After being sidelined for all of spring by free agency, former Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth has finally found his new home.
The 38-year-old has signed on with the Seattle Mariners on a minor league deal, and will start his season in Arizona for extended spring training before the club ultimately decides where he'll end up in 2018.
Werth is coming off an injury shortened 2017 -- limited to 70 games by a fracture and bone bruise in his left foot -- in which he slashed .226/.322/.393 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI.
Werth was on the wrong end of baseball's historically sluggish free agency market. Up until now, he was one of a number of prominent free agents still without a home -- Greg Holland, Brandon Phillips, Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista are still without -- as Opening Day looms. He now returns to the American League for the first time since his 2003 season with Toronto.
Although the Nats were roundly criticized upon signing Werth for $126 million in 2011, he proved to be a huge contributor -- both in on-field production and as a clubhouse leader -- as Washington surged from the depths of the NL East to four division titles during his seven seasons in Washington. In which time, Werth combined for a .263 average, .355 on-base percentage, 109 home runs, 393 RBI and 403 bases on balls.
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