The Washington Nationals fanned the flames of their not-so-hot stove by signing another free agent left-handed bat, Corey Dickerson, to a one-year contract. Dickerson, a ten-year veteran, will turn 34 in May. In 97 games with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022, Dickerson hit .267 with 17 2B, 6 HR, and 27 RBI.
Dickerson played LF mostly, but also logged time in RF and as DH. Dickerson will play the same role with the Nats in 2023. Dickerson was an All-Star in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Rays and a Gold Glove Award winner (LF) in 2018 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Can Dickerson hit in the clutch? According to FanGraphs, Dickerson’s batting average with runners in scoring position was .306 last season and .281 for his career. Dickerson also owns a lifetime batting average of .281. How’s that for consistency?
Dickerson struck out 48 times and drew 12 walks last season. According to FanGraphs, Dickerson’s 16.2% strikeout rate in 2022 was the second lowest of his ten-year career. Another spray hitter and an experienced clubhouse contact, Dickerson seems like a good fit for the Nationals to me.
Although he is not considered young, I would not classify Dickerson as a defensive liability. Per StatCastTM, Dickerson’s outs above average (1) (OAA) and runs saved (1) last season were tied for sixth for all MLB left fielders.
Dickerson was a factor in the 2022 playoffs. In six at bats for the St. Louis Cardinals during last season’s NLDS vs Philadelphia, Dickerson had two hits. Dickerson’s .333 average in the 2022 postseason was well above his prior career postseason average of .190 (4/21) in five games with the Marlins in 2020.
When I first heard about this acquisition, I wondered if it indicated anything about the likelihood of a Nationals ownership sale. If I am reading the tea leaves correctly, this seems like a move by current ownership to look more presentable for the upcoming season. In other words, it does not appear that the Lerner’s are going to be able to make a “profitable enough” sale anytime soon.
Wish I would have thought of this headline by Michael Baumann of FanGraphs. Perfect.
Nationals pitchers and catchers report date is Wednesday, February 15. Position players on Tuesday, February 21.
AL Home Run King Coming to Nats Park
Want to watch the new American League regular season home run king? While there is no guarantee that Aaron Judge will play in the game, the New York Yankees come to Nationals Park for an exhibition game on Tuesday, March 28 at 12:05 PM. Tickets are on sale now at nationals.com/Tickets. This the only date that the reigning AL East winners will visit the District. The Nationals three-game series vs the Yankees will be played at Yankee Stadium August 22-24.
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