Even though the Nationals recently inked Schwarber to a one-year contract, it might be a good idea for Washington to add additional depth to their outfield and another veteran bat to their lineup.

Entering the 2013 season, Bradley was ranked 32nd overall on the MLB.com's list of top 100 prospects and earned a spot in the opening day lineup for the 2013 Boston Red Sox, where he remained for much of the the next eight seasons.

Free-agent Jackie Bradley Jr. could be that fit the Washington Nationals are looking for, and here is why.

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Jackie Bradley Jr. Statistics

Although the Washington Nationals were lacking in many areas during the 2020 season, one of the worst areas was their defense. This was especially evident in the outfield, where the Nationals ranked 28th in the league with -10 Defensive Runs Saved.

During Bradley's time in Boston, he had a fielding percentage of .990% and only committed 20 errors in 863 games. Even though his natural position is in center field, he has played in the corner outfield spots as well. If Washington were to sign him, the Nationals could move him to right field (where he has played 64 games) and then move Juan Soto back to left. In 2018, Bradley won a gold glove for his performance in center field and would be a significant upgrade to the outfield defense.

In 2020, Bradley played in 55 games during the 60 game season and didn't even commit an error, while in 2019, Bradley played in a total of 144 games and only committed four errors. With a look at every metric, Bradley's glove would be a significant upgrade to Washington's spotty defense.

Looking at the other important aspect of the game: Hitting. Bradley's numbers at the plate are somewhat impressive. During his eight-year career, the Richmond, Virginia native has hit 98 homers and knocked in 376 runs while posting a slugging percentage of .412, and an OPS of .732. However, Bradley's batting average isn't so impressive. The veteran outfielder is hitting just .239 over his career and has averaged just 56 walks and nearly 154 strikeouts per 162 games.  Also, Bradley's speed and athleticism in the outfield has not translated to success on the bases as he has managed to steal over 10 bases just once in his career.

During the 2018 ALCS series against the Houston Astros, Bradley slugged two home runs and had nine RBI to help Boston clinch the American League Pennant. Despite producing just three hits and a batting average of .200, Bradley earned series MVP honors for his timely hitting, driving in the go-ahead runs in two Red Sox victories and hitting a grand slam in another.

Jackie Bradley Jr. Contract

Like everything in the world of baseball, it comes down to the all mighty dollar.

As of right now, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts and Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, the Nationals have just below $183 million committed to players on the 40-man roster for 2021 season. This figure puts Washington around $27 million below the CBT threshold, set at $210 million for this year.

Last year, Bradley signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox for $11,000,000, which was fully guaranteed. With Bradley turning 31 this season, signing him wouldn't break the bank and still give the Nationals the financial flexibility to fill other holes in their roster.

Conclusion

Having an elite defensive player in the outfield like Bradley would be a great addition to the Nationals for a reasonable price. Even though Washington already signed Kyle Schwarber, checking in with Bradley's representatives (aka Scott Boras) to see if the Nationals could acquire the free-agent outfielder should be on GM's Mike Rizzo's radar. Bradley would be a good insurance policy in case of an injury in the outfield and a battle-tested replacement in case Victor Robles cannot return to his 2019 form. Hey, at this  point in the offseason, every option should be on the table. Rizzo just might be able to get a real steal by bringing the veteran back to the DMV.

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