Washington Nationals Sign Now-Former San Francisco Giants' Right-Hander Waldis Joaquin, Infielder Jarrett Hoffpauir.

While the world was waiting for the announcement on which team had won the bidding for 25-year-old Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters' right-hander Yu Darvish, the Washington Nationals announced that they'd signed 24-year-old now-former San Francisco Giants' pitcher Waldis Joaquin. The Giants signed the 6'0'', 240lb right-hander as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2003. Joaquin debuted in the Majors in 2009, appearing in 10 games, but he's made just nine appearances with the Giants since then, moving up and down in San Francisco's system. In a matter of days in 2010 Joaquin was claimed by the Chicago White Sox, granted free agency and signed again by the Giants. The right-hander spent the bulk of his time in the Triple-A Fresno Giants' bullpen where he had a 3.44 ERA, 5.05 FIP, 4.89 K/9 and 4.17 BB/9 in 35 games and 49.2 IP. Joaquin has a (1-0) record at the major league level with a 5.40 ERA, 4.87 FIP, 17 walks (7.06 BB/9) and 17 K's (7.06 K/9) in 19 games and 21.2 IP.

According to MLB.com's Bill Ladson (@washingnats), who confirmed the original reports of Waldis Joaquin signing, the Nationals also signed minor league infielder Jarrett Hoffpauir, a 28-year-old utility infielder who's played 21 games in two major league stints (8 G with St. Louis, 13 w/ TOR) in which he has a .217/.308/.283 slash. The Cardinals' '04 6th Round pick has a .285/.366/.428 line over 8 seasons in the Minors, six of which were spent in St. Louis' system. After a year in the Blue Jays' organization, Hoffpauir played in 91 games at Triple-A in the San Diego Padres' system in 2011, posting a .281/.356/.428 line in 356 plate appearances over which he hit 26 doubles and five home runs.

(ed. note - "We're following along with the Yu Darvish Rumors HERE.")