Xavier Nady Designated for Assignment

Xavier Nady was designated for assignment by the Nationals on Saturday. Nady had been on a rehab assignment after being placed on the disabled list due to tendonitis in his wrist. He had reached his allowable maximum twenty days on rehab assignment. The Nationals either had to place him back on the major league team or release him today.

Nady was a late spring training pickup by the Nationals. They signed him and placed him on the major league team looking for a veteran presence on the bench. Nady struggled at the plate this year, only hitting .157 in the majors this year with six RBIs. Nady’s hitting did not improve during his rehab assignment, during which he hit only .158 with one RBI.

His best moments while with the Nats were a game tying home run in the bottom of the eighth inning on April 13th against the Cincinnati Reds, a game which the Nats eventually won in the bottom of the thirteenth inning, and a game saving, highlight reel outfield catch against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 8th robbing Adrian Gonzalez of a home run.

Unfortunately, those moments were few and far between for Nady while he was with the Nationals. Fans usually saw Nady going 0-4 at the plate, slow to get to balls that were hit into the corners in the outfield, and a less than stellar arm.

Nady was drafted by the Padres and became a regular starter with the club in 2003. He played for the Padres, Mets, Pirates, Yankees, Cubs, and Diamondbacks before joining the Nationals this year. He has missed significant playing time in the past due to two Tommy John surgeries, one in 2002 and another in 2009.