Washington Nationals: Top 3 free agents signed in November, ranked
As teams and players let the market unfold in front of them, there really aren’t too many noteworthy free agent signings in November. Let’s look at the best in Washington Nationals history.
The current free agent market is moving very slowly right now, as to be expected. During the early portion of the offseason teams are touching base with several different free agents and keeping options open. The real free agent action doesn’t really get going until December and January. While the Nationals have made one move thus far (re-signing Josh Harrison), expect them to be quiet until the calendar turns to the final month of the year.
Traditionally this time of year the only free agents who are signed are done so to minor league deals. Depth guys who are re-inking with their same team or locking down a position with a new employer just for a change of scenery. The Nationals have grabbed a few of their own guys already this year in Aaron Barrett and Brandon Snyder.
November doesn’t mean no transactions at all, as there are a few trades this time of year. The deal which brought Yan Gomes to town a few years ago was a November trade.
Since we are inching through the month of November this year we decided to look at the small number of November free agent contracts signed in the history of the Nationals, and rank the top 3.
#3 Joel Hanrahan
A former 2nd round draft pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Joel Hanrahan spent seven years in the minor leagues before the Washington Nationals signed him to a November free agent contract in 2006.
Hanrahan actually started eleven games in his first season with the Nationals going 5-3 with a 6.00 earned run average before the team moved him to the bullpen the following year. On the 2008 team which won just 59 games Hanrahan was a solid piece of the bullpen.
Appearing in the second most games as a pitcher for the Nationals, Hanrahan won six games and saved nine more, taking over late in the season for Jon Rauch as the new closer.
Entrenched as the closer entering the 2009 season Hanrahan struggled mightily. He blew three out of his first five save chances and was carrying an ERA north of 8.00 after his first 8 games. He also blew his two final save chances with the team before they decided to move on from him entirely.
Along with Lastings Milledge, Hanrahan was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Sean Burnett and Nyger Morgan.
The change of scenery worked for Hanrahan as he became an All-Star closer for the Pirates.
All told, Joel Hanrahan was 12-9 with 14 saves in 115 games during his time in Washington.
#2 Tim Redding
Tim Redding was from the same 2006 free agent crop which produced Hanrahan. Redding debuted in the league with the Houston Astros in 2001 and by 2003 was in their starting rotation, making 32 starts and winning ten games.
A rough 2005 saw Redding spend time with three organizations and post a 10.57 ERA in just ten games.
The Nationals signed Redding in November of 2006, after he spent the entire season in the minor leagues with the Chicago White Sox.
Signed to a minor league contract for the sole purpose of being organizational depth, Redding was thrust into action mid-season as the Nats dealt with an array of injuries to their rotation. He’d win three games and have an ERA mid-3s.
Redding pitched well enough to earn a spot in the rotation the following season. Though the team won only 59 games, Redding led the staff in games started, innings pitched, wins, strikeouts and pitched one of the two complete games on the year.
He pitched for New York the following season and his two year totals for the Nationals were 13 wins against 17 losses, and an ERA of 4.53 in 48 starts.
#1 Kurt Suzuki
Rare I would say are the cases of players signed to November contracts who come in and are starters right away. Often times November contracts are minor league pacts and not of the 2 YR/$10M variety. This was the case in November of 2018 when the Nationals brought back an old friend, by signing Kurt Suzuki.
The Matt Wieters/Pedro Severino platoon of 2018 just didn’t do what the Nationals needed, so they set their sights on acquiring a new catcher. Suzuki was a twelve year veteran who the Nats originally acquired in 2012 to bolster the catching corps ahead of the playoff push.
After leaving the Nationals the following year, Suzuki was an All-Star in Minnesota and put together two respectable years with the Atlanta Braves before hitting free agency following the ’18 season.
Suzuki paired with Yan Gomes to form a solid platoon which helped the Nationals win the World Series in 2019. In just 85 games Suzuki hit a career high 17 home runs and drove in 63. A late season injury hampered his productivity and cut into his playoff playing time, though he did hit a memorable go ahead home run off Justin Verlander in the 2nd game of the World Series to break a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning.
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Although the power numbers were down in 2019, Suzuki still hit a respectable .270. While there is a small chance the 37 year-old could return to the Nats this offseason, I look for Washington to go with someone younger and better at throwing potential base stealers out, effectively ending his time in DC.