Nationals sign former All-Star Paul DeJong to one-year, $1 million contract

The Nationals have added a bat to their infield.

The franchise signed former All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong to a one-year, $1 million deal on Sunday. DeJong can earn an additional $600,000 in performance bonuses.

The Nationals placed starting pitcher Josiah Gray on the 60-day injured list to make room for DeJong on the 40-man roster. Gray is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

DeJong, 31, hit 24 home runs and 56 RBIs in 139 games for the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals last season. No National slugged more than 20 home runs in 2024. 

DeJong finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting during his first season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017 and earned his lone All-Star nomination two years later.

“It came together quickly,” DeJong told Nationals.com. “I thought at the beginning of my offseason that this might be a good team that I could fit into. Me being local [to Jupiter, Fla.] helped, too. A lot of positives here.”

The Illinois State product has struggled to find a consistent home in recent years, bouncing from the Toronto Blue Jays to the San Francisco Giants in 2023 before last year’s stints with the White Sox and Royals. He has a .229 average with 140 homers and 400 RBIs in eight seasons with St. Louis (2017-23), Toronto (2023), San Francisco (2023), the White Sox and Royals.

Manager Dave Martinez is widely expected to shift DeJong to third base as rising star C.J. Abrams will likely remain Washington’s shortstop throughout the 2025 campaign. 

“The biggest thing was, he’s a right-handed bat that can hit the ball out of the ballpark for us,” Martinez told Nationals.com. “I like the fact that we’ve got some options now against lefties as well.”

DeJong joins a competitive group of infielders vying for the everyday third baseman role. Jose Tena, 23, started 35 games at the hot corner for Washington last year after a mid-season trade with the Cleveland Guardians.

Top prospect Brady House is also expected to contend for the job alongside utility infielder Amed Rosario, who signed a one-year deal with the Nationals this offseason. 

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.