In search of infield depth with Ryan Zimmerman on the disabled list again, the Nationals have acquired switch-hitting shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera from the Indians in exchange for minor leaguer Zach Walters.
Cabrera has been the Indians’ starting shortstop since 2009, but he also has 1,300 innings of experience at second base and will presumably mostly play there for the Nationals, with Anthony Rendon starting at third base (pending Zimmerman’s status).
Cabrera has hit .246 with nine homers and a .692 OPS in 97 games this season as an impending free agent and posted similar offensive numbers in 2013 following back-to-back All-Star appearances in 2011 and 2012.
Walters has had some brief stints with the Nationals, but the 24-year-old infielder has spent most of the past two seasons at Triple-A hitting .262 with 45 homers and an .820 OPS in 223 total games. He has 25-homer power and has played all over the diamond defensively, but it comes with poor plate discipline and lots of strikeouts.