Rivera, 39, didn't play professionally last year after spending the 2021 season between Cleveland and Washington. He ended up playing for 10 teams during his 13-year MLB career, most of them with the Mets, Padres, and Rays. He'll finish with a .221/.273/.354 batting line and 43 career home runs in 542 games. 

Rivera was on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow contusion, but the Nationals needed to clear a roster spot to claim righty Patrick Murphy off waivers from the Blue Jays. The veteran backstop appeared in just four games for the Nationals after signing in mid-July.

Rivera has appeared in only four games with the Nationals, hitting .214 (3-for-14) with a pair of runs scored. It's unclear exactly how long he'll be sidelined.

Rivera will give the Nats some more experience at catcher with both Yan Gomes (oblique) and Alex Avila (calves) sidelined. He had some major league action with the Indians earlier this season.