Cleveland Guardians Sign All-Star First Baseman to Two-Year Deal

The Cleveland Guardians added a power bat to their lineup Tuesday, agreeing to terms on a two-year, $33 million contract with free agent first baseman Josh Bell, The Athletic's Zack Meisel and Ken Rosenthal report. The deal includes an opt-out for Bell. Bell is a former member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres.

The Cleveland Guardians added a power bat to their lineup Tuesday, agreeing to terms on a two-year, $33 million contract with free agent first baseman Josh Bell, The Athletic's Zack Meisel and Ken Rosenthal report.

Source confirms: Two years, $33M with opt-out. First: @JonHeyman. https://t.co/LtwXoy8P6b

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 6, 2022

The deal includes an opt-out for Bell. 

Bell played the first five seasons of his Major League career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, before being traded to the Washington Nationals before the start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season.

Bell played a year and a half with the Nationals, before he was dealt along with Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres in a blockbuster trade prior to the trade deadline in August.

Bell was named an All-Star in 2019, and received the National League Silver Slugger Award for designated hitter in 2022.

Bell slashed .301/.384/.877 in 103 games with the Nationals in 2022. His offensive output took a significant dip in the final two months of the season, playing 53 games with the Padres, where he slashed .192/.316/.587.

Bell has had up-and-down power numbers over the course of his career. He slugged 27 homers in 2021, 37 in 2019 and 26 in 2017. Bell hit 12 in 2018 and 17 in 2022, despite playing a minimum of 143 games in each season.

The Guardians, who hit the second-fewest home runs in 2022, certainly could have used another power bat in their lineup. Bell might be able to fill that void.

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