First base member Josh Bell has been changed from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Washington nationals, it was announced on Thursday.
Instead, the Pirates will receive young pitchers Wil Crowe, who debuted with the Nats in 2020, and Eddy Yean.
“We are excited to add a Josh Bell caliber to our team,” national general Mike Rizzo said in a statement. “He adds a power line to change. We know Josh will be a remarkable addition to our club and our community.”
In a 2019 season in which he set career highs in almost every offensive category, the 28-year-old Bell fell back during the 2020 season shortened by the pandemic, hitting .226 with eight home runs and 22 RBI’s.
He made his first All-Star team in 2019, hitting .277 with 37 home runs and 116 RBIs and a sharp $ 4.8 million salary increase, avoiding refereeing in January.
In five seasons, all alongside the Pirates, Bell has a career-high average of .261, with 86 home runs and 309 RBI.
Crowe, 26, went 0-2 with an ERA of 11.88 in three starts for the national team. Yean, 19, is 3-5 years old with an ERA of 4.70 in 20 starts in the Washington agricultural system.