Starting pitcher Mat Latos started the year very well with the White Sox, but he ran into some major struggles and was released on June 17. He figured to get a shot somewhere else, since the White Sox are responsible for his salary minus the league minimum, and that team is the Washington Nationals (pending a physical, per Jon Heyman).

New manager Dusty Baker is familiar with Latos, too, as he managed Latos in 2012 and 2013 for the Cincinnati Reds.

Latos and Baker are reunited in D.C. USATSI

The two years with Baker were among the best in Latos' career. In the two seasons combined, he went 28-11 with a 3.32 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP and 372 strikeouts in 420 innings. He was part of a durable rotation that helped get the Reds to the postseason both years (winning the NL Central in 2012 and the second Wild Card in 2013).

In Latos' last seven starts for the White Sox in 2016, however, he posted a 7.25 ERA in 36 innings, with opposing hitters lighting him up for a .340/.402/.585 line. Yes, he made entire lineups look like one of the most polished all-around hitters in baseball.

Still, Baker has hope for a turnaround, so long as Latos works hard.

"I know there's more in there," Baker said Wednesday (via CBS Washington). "And he's not old and he's not hurt anymore. There's more in there and I've seen it. I'm not the one that signed him; I was the one that they asked, 'Would it be worth the chance?' The organization came to me about it. I mean he was 14-4 one year for me and 14-and-something another year for me."

"Mat's trying to get in the best shape possible, so he's going to get in shape first, in tip-top shape, which I asked him to do over the winter when I was talking to him about possibly signing him then," Baker said (via CBS Washington). "Because you know I'm big on guys getting in shape, because you perform better, your mind's clear -- it just looks better."

As for where Latos fits on the big-league rotation, he doesn't. They have Max Scherzer, Joe Ross, Tanner Roark, Gio Gonzalez and Stephen Strasburg as their five. With Strasburg currently on the disabled list, top prospect Lucas Giolito is getting a look.

Latos will simply provide depth. Everyone needs rotation depth, after all.