The Washington Nationals will be looking to get back into contention in 2022 after a disappointing campaign last season. They took a positive step forward in doing so on Tuesday, bringing back a familiar face from their 2019 World Series team.

Per Dan Kolko, the Nationals have signed 38-year-old veteran Anibal Sanchez, who sat out the 2021 season.

Sanchez was a big part of their title run that year, going 11-8 in 30 starts while posting a 3.85 ERA. He struggled in 20′ however, throwing just 53 innings and compiling a dismal 6.62 ERA. Nevertheless, he's been around for a hot minute and should give the Nationals stability at the back-end of their rotation.

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Their ace, Stephen Strasburg, didn't pitch for all of Spring Training due to injury, but he should be back in the fold not too long after Opening Day. The rest of Washington's rotation definitely has something to prove, with Patrick Corbin, Josiah Gray, and Eric Fedde rounding it out. Strasburg returning is going to be huge, but if a guy like Sanchez can contribute for the Nationals on a consistent basis and get outs, it will be crucial to their success.

In two previous seasons with the Nationals, Sanchez went 15-13 with a 4.52 ERA in 41 outings. Let's hope he can bounce back after a year off.