Dozier passes physical, Reynolds designated for assignment

Brian Dozier has passed his physical, making his $9 million contract with the Nationals official, so the club formally announced it has signed the veteran second baseman in the latest move of a busy offseason.

Dozier, a former All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner with the Twins, agreed to terms of the deal Thursday but still needed to pass a physical before it could be finalized. With that process now complete, the Nationals have themselves their new starting second baseman for the 2019 season.

They'll hope Dozier can rebound from a down year in 2018. After averaging 35 homers, 90 RBIs and an .831 OPS the previous three seasons, he finished with 21 homers, 72 RBIs and a .696 OPS last season while playing for the Twins and Dodgers.

Dozier admitted in September he had been playing through a right knee injury since April, describing it as a "bone bruise." An MRI revealed no structural damage, and Dozier never went on the disabled list - he's actually never spent time on the DL in his career - but he admitted it hampered his performance at times.

The Nationals are banking on a return to form, hoping Dozier provides not only power at the plate but also improved defensive play at second base. He won the Gold Glove Award in 2017, though advanced metrics were less kind to him.

Dozier, who turns 32 in May, was appealing to the Nats in large part because he was willing to take a one-year deal, which keeps the door open for top infield prospect Carter Kieboom to make his big league debut in 2020 (or perhaps sometime later this season).

The Nationals will pay Dozier $9 million in total, though $2 million of it will be deferred, according to a source familiar with the contract.

Needing to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Dozier, the Nationals designated infielder Matt Reynolds for assignment. Reynolds, who was acquired last year from the Mets, went 2-for-13 with one RBI in 12 games with Washington.