Nationals sign two former Pirates in free agency in odd blast from the past

As the MLB free agent market continues to churn this offseason, a pair of former Pittsburgh Pirates are headed back to the nation's capital in 2025.

A day after reportedly signing Josh Bell to a one-year, $6 million contract, the Washington Nationals have also agreed to a two-year, $14 million contract with Trevor Williams, according to a report from Stephen J. Nesbitt of The Athletic.

The Nationals originally acquired Bell from the Pirates after the 2020 season in exchange for a pair of right-handed pitchers Wil Crowe and Eddy Yean. Bell is perhaps best known for being packaged with Juan Soto in the 2022 blockbuster trade that sent them to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline. He was a National League Silver Slugger Award winner as a designated hitter for the Padres that season before electing free agency.

Bell signed a two-year contract with the Cleveland Guardians during the 2022-23 offseason, but he was once again dealt at the trade deadline to the Miami Marlins, just a few months into the deal. After helping lift Miami to a playoff berth in 2023, he was part of yet another deadline deal in 2024 that sent him to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Like Bell, Williams also spent the first five seasons of his MLB career in Pittsburgh from 2016-20. He signed a free-agent deal with the Chicago Cubs in 2021 before being dealt that same year to the New York Mets in a package with shortstop Javy Báez. Williams signed a two-year contract with the Nationals after electing free agency in 2022. Injuries limited him to just 13 appearances last season, but his 6-1 record and 2.03 ERA in those appearances prompted Washington to bring him back on another two-year deal.

Nationals sign former Pirates Josh Bell, Trevor Williams in free agency in odd blast from the past

Bell, a second-round pick by the Pirates in 2011 (No. 61 overall), spent the first five seasons of his MLB career in Pittsburgh from 2016-20. He had a career season at the plate with Pittsburgh in 2019, when he slashed .277/.367/.569 across 613 plate appearances. He also represented the Pirates at the MLB All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby that year, falling to Atlanta Braves slugger Ronald Acuña Jr. in the first round of the latter.

Williams, a second-round pick by the Marlins in 2013, was traded to Pittsburgh in 2015 for right-hander Richard Mitchell. He made his MLB debut with the Pirates the following year, and finished his five-year stint in Pittsburgh with a 4.43 ERA across 534 2/3 innings.

With recently-acquired Nathaniel Lowe expected to take over starting first base duties in Washington, Bell will likely slot into the DH role, while Williams will likely slot back into the Nationals' five-man starting rotation.

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