Former New York Mets first baseman Dominic Smith has signed with the Washington Nationals.
Dominic Smith is a former first-round pick of the Mets who just didn’t pan out as planned. While he had a string of success — notably in the shortened 2020 season when he finished 13th in NL MVP voting — Smith could rarely return to those heights.
In 58 games this past season, Smith failed to reach the Mendoza line, thus sealing his fate as a likely ‘former’ Met headed elsewhere this offseason.
Smith serves as a prove-it option for Washington. The Nationals signed the former Met to a $2 million contract, with a potential $2 million in incentives. On that contract, it’s a win-win for the Nats. Should Smith succeed, Washington can deal him at the trade deadline for prospects. If he fails, they don’t lose much in capital.
Why the Nationals signed Dominic Smith
Dom Smith is just two seasons removed from a breakout campaign, and has plenty of experience in the NL East. While he’ll play just 13 games against his former team this season, the revenge factor has to play a motivational role for Smith and Washington.
Smith played on a torn labrum for much of the 2021 season, and saw his number diminish. In 2022, he struggled out of the gate and eventually had to split time with J.D. Davis, a battle he lost. The 28-year-old was optioned to Triple-A for a short period of time before a recall, and his statistics didn’t improve much after that intended wake-up call.
Still, the first base market is dry at this point in free agency. The Nats have a hole to fill there, especially after trading Josh Bell to the Padres at the deadline last season. Smith will get some playing time, one way or another, on a losing team.