Howie Kendrick Traded from Phillies to Nationals for Prospect

Howie Kendrick has been traded to the Washington Nationals on Friday after spending the first three months of this season with the Philadelphia Phillies.

MLB Network's Ken Rosenthal first reported the Nationals acquired Kendrick from the Phillies. Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the Phillies are receiving left-handed pitcher McKenzie Mills in the deal. 

The Phillies announced the deal, adding it also includes international spending money from the Nationals.

The Phillies added Kendrick in a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last November. He was supposed to offer some stability to a team still in the midst of a rebuilding effort.

The 33-year-old Kendrick did play every day for Los Angeles last season, appearing in 146 games, and turned into a versatile piece for manager Dave Roberts. He spent time at first base, second base, shortstop and left field. 

He's had a strong bounce-back season, at least when he's been healthy enough to play. The former All-Star has a .340/.397/.454 slash line in just 39 games. He was activated off the disabled list on July 21 after missing four weeks with a hamstring injury. 

It was his second stint on the disabled list this season. He missed more than one month in April with a strained right abdominal. 

Kendrick gives the Nationals a versatile veteran who can play the infield or outfield. He will likely be used off the bench since Washington doesn't have any starting spots available, though he could end up as a platoon partner with Adam Lind in left field since he has a .918 OPS against left-handed pitching this season.

With the Phillies owning the worst record in Major League Baseball, they had no need to keep Kendrick. Mills gives them a young pitcher who has posted 118 strikeouts in 104.2 innings in High-A this season. 

As long as Kendrick is providing stability on defense and getting on base at a strong-enough clip to set things up for the big hitters in the lineup, he will be a solid addition for the Nationals.