Josh Bell DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Washington Nationals are signing free agent first baseman Josh Bell to a one-year contract worth $6 million. Bell opened the 2024 campaign with the Miami Marlins before being acquired by the Arizona Diamondbacks later in the season. Across 145 total games, the switch-hitter held a .249/.319/.405 line with 19 home runs, 23 doubles, and a 51:210 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, the veteran generated a below-average .310 xwOBA and modest 40.1% hard-hit rate. Bell spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons in D.C. and held an impressive .301/.384/.493 line in 2022. While the Nationals acquired first baseman Nate Lowe earlier this week from Texas, Bell should be penciled into the DH spot on a daily basis. If he can see his power numbers climb, he could be worth a look in deeper NL-only formats.

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Bell stayed red-hot in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader with the hosting Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, blasting two more home runs in the win. After belting an opposite-field solo homer off Guardians right-hander Carlos Carrasco into the left field corner to give the D-backs an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, Bell drove his second long ball of the game, a two-run home run to right field, to extend Arizona's lead to 4-1 in the third frame. The 31-year-old former All-Star slugger has been tearing the cover off the ball lately, batting .352 (19-for-54) with nine dingers, 14 RBI, and 11 runs scored in his last 13 games since July 22.

The Miami Marlins traded first baseman Josh Bell to the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Bell adds another bat to the Diamondbacks, who may be without starting first baseman Christian Walker (oblique) for a while after he left Monday's game against the Washington Nationals with an oblique injury. The Marlins had placed Bell on waivers Monday after he hit .239/.305/.394 with 14 homers, 49 RBI, and 38 runs scored in 104 games. Bell is an interesting waiver-wire option in deeper leagues, as a fresh start with a playoff contender might spark a bat that has had four seasons of at least 20 homers.