Nats adds veteran utility Harrison, sends Read below

The Nationals formally signed Josh Harrison to a Major League contract today and will have the veteran utilityman in uniform for tonight’s opening game against the Blue Jays.

Harrison, 33, was released by the Phillies last week before playing a normal season game for them. The nine year old and twice All-Star veteran is a .273 hitter career with 53 homers, 277 RBI and .714 OPS, the vast majority of his time arriving with the Pirates.

Citizens had expressed some interest in the acquisition of Harrison, who mainly plays in second and third bases, but has experience in corner positions off the pitch a few years ago. Once they became available late last week, they jumped at the opportunity to board.

“I would say that in the past we were quite close,” said Harrison. “There has always been a mutual interest. It simply didn’t fit. But here we are now. I was a free agent and when I got the call it seemed like a good place to be. It’s always one of my favorite places to play. “

Getting to Washington, however, was not an easy task. Harrison, his wife and two children lived in a two-bedroom apartment in Philadelphia. They decided to get in their two cars and start returning home to Cincinnati. at 4 on Thursday.

Along the way, Harrison’s agent called to say he had multiple offers, and admits that he was close to accepting one, even going so far as to send information about the direct deposit for his salaries. But just 20 minutes after arriving home late Thursday evening, his agent called again to say that the citizens were making an offer. Harrison didn’t think twice about accepting it.

“I wish they had called me eight hours earlier,” Harrison said with a laugh. “But at the same time, I’m grateful for the opportunity.”

So Harrison and the family arrived home in Cincinnati late Thursday evening. He woke up early Friday morning and took the road again at 5 am and drove (this time alone) to Washington, where he spent the last few days waiting for his contract to be finalized after spending 16 hours on 24 in a car crossing the Mid-Atlantic.

“But, hey, it’s worth it,” he said. “My family has returned home safely, and here I have the opportunity to play.”

Last season Harrison only played 36 games for the Tigers due to a hamstring injury, beating .175 with a .480 OPS. He is now in good health and has been happy to have been able to demonstrate to the Phillies that he is able to handle both the infield and outfield duties during summer training.

For now, citizens are mostly in their influence, with Starlin castro starting from second base, Asdrúbal Cabrera is Carter Kieboom sharing third base work and the veteran Emilio Bonifácio acting as a handyman utilityman.

But the club likes the versatility and experience that Harrison brings to the table, and with Kieboom currently facing a sore groin that has so far limited him to DH duties for a game, they have found a place for him on the current list of 30 men. optioning third catcher Raudy Read to their alternative training site in Fredericksburg.

“It was a good addition, we thought, for us, and I think it will fit perfectly,” said manager Davey Martinez. “As it goes this season, energy is … we need kids who have that energy and that spark. We have a feeling he can carry it. “