The Nationals have agreed to terms on an MLB deal with reliever Kyle Finnegan, per a team announcement.
The right-handed Finnegan has spent the entirety of his professional career as an Athletics farmhand. In 2019 he recorded a 2.31 ERA with 14 saves while splitting time between Triple-A Las Vegas and Double-A Midland. The 28-year-old showed a huge uptick in strikeouts after a 2016 migration to the bullpen, as evidenced by his 72 Ks in just 52.2 innings of work last year (12.8 strikeouts per nine).
For the Nationals, bringing in an unproven reliever who’s shown an ability to succeed in the upper minors reads as a worthwhile gamble, given their recent issues in the pen. Last offseason saw their acquisitions of formerly dominant MLB relievers Trevor Rosenthal and Kyle Barraclough go sideways early on, so it makes sense that they might change track somewhat and offer an opportunity to a bullpen greenhorn. Washington’s 40-man count now sits at 30.
Not quite Stephen Strasburg
When did Stras start pitching out of the BP? Bet if he was pitching out of a BP then they would have signed him already!
Patience – it’s going to happen. Redon will come back, also
The owner said they will not sign both.
I loved that…..
Every year Scott Boras pits owners against one another to run up the price for his clients.
This year the Nats (younger) owner pitted Boras’ 2 clients against one another.
LOL
Naturally Boras came out and said that the Nats had money to sign both. But he crossed into an area that they will not take kindly to. Fact is that the same owner said early last off-season that they wished Harper well, but they would not be re-singing him. Boras planted stories all winter about the Nats jumping in to run up Harper’s price. Then when Harper was signed, Boras admitted that the Nats never called to discuss Harper.
Point of the story – in fact the Nats will sign one of Rendon and Stras at most, and both would rather return to the Nats as it’s a 1st class organization and has always supported their efforts. The future starts with Soto, Turner, Robles, and Corbin (the Nats signed him last year knowing full well that Strasburg would probably opt out this year). The Nats may take a step back in 2020, as they surely won’t hand out the franchise killing contracts that the Red Sox did after winning a WS.
Boras also has habit of taking his clients out of their comfort zones and always taking the most money.
Boras is all about max money deals. Not all players are like that. Bryce Harper is one of those players.
Rendon is like that. Strasburg wants to win most of all. He’ll be the one that re-sogns with the Nats. which for Boras clients its extremely rare. Strasburg would only be the 2nd person to do so. Altuve. Strasburg will have done it twice.
Trea Turner is gonna get traded within the next 2 seasons.
Rendon will do what’s best for his family and himself whether or not that means top $. Hope like heck he comes back so I can watch him hit, but wouldn’t question his motives.
Stras I’m not so sure, but Rendon matches up so well with the Nats MO that it makes too much sense to not happen. Rendon wants to maximize pay on a short deal, I’m sure the Nats can offer him 180/5 with about 30 or 40 million deferred.
Nats are gonna have to find cheap gems to fill out their roster if they have a chance to resign Stras and Rendon
not a bad use of their ample roster spots.
When was Barraclough, and his 5.5 bb/9, ever dominant? Consistently putting people on base is not dominance.
Seriously
He was dominant for two months in Miami.
Met Kyle last year in Vegas; great young man. Rooting for him hard
GMs who have just won the World Series tend to have the owner’s ear (see Dombrowski/Henry). That Nats have money to start with, and the MASN windfall will provide more, may loosen some pocketbooks.
I can easily see Rizzo convincing Learner he needs both Tony Two-Bags and Stras.
I love Tony2bags and enjoy a good Strasmas as much as the next Nats fan… but I’m beginning to warm to the idea of missing on Stras and Rendon.
The deal for Stras was the right one. 25mill’ish AAV was the right deal at the time. The opt outs allowed that deal to happen. In order for Stras to want to opt out, he would have to have a mind blowing season which he did. The Nats get a Series, and Stras gets a giant new contract.
So let someone else pay him 180 for 6. No ill wishes… but remember, Stras is a Tommy John recipient. From what I’ve read, they don’t last forever. How many innings does he have left on that gun? That’s a big risk I’m not sure I want the Nationals hamstringing our roster with at that price. Just don’t go to the Dodgers or Phillies please!!!
Rendon? The Nats gambled and won/lost. We lowballed him when we probably could have signed him for Altuve money or less. Rendon stuck to his guns (or more likely Boras) and now he’s looking at Arenado money. One of my favorite players and I have a feeling that hes gonna earn that contract he gets… but oh well, 6 or 7 years at 35mill AAV is just too much to put in one bag I think. Think historically? Not a lot of Scherzer contracts out there that teams don’t end up regretting.
Rizzo has his work cut out for him replacing team production on those 2
We’re on the same page. It is exciting to be financially flexible and not beholden to these massive, usually regrettable, deals. Let’s explore possibilities and develop. The Scherzer deals are 10%. Most are dead losers. Don’t blame the players one bit, but I would be responsible if I owned the team.
Finnegan begin again…..