Dmitri Young, the former All-Star slugger released by the Tigers last September, is close to signing a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. Young, who played for Washington general manager Jim Bowden while with the Cincinnati Reds, will be invited to spring training if the sides reach an agreement. Young, 33, batted .250 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs last season, but played in only 48 games. He had two stays on the disabled list with a quadriceps strain, and was away from the team for two months while undergoing treatment for drug and alcohol addictions at a California rehabilitation center.