats as the primary designated hitter with the newly acquired Nathaniel Lowe taking most of the reps at first.

Bell now joins Lowe and right-hander Michael Soroka as the Nationals’ biggest acquisitions so far this offseason. And when he is written onto the lineup card during the regular season, he could take the field with Gore, Abrams and Wood (and perhaps at some point Hassell), all of whom he was traded for just two years ago.