Washington Nationals has agreed to sign left-handed free agent Brad Hand, according to several reports. The deal is for one year and $ 10.5 million, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
What’s interesting here is that at the beginning of this off-season, Cleveland put Hand on definitive waivers, hoping that another club would take him for a year and $ 10 million out of his hands. Neither team did that and Cleveland had to pay the $ 1 million buyout by turning down the option, so Hand actually got ahead by $ 1.5 million than if his option had simply been chosen.
Hand, 30, led the main with 16 saves last season, launching to 2.05 ERA and 0.77 WHIP with 29 eliminations against just four walks. His fastball will no longer keep opponents out, but his slider is excellent and he has excellent command. Even with the drop in speed in 2020, its allowed percentage of hard blows has dropped. He kept the opposing hitters in a .169 / .226 / .260 line.
The move to the Nationals does not necessarily preclude a reunion in DC with left-handed agent Sean Doolittle, but it does give the Nats a natural replacement in the last-minute left-wing role if the meeting doesn’t happen.
With regard to what Nacional has for the last few entries now, Daniel Hudson was the closest last season and returns, but he also posted an ERA of 6 or more. The hand can certainly handle closing tasks, as we have seen in recent years. Right-handers Tanner Rainey and Will Harris also appear in roles of great influence when entering the season.
Hand had been heavily connected in rumors with the Mets in the past few weeks, but nothing worked. Instead, he will end up with a different NL East team.