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The Washington Nationals signed then-31-year-old bench bat and backup infielder Chad Tracy to minor league deal on December 20, 2011, bringing the former Arizona Diamonbacks' draft pick back to the major leagues after he'd played the 2011 season in Japan with the Central League's Hiroshima Toyo Carp. So far this season, Tracy's put up a .283/.353/.517 line with five doubles and three home runs in 43 games and 68 plate appearances while missing time with a groin injury which required surgery. Since returning from the DL on July 31, the veteran hitter is 4 for 11 with two doubles, two walks and two Ks in 13 PA's. On the year, as a pinch hitter, Tracy's got a .320/.400/.520 line with three of his five doubles and one of the home runs in that role. According to multiple reports out of Nationals' manager Davey Johnson's pregame press conference, the Nats have decided to bring Tracy back for another season:
The
— Amanda Comak (@acomak) August 24, 2012#nats have extended Chad Tracy through the 2013 season Davey Johnson said.
Nats extend pinch-hitter Chad Tracy for the 2013 season, Davey announces.
— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) August 24, 2012
Asked about the extension by NatsInsider.com's Mark Zuckerman, as noted on Twitter, Tracy had this to say about coming back to D.C. next season:
Tracy: "You're on 1st place team, 30 games over and they're offering you an extension. Really not whole lot better than that."
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) August 24, 2012