A little over two years after the Nationals traded Josh Bell, the veteran first baseman is reportedly coming back. The Nats are bringing back Bell on a one-year deal, after the 32-year-old spent time with four different teams in two calendar years.
A Look at Bell
Josh Bell produced what baseball fans have been accustomed to over the years: power, a penchant to get on base, and a keen eye at the plate. Last season between Miami and Arizona, Bell hit .249/.319/.405 with 19 home runs and 44 extra-base hits.
Bell spent most of the season with the Marlins, where he only slugged .394 over 104 games. His numbers with Arizona after the Diamondbacks acquired him improved slightly, as he hit .279/.361/.436 with five home runs. Bell played mostly at first base with the D-Backs, necessitated when Christian Walker was hurt. He also spent time in the DH slot.
The returning National isn’t a typical power hitter despite his profile. Bell doesn’t have elite bat speed, works the ball to all fields, and often tops baseballs. However, he does have good bat-to-ball skills, staying with pitches, even if it means Bell doesn’t barrel it up.
That approach has led to results all over the board, over the last few seasons. Three years ago with the Nats, Bell hit 27 home runs and posted a .823 OPS. He continued to hit well with Washington before a downturn in production with San Diego in 2022 and Cleveland in 2023.
The 32-year-old posted four 20+ home run seasons before 2025, including a career-high 37 in 2019.
Defensively, Bell was largely a below-average defender, with a -9 Outs Above Average last season. The ex-Marlin and Diamondback is a hulking figure, one with below-average foot speed.
Per reports, Josh Bell is returning to Washington on a one-year deal worth $6MM. Bell spent 2021 and most of 2022 with Washington. He was traded to San Diego as part of the Juan Soto megatrade in August 2022.
Analysis
Don’t expect Bell to get regular reps at first base with the Nationals. He’s not a great defender and given the team’s recent acquisition of Nathaniel Lowe — a significantly smoother defender at first — Bell is likely a regular DH in 2025.
That should suit the Nationals quite well. Washington hit on a Minor League deal with Jesse Winker last spring, as he posted a .793 OPS as the team’s regular DH but didn’t have much consistently in their lineup as a whole.
As noted back in November, Washington finished in the bottom six of the league in runs scored, home runs, and OPS last season.
There was also no clear DH option before the Bell pickup. Washington had the likes of Juan Yepez and Andres Chaparro, both of whom saw significant time late last season. Bell is a more established name.