The Washington Nationals resigned utility player Josh Harrison to a one-year, $1 million deal Thursday, rewarding the 33-year-old who became a solid contributor at multiple positions during the pandemic-shortened season.
Harrison hit .278 with two doubles, three home runs, 14 RBI, six walks and 11 runs scored for the Nationals, who finished 26-34. Harrison started 22 of those games — including at second base (eight), third base (seven), left field (three), right field (one) and designated hitter (three) — hitting .309 with a .388 on-base percentage and a .471 slugging percentage.
The team also brought back Kevin Long on Thursday as hitting coach, just 12 days after the organization and Long had parted ways.
Long had been given permission to seek other jobs and it appeared as if he would leave the club. But instead he circled back to the Nats, who agreed to bring him back for 2021. Long is returning on a one-year deal, a person familiar with the matter said.
With the return of Long, the 2021 staff of Washington Manager Davey Martinez is almost set. Earlier this week, Washington hired Jim Hickey as pitching coach, reuniting the 59-year-old with Martinez after they spent seven seasons together on the staff of the Tampa Bay Rays.
Hickey, who has spent 15 seasons as pitching coach with three different teams, had last served as a pitching coach with the Chicago Cubs in 2018 before joining the Los Angeles Dodgers as a special assistant of player development. He replaces longtime pitching coach Paul Menhart, who did not have his contract renewed by the Nationals earlier this month.
While Martinez has expected holdovers on staff in bench coach Tim Bogar, bullpen coach Henry Blanco, first base coach Bobby Henley and assistant hitting coach Pat Roessler, he is still hunting for a replacement for former third base coach Chip Hale, who parted ways with the organization in October.
