The Nationals have signed outfielder Gerardo Parra to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training, according to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. He’ll earn a $1MM salary if he makes the majors, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets.
Parra has appeared with seven teams in the majors since debuting in 2009. He was most recently a member of the Nationals and Giants in 2019, when he batted .234/.293/.391 with nine home runs and eight stolen bases in 301 plate appearances. Parra became a fan favorite in Washington that year for his “Baby Shark” theme when he came to the plate. The Nationals, of course, won the World Series that season, though Parra hasn’t been in the majors since then. He spent last year with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
As a major leaguer, the 33-year-old Parra has batted .276/.323/.404 with 88 home runs and 96 stolen bases over 5,183 plate appearances. Parra has played every outfield position in the bigs, so he’ll now vie for a role as a backup to Nats starters Juan Soto, Victor Robles and Kyle Schwarber.
How did he do in Japan?
Not well
.272/.309/.379 with 4 HR’s in 178 PA’s. Nothing to get terribly excited about.
The Nats AAA promotions department is doing backflips.
No chance he plays AAA. All the way or No Way. He would rather go back to Japan (Korea, etc) than play AAA.
Mmhmm. He would have signed in Japan if that were the case. If he makes the team the Nats will be in-trouble.
Parra has always been a glove first outfielder. If he makes the team as the 26th man/5th outfielder I don’t really think that’s going to say much about the Nationals at all…..
Barring another signing, he has a pretty good shot. MAT is gone. That leaves Stevenson as the likely 4th OF. Leaves the 5th OF slot wide open with not much quality competition at this juncture.
The only thing Parra’s signing says is that he makes the team if the OF or 1B is hit a rash of injuries. Or Stephenson completely bombs.
Nice that they brought him back after the fans took such a liking to him. Would be nice to see him make the team.
Is he really only 33?? Idk why but I thought he was way older than that
I know right? Feels like he’s been around way longer. Another player who’s fairly young but feels like he’s been around forever now is Elvis Andrus. Only 32 and made his debut in 2009.
Jordan Lyles just hit 30 which is… insane. Didn’t he come up with the Stros’ in 2011?
Rochester Red Wings are cornering the market on Venezuelan has-beens
and Blake Swihart
All together now! Baby shark, do do do do do, Baby shark do.. do.. do do….
Lets do it! Haha
Have you been waiting to do that?
And if he did than so what. Parra’s role in the WS push is forever a local legend. Parra will probably never have to buy dinner at a DC restaurant for the rest of his life.
Well I’ll be…..
The baby shark is back
BABY SHARK!!!!!!! I can get myself one of the Bandanna’s now lol
Need a RH who can play LF to spell Schwarber. Parra could make the team as a Pinch-hitter though.
Josh Harrison
Great character in the club house, if you get any production its a bonus..
Good low risk move that could pay dividends
You’re right about that. His spirit was an under-rated piece in that team’s push in 2019. Hard to really quantify, but it was there.
@Jedi
I never underrated his spirit. Three mid season acquisitions (Para being the 2nd I believe) coinciding with the team getting healthy made for an incremental rise from the void. First the bull pen started getting health [admittedly, with mixed results] then one position player came back.
The result was first a good game, then a winning week. Then the Comeback (oh those glorious comebacks!) started to stack up… About this point, Para strutted to the plate for his first AB as a Nat, and we all know how that turned out.
But to your point- Para spent a good chunk of time on the bench. But he was never idle. Check the vid [my words can’t do the moment(s) justice with mere words….
Welcome Back Gerardo!
I hope it works out for you this Spring…
Don’t worry I aint gonna say it! LOL