Bell is starting Monday's game against the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

Bell will join the Nationals' lineup for the first time after he was activated from the COVID-19 injured list Monday. He'll bat fourth and start at first base for the series opener against the Cardinals. Bell should fill the strong side of a platoon at first base going forward while Ryan Zimmerman mainly starts against left-handed pitchers.

The Nationals reinstated Bell from the COVID-19 injured list Monday.

EDGE Analysis

One of 11 Nationals placed on the COVID-19 IL ahead of Opening Day, Bell will be ready to debut for Washington after completing a mandatory quarantine and passing all phases of MLB's health and safety protocol. Washington has yet to release a lineup for Monday's series opener in St. Louis, but Bell will presumably start at first base in place of Ryan Zimmerman, who had been serving as the team's primary option at the position for the first week of the season. Bell should fill the strong side of a platoon at first base, while the right-handed Zimmerman draws most of the starts versus lefty pitching.

Bell could be cleared through the league's COVID-19 protocols as soon as Monday but will likely need another day or two afterward to get ready to rejoin the lineup, Maria Torres of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Dave Martinez said Sunday that Bell, Kyle Schwarber and Josh Harrison could all be back in action early this week provided they received clearance by Monday. The Nats could certainly use three members of their expected starting lineup back after losing five straight games and getting shut out three times in the last four, but there's no guarantee the trio is able to shake off the rust quickly. Bell should slot in as Washington's primary cleanup hitter and first baseman once he makes his season debut.

The Nationals placed Bell on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Bell is one of nine Nationals players on the 40-man roster who will begin the campaign on the IL as a result of the team's recent COVID-19 outbreak. Prior reports have suggested that only four of the players in question tested positive for the virus, but it's uncertain whether Bell is one of the infected players or merely a close contact. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, players who tested positive will be eligible to return after 10 days in quarantine, while those ruled out through contact tracing can return after a week. With Bell on the shelf for at least the next 7-to-10 days, Ryan Zimmerman is projected to serve as the Nationals' primary option at first base.

Bell was not on the field for the Nationals' workout Monday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.

EDGE Analysis

Eleven players in total are reported to be in quarantine for the Nats due to positive COVID-19 tests or being designated a close contact, and Bell's absence from the workout suggests he's probably in one of those groups. If he's one of the latter, he could still be cleared to play in time for Tuesday's game against Atlanta, but assuming Bell isn't in the lineup, Ryan Zimmerman would get the nod at first base against southpaw Drew Smyly.

Bell went 1-for-3 with a home run and a strikeout in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros.

EDGE Analysis

The switch hitting slugger took Jake Odorizzi deep as part of a five-run first inning for the Nats. Bell has been locked in at the plate and is now hitting .385 (15-for-39) with five doubles and a team-leading five homers this spring. If he can carry that momentum forward into the regular season, a repeat of his massive 2019 first half could be in the cards.

Bell is slashing .367/.457/.900 through 30 Grapefruit League at-bats with a team-high four home runs and a 5:7 BB:K.

EDGE Analysis

He's also added four doubles, and he's catching fire as Opening Day approaches, going yard in each of his last three games. Bell had a disappointing final year in Pittsburgh, but if he can return to his 2019 form in his first campaign with Washington, he could take a run at the 116 RBI he recorded that season with Trea Turner (career .353 OBP) and Juan Soto (career .415 OBP) ahead of him in the batting order.

Bell has gone 6-for-21 (.286) with three doubles and a home run over his first nine Grapefruit League appearances this spring.

EDGE Analysis

The former Pirate has also flashed solid plate discipline with a 4:7 BB:K. Bell is coming off a disappointing 2020, but the Nats have the switch hitter set to hit in the heart of the order as their starting first baseman in hopes that he'll be able to rediscover the form that led him to 37 homers, 116 RBI and a .936 OPS in 2019.

Bell signed a one-year, $6.35 million deal with the Nationals on Friday to avoid arbitration, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 28-year-old was acquired by Washington from Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve and will avoid arbitration with his new team. Bell struggled in 2020 with a .669 PS and career-worst 26.5 percent strikeout rate, but he should have every chance to rebound as the clear starter at first base.

Bell was traded from the Pirates to the Nationals in exchange for Eddy Yean and Wil Crowe on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

If the Nationals are getting the 2019 version, Bell will be a big addition, as he hit a career-high 37 homers while slashing .277/.367/.569. His numbers cratered across the board in 2020's shortened campaign, however, as he hit just eight homers in 57 games and posted a .226/.305/.364 slash line. His strikeout rate soared from 19.2 percent to 26.5 percent while his walk rate fell to a career-low 9.9 percent. That makes the first baseman a rather risky fantasy option heading into the 2021 season, but he still has plenty of upside, especially as he's now left one of the league's toughest parks and worst lineups behind.