The Washington Nationals have agreed to terms with reliever Heath Bell on a Minor League contract for 2015. The two sides finalized the deal around noon on Monday. Bell announced the news himself through The Players' Tribune, Derek Jeter's magazine.

MLB.com's Bill Ladson quoted an excerpt from Bell's article, in which Bell explained why he has not given up on pitching in the Major Leagues even though he has fallen far from his glory days as the San Diego Padres' closer from 2009-2011. Said Bell,

"Today I'm in DC because I'm still chasing that dream. At around noon today, I signed with the Nationals. I can't wait to play for the Nationals. By writing this, I guess everyone will know that I like to throw a first-pitch fastball for a strike. Some secret now. But see if you can hit it."

During those three years as the Padres closer, Bell saved a total of 132 games in 146 opportunities for 90.4% success rate. He also had a record of 15-9 with a 2.36 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 9.6 K/9 IP ratio. His 2009 total of 42 saves led the National League, and he saved 47 in 2010.

Since leaving the Padres, however, things have not gone so well for the former All-Star closer. He has made 155 appearances for the Miami Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Tampa Bay Rays during the past two seasons, totaling a 10-8 record, 4.91 ERA, 34 saves, 1.51 WHIP, and 8.8 K/9 IP ratio. Normally, sudden drop-offs in production of this magnitude accompany injury, but that is not the case for Bell. He has not spent any time on the disabled list in his entire 11-year career, and he has only one missed game attributed to a sore left foot in 2009. 

After a very rough start with the Rays in 2014 (1-1, 7.27 ERA through May), Bell spent the early part of May with the Rays' Triple-A Norfolk affilate before his release on May 10. The New York Yankees' assigned him to their Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre roster in mid-June but released him just 11 days later. Bell spent the rest of the season looking for this new opportunity that he now has with the Nationals. 

Ladson indicates that Bell will help Tyler Clippard in the setup role for current closer Drew Storen, who took the job back mid-season.