Rick Ankiel Reportedly to Join Nationals

by FanHouse Staff

Filed under: Nationals, MLB Rumors, MLB Hot Stove

The Nationals reportedly have agreed to a one-year deal with Rick Ankiel, adding another new piece to their outfield.

Ankiel will make $1.5 million in 2011 and could earn an additional $1.25 million in incentives, reports SI.com.

It should not be a surprise at this point that Ankiel is a Scott Boras client, as the super-agent and the Nationals seem to join forces at every available opportunity these days. (There are now seven Boras clients on the Nationals' 40-man roster, Mark Zuckerman notes.)

Ankiel will presumably compete with Roger Bernadina for time in left field.

The 31-year-old former pitcher had a mostly forgettable 2010 with the Royals and Braves, though he did provide one of the more memorable moments of the playoffs with an 11th-inning homer in the NLDS against the Giants.

During the regular season, Ankiel managed only 240 plate appearances, hitting .232 with a .709 OPS. He was slowed much of the year with hamstring problems.

 

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