Washington Nationals: Grading Mike Rizzo’s 10 best free agent signings
By Brian Foley
Adam Lind (2017)
Late in the free agency signing wave, the Nationals snatched up the lefty Lind on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Lind had popped 20 home runs in each of the two previous seasons, and figured to be a nice power option off the bench.
Lind was even better than imagined. He slashed .303/.362/.513 in 301 plate appearances, and finished with 14 homers, 14 doubles, and 59 RBIs. Lind also came up clutch in late moments; he piled up a 1.040 OPS as a pinch hitter, second among big leaguers with at least 30 such opportunities. He even tacked on a pair of pinch-hit singles in NLDS.
Not only was Lind a big asset off the bench, he also soaked up innings around the diamond. He was a league-average defender splitting time in limited duty between first base and left field.
Lind turned down a mutual option for $5 million with the Nationals, but there is still a chance he could return. The Mets have been the team most commonly linked to the 34-year-old, but he will likely sign after bigger stars ink their deals.
Grade: A