Washington Nationals: What to expect in Winter Meetings based on simulation
By Drew Douglas
Signing Lucas Duda
The Nats had a fantastic bench in 2017, led by back-up first baseman Adam Lind. However, he will likely be playing elsewhere in 2018, so the Nats must acquire a new back-up first baseman.
In order to fill this hole, I signed Lucas Duda to a two-year deal worth $8 million. Duda, a 31-year-old first baseman, has put together a respectable eight-year career between the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays.
The Nats are pretty familiar with Duda, considering he was with their division rival Mets from 2010-2017. He has not been great as a starter, but would serve as a solid back-up capable of starting if necessary.
Duda also provides a decent amount of postseason experience since he made a trip to the World Series in 2015. While it is not as much as other options, such as Matt Adams, it would still be beneficial.
If the Nats sign Duda in real life, he would serve as a solid back-up first baseman and pinch-hitter. He could also fill in long-term if Ryan Zimmerman is unable to remain healthy, which has often been the case in recent years.
Lind set the bar high for back-up first basemen, and Duda likely would not quite live up to those standards, but he would still be a solid back-up.