Why did the Nationals release Corey Dickerson? Former All-Star dropped from team in surprising move

On Wednesday, the Washington Nationals made a pair of major roster moves, releasing veteran Corey Dickerson and optioning Luis Garcia to Triple-A. It was expected that the rebuilding Nationals would deal Dickerson to another team prior to the trade deadline, however, it is clear that they were unable to find any takers.

Given the fact that the Nationals will be looking to evaluate their young talent, it's clear they no longer needed the likes of Corey Dickerson. This will not only allow the club to experiment with a variety of players, but also allow the veteran the opportunity to land with a contender.

"These are two very significant roster moves. Releasing Corey Dickerson means the Nationals want to get new players opportunities in that spot. But optioning Luis García is the "wow" here. He has been really, really struggling at the plate and this sends a message." - @dougherty_jesse

Now, Dickerson will hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent with the hopes of landing with a contender before the season concludes. The 34-year-old outfielder has only appeared in 49 games this season. So, if he were to land with a club, it would be in a role of a bench batter.

The veteran outfielder has seen limited action in the past few seasons, and while he has always managed to land with a new club, he has only played over 100 games once in the past five seasons.

Although Dickerson has seen his playing time diminished, he has still proven himself to be an effective depth player at the MLB level. Through the 49 games he played this season with the Washington Nationals, Dickerson posted a .252 batting average with 17 RBIs and a pair of home runs.

"I’m okay with this. You don’t make trades just for the sake of making trades. What I’m not okay with is continuing to trot out Corey Dickerson and Dom Smith when they have young talent rotting away on the bench. Stone Garrett and Riley Adams should be playing everyday. #Nats" - @DCSportsBuzzz

Corey Dickerson has enjoyed a successful MLB career

It's likely that a contender will take a shot on Dickerson, however, if he is unable to continue his career at the major league level, he can look back with pride.

A Gold Glove Award winner and All-Star, Dickerson has enjoyed a productive 11-year career, hitting 134 home runs, 469 RBIs, and 1028 hits, while owning a career.280 batting average.

After being selected in the 8th round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies, Dickerson has made his way around the league, playing for eight different clubs. The slugging outfielder has spent time with the aforementioned Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Miami Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Washington Nationals.