Washington Nationals continue to address lineup with Kyle Schwarber

The Washington Nationals have continued their quest to add to their lineup, as they signed Kyle Schwarber to a one year deal.

The Washington Nationals have made upgrading their lineup a priority. They essentially had nothing to surround Juan Soto and Trea Turner last year, as Yan Gomes was the only other regular to post an OPS+ over 100. Moves had already been made to address those issues, as Washington had acquired Josh Bell in a trade from the Pirates, but that was not enough.

On Saturday, the Nationals made another move in an attempt to improve their roster. They have signed Kyle Schwarber to a one year deal worth $7 million, with an $11 million mutual option for 2022 and a $3 million buyout.

This contract worked out well for Schwarber. Before being non-tendered by the Cubs, he was projected to earn between $7 million to $9.3 million in arbitration. Instead, he will receive a solid increase over even the most optimistic projections.

The Nationals will be banking on Schwarber returning to the form he showed from 2017 through 2019. He produced a solid .234/.337/.492 batting line in his 1606 plate appearances, good for a 113 OPS+. Schwarber showed plenty of pop in that time, belting 94 homers as he established himself as a key piece of the Cubs lineup.

Schwarber was one of the many players whose production fell off in 2020. He was seemingly unable to find his footing throughout the season, producing a .188/.308/.393 batting line in his 224 plate appearances. Even with that down season, he belted 11 homers, showing the pop that the Nationals need in the lineup.

This is another step towards the Nationals’ goal of revamping their lineup. There are still holes to fill, as third base and catcher continue to be a concern, but Schwarber adds another potential impact bat to the lineup. If he can return to the form he showed from 2017 through 2019, he can be part of the solution.

The Washington Nationals are continuing to improve the lineup. Adding Kyle Schwarber is a step in that direction.