Josh Bell Is Having A Stellar Season On A Bad Team

The 2022 Major League Baseball has been a season of revelation for MLBbro Josh Bell.
He is having a career year and has been one of the most consistent hitters in baseball. Bell
has always been a quality player, since his Major League debut in 2016. In the middle of a
contract year, he is having a great season, and has been a hot topic in many trade talks around the
league. The only other first basemen in the National League who have even been on his level are
perennial All-Stars, Freddie Freeman and Paul Goldschmidt.

Bell has been the best player for the Nationals this season. He just finished the month of
June with a .358 batting average, seven home runs, and 18 RBI. The Washington Nationals have
not been competitive this year, but that has not stopped Bell from excelling. Since coming to
Washington, Bell has had his career reinvigorated from the less stellar play he showed as a
member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. With the season just slightly past the halfway mark, he has
already established a WAR of 3.2 which is higher than his WAR during his five seasons with the Pirates.

Not since MLBbro Ryan Howard has there been as productive a black player at the first
base position. Howard, a three-time All-Star and former NL MVP, was one of the most
productive hitters in his prime with the Philadelphia Phillies. Josh Bell is looking to follow in his
footsteps and cash in on his improvements at the plate and sign a lucrative contract in the
offseason. As a highly effective switch hitter, Bell is capable of hitting right and left-handed
pitching at a prominent level. Having a hitter of this caliber at a corner infield position is integral
to a team’s success.

There has been much speculation to whether or not the Nationals will move on from the
potential All-Star MLBbro. While the case can be made to trade Bell while his stock is high,
there are several reasons to retain his services and pair him with Juan Soto and move forward as
a franchise. Not turning 30 until later this season, Bell is still young enough to be around for
several years to come. He currently ranks in the top ten in hits, total bases, On-Base percentage,
and batting average in the National League. Although he may not get the national attention that
he should, this MLBbro is special.