Washington Nationals Reportedly Interested in Reunion with Sought-After Slugger

Third baseman Jeimer Candelario is one of the most sought-after bats on the free agent market this offseason and his old team, the Washington Nationals, are reportedly interested.

Third baseman Jeimer Candelario is drawing interest on the free agent market from his former team, the Washington Nationals. We had already heard about his connection to the Toronto Blue Jays as well.

Beyond Shohei Ohtani and Cody Bellinger, Candelario is one of the most sought-after bats on the market this winter.

ESPN's Jesse Rogers had the report about the Nats' interest as part of a deeper-dive on the Cubs offseason. Candelario was traded from Washington to Chicago last season.

At third base, a Cubs reunion with veteran Jeimer Candelario doesn't seem likely, according to a source familiar with the situation. Interest in Candelario should be high coming off a career-type year, with Toronto and his old team, Washington, already showing some. Former second baseman Nick Madrigal played admirably at third for the Cubs when he was healthy last season, but he probably isn't the everyday option there moving forward.

He just finished his eighth year in the big leagues with the Cubs, Tigers, and Nationals.

Lifetime, the switch-hitter is a .243 hitter with 88 homers and 318 RBI. He became a solid regular in 2017 when he led the American League in doubles with 42.

He should also cost less considerably less than Matt Chapman, the biggest third baseman on the market, making him attractive to multiple teams.

The Nationals' interest could represent a fundamental shift in thinking in Washington. After tearing down the World Series roster from 2019, perhaps the Nats are ready to try to contend again in a deeply-talented National League East.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by LIKING us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also subscribe to "The Payoff Pitch" podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.