Major League Baseball

Nationals offer 1B Dunn arbitration

Published Nov. 23, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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The Washington Nationals offered salary arbitration to first baseman Adam Dunn, assuring the team of receiving draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere as a free agent.

Major league clubs faced a deadline of Tuesday night at midnight to decide whether to offer eligible players arbitration. Players have until Nov. 30 to accept.

Dunn finished second in the NL with 38 homers in 2010, his seventh consecutive season with at least that many. He also led Washington with 103 RBIs, while hitting .260 and striking out 199 times.

Dunn, who turned 31 two weeks ago, has a career batting average of .250, with 354 homers and 880 RBIs in 10 major league seasons with the Reds, Diamondbacks and Nationals.

The Nationals listened to trade offers for Dunn at the July deadline but decided not to make a deal.

Also Tuesday, the Nationals said they did not offer salary arbitration to pitcher Miguel Batista, second baseman Adam Kennedy, or utility players Willie Harris and Kevin Mench.

The team also announced that second baseman Danny Espinosa will have his hook of hamate bone removed from his right hand by Wednesday at the Curtis National Hand Center in Baltimore. Espinosa's hand began bothering him last week while playing winter ball in Puerto Rico.

Espinosa is expected to need six weeks to recover, well before the start of spring training in February.