It was pretty obvious that Adam Dunn wasn't going to stick around with the Washington Nationals going forward. Now, it looks like it's close to official. According to various reports, the Chicago White Sox have signed Dunn to a four-year, $56 million contract. Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated was the first to note the news, and Peter Gammonds was the first to report that Dunn got $56 million.
Dunn hit 40 home runs for the Nationals last season, anchoring the middle of their lineup, but the Nationals seemed unwilling to commit a lot of payroll to him, considering his advanced age and poor defense. With Chicago, he will likely shift between first base and designated hitter, depending on the status of Paul Konerko. The White Sox have coveted Dunn for some time, and they closed in on a deal with him earlier today.
Dunn was nearly traded to the White Sox at the trade deadline, but a three-way deal involving the White Sox and Diamondbacks never materialized. Now, it appears the White Sox have their man without having to surrender anything more than the 23rd pick in next year's MLB Draft. (Note: the Nationals will also receive a supplemental pick between the first and second round).
According to Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post, the Nationals offered Dunn a three-year, $35 million contract at season's end, but Dunn did not accept it. The Nationals will now turn to other options like Tampa Bay's Carlos Pena, who they have been rumored to covet for a while.