Stephen Drew, Washington Nationals agree to one-year deal
The Washington Nationals have agreed to a one-year, $3 million deal with veteran infielder Stephen Drew, according to a CBSSports.com report.
Drew, who will turn 33 two weeks before Opening Day 2016, is a career .251 hitter and was the starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox in 2013, when they won the World Series.
But after rejecting a $14 million qualifying offer from Boston following that season, Drew suffered through a pair of nightmare years, batting a combined .185 for the Red Sox and Yankees in 216 games. Drew hit just .150 in 46 games for New York after being acquired at the trade deadline in 2014, and he hit .201 in 2015. He did, however, hit 17 home runs last season, fifth-most on the team.
Drew was sidelined over the last two weeks of the 2015 season with dizziness, which later was diagnosed as the effect of a vestibular (inner ear) concussion, possibly suffered when a ground ball caromed off his glove and onto his face in a game on Sept. 9. He started only three of the Yankees last 24 games and left the club in the final week of the season to be evaluated by a concussion specialist in Pittsburgh, who had treated Drew for a previous concussion suffered as the result of a 2013 beaning.
Drew, who will turn 33 two weeks before Opening Day 2016, is a career .251 hitter and was the starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox in 2013, when they won the World Series.
But after rejecting a $14 million qualifying offer from Boston following that season, Drew suffered through a pair of nightmare years, batting a combined .185 for the Red Sox and Yankees in 216 games. Drew hit just .150 in 46 games for New York after being acquired at the trade deadline in 2014, and he hit .201 in 2015. He did, however, hit 17 home runs last season, fifth-most on the team.
Drew was sidelined over the last two weeks of the 2015 season with dizziness, which later was diagnosed as the effect of a vestibular (inner ear) concussion, possibly suffered when a ground ball caromed off his glove and onto his face in a game on Sept. 9. He started only three of the Yankees last 24 games and left the club in the final week of the season to be evaluated by a concussion specialist in Pittsburgh, who had treated Drew for a previous concussion suffered as the result of a 2013 beaning.