A quick Google search of the name Yuniesky (Yunesky?) Maya will lead you to an assortment of articles about the New York Yankees' interest in the 28-year-old Cuban-born international free agent, but according to reports last night, the Washington Nationals were able to sign the pitcher pending a physical and some visa issues. According to Washington Post writer Adam Kilgore's Nationals Journal post entitled, "Cuban pitcher Yunesky Maya agrees to terms with Nationals", DC GM Mike Rizzo, "... could not confirm or deny the agreement,":
"...but he acknowledged the Nationals have followed Maya for some time and believes Maya, a veteran of the Cuban national team and Cuban National Series, could be added to the Nationals rotation by the end of the season."
Mr. Kilgore, and many others surely, see this as a sign of the significant improvements the Nationals believe they've made in international scouting, and the fact that they've reportedly signed a pitcher in Maya that DC GM Mike Rizzo described last night during a rain-delay interview with WFED's Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler as (paraphrasing here), a pitcher who's won the Cy Young equivalent in Cuban baseball, a 4-pitch pitcher who's pitched at highest level of international baseball and is battle-ready according to Rizzo…[Rizzo Points To Head]...is surely a sign that the Nats are beginning to be taken seriously internationally. The Nationals "finally" make a splash in the international market, though they'll tell you it's one of many they've made this year.