Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Nationals Rumors

Nationals Promote Mitchell Parker

By | at

April 15: Washington officially recalled Parker to start tonight’s game. The Nats also brought up catcher Drew Millas from Triple-A Rochester and placed Keibert Ruiz on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 12, because of the flu. Washington also reinstated Nick Senzel from his season-opening IL stint and optioned infielder Trey Lipscomb.

April 14: The Nationals will call up left-hander Mitchell Parker on Monday to make his Major League debut.  Grant Paulsen of 106.7FM Radio (X link) reported the news earlier today, and Nats manager Davey Martinez confirmed to reporters that Parker will start Washington’s game against the Dodgers.  Right-hander Amos Willingham was optioned to Triple-A today, which makes room for Parker on the 26-man roster.

Parker was a fifth-round pick for the Nats in the 2020 draft, and was added to the team’s 40-man roster last November in advance of the Rule 5 draft so another club couldn’t select the 24-year-old.  MLB Pipeline ranks Parker as the 21st-best prospect in Washington’s farm system, while Baseball America puts the southpaw 29th.

The strikeout potential has always been there for Parker, who has a 28.88 K% over his 329 2/3 career minor league innings.  Parker’s top pitch is a 55-grade fastball that averages roughly 93mph with a ton of break, and he also has a plus curveball that works particularly well as a complement to his fastball.  However, controlling either of these pitches or his other offerings has been Parker’s biggest challenge, as his 11.6% walk rate is on the high side.  Parker has pitched in only four Triple-A games, with an underwhelming 7.53 ERA over those 14 1/3 innings with Rochester.

Some evaluators feel his ultimate future is in the bullpen, but Parker has started 72 of his 76 games in the minors, and the Nationals figure to at least give him a trial run as a starter before deciding on a possible turn to relief pitching.  Facing the star-studded Dodgers lineup is quite a way to hit the ground running as a big leaguer, but Parker will get an opportunity as the Nats are still figuring out how to manage their rotation.

Josiah Gray was placed on the 15-day injured list last Tuesday, leaving MacKenzie Gore, Trevor Williams, Patrick Corbin, and Jake Irvin as the District’s starting four.  It seems possible that Jackson Rutledge might’ve gotten the call ahead of Parker, but Rutledge might not be 100 percent after being hit by a comebacker earlier this week.

East Notes: Phillies, Wood, Means

By | at

Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker began the 2024 campaign on the injured list due to a shoulder issue, but he’s making good progress en route to a return to action. As noted by Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, club manager Rob Thomson told reporters recently that Walker would begin his rehab assignment with the club’s Single-A affiliate in Clearwater, Florida this week. That first rehab outing occurred Thursday night, with Walker allowing two runs over four innings of work while striking out four and walking none.

Per Thomson, that start was the first of what is expected to be four rehab appearances for Walker before he rejoins the Phillies’ big league roster. Walker’s return to action would seem to spell the end of right-hander Spencer Turnbull’s time in the Philadelphia rotation, likely ticketing him for a long relief role in the club’s bullpen. That may not be the case, however, as Coffey relays that Thomson has indicated that there could be a path for Turnbull to remain in the rotation even after Walker returns, noting that “if he keeps putting up zeroes… that’s tough to remove him from the rotation.”

Turnbull’s certainly done everything he can to justify a regular spot in the rotation to this point in the season. Through his first two appearances with the Phillies, the right-hander has struck out 13 batters in eleven scoreless innings against the Reds and Cardinals, scattering five hits and one walk during that time. While his start today against the Pirates left something to be desired, as he allowed three runs in four innings of work, that still leaves him with a solid 1.80 ERA through three turns in the club’s rotation. While it seems unlikely that Turnbull would bump any of Walker, Ranger Suarez, or Christopher Sanchez to the bullpen (much less co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola), Thomson suggested that the club could use Turnbull as a piggyback starter or even utilize a six-man rotation later this season in order to get the right-hander more reps.

More from around the league’s East divisions…

  • Sticking with the NL, the Nationals have not yet broached the subject of a contract extension with top outfield prospect James Wood, according to Stephen Mears of TalkNats.com. Wood, 21, is a consensus top-15 prospect in the game as has carried a phenomenal spring that saw him slash .364/.509/.705 in 22 big league camp games into a strong start to the Triple-A season where he’s hit an even better .441/.558/.794 in his first 43 plate appearances. Given the youngster has not yet even made his major league debut, it’s hardly a shock that the sides haven’t engaged in extension negotiations to this point. On the other hand, its become increasingly common for top talents to sign extensions early on in or even before the start of their big league careers in recent years. Top prospects Jackson Chourio and Colt Keith both signed pre-debut extensions with the Brewers and Tigers respectively, this winter, while star youngsters such as Corbin Carroll and Julio Rodriguez are among those to sign massive extensions prior to reaching even one year of service time in the majors.
  • Looking toward the AL, the Orioles began the 2024 season with their starting rotation at less than full strength due to both right-hander Kyle Bradish and left-hander John Means starting the season on the injured list. Recent reporting has indicated that Bradish is nearing a rehab assignment as he nurses a sprained UCL, and GM Mike Elias indicated this afternoon to reporters (including the Baltimore Banner’s Danielle Allentuck) that Means is even closer to a return to action. Per Elias, Means is scheduled for a fourth rehab appearances next week and could return to the majors before the end of the month. The left-hander pitched to a strong 2.66 ERA in four starts down the stretch last year following his late-season return from Tommy John surgery and figures to slot into the middle of the Baltimore rotation behind Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez upon his return.

Nationals Place Josiah Gray On Injured List With Flexor Strain

By | at

6:30pm: Gray told the Washington beat that the strain is muscular (relayed by Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). Imaging revealed that his UCL is fully intact. Needless to say, it’s a significant plus that there doesn’t appear to be any kind of structural damage that would raise the possibility of surgery.

3:2opm: The Nationals announced that right-hander Josiah Gray has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right elbow/forearm flexor strain. The move is retroactive to April 6 and righty Joan Adon has been recalled in a corresponding move.

The Nats have not yet provided any kind of information relating to the severity of Gray’s injury or how long they expect him to be out of action, but it’s the latest in a string of elbow injuries to notable pitchers around the league. The season is less than two weeks old but has already seen pitchers like Shane Bieber and Eury Pérez be sent to the operating table for Tommy John surgery. Spencer Strider could follow them since he has sustained damage to his ulnar collateral ligament, though it’s not yet been determined whether he will have surgery or not. Framber Valdez was scratched from yesterday’s start and sent to meet with doctors after experiencing elbow soreness. Nick Pivetta was placed on the IL earlier today due to a flexor strain, though Boston’s chief baseball officer Craig Breslow characterized it as mild.

All of those injuries are on top of pitchers who were injured last year and are still recovering, a list that includes guys like Shohei Ohtani, Jacob deGrom, Sandy Alcántara, Robbie Ray, Shane McClanahan and many more. The ever-growing list has led to a dispute between MLB and the MLBPA, with the league blaming pitchers chasing high velocity and spin while the players point to the pitch clock.

Gray will now add another notable injury to that pile. He may not have as much big league success as some of those aforementioned pitchers, but he is nonetheless a notable name due to his former status as a top prospect and trade chip. Now 26, Gray was a top 100 prospect during his time with the Dodgers before coming to the Nationals as a key piece of the 2021 deadline deal that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to Los Angeles.

Gray has not yet truly lived up to that hype, with a 4.84 earned run average in 386 2/3 innings in his major league career. He had a 3.91 ERA last year but may have been lucky to have allowed so few runs to score. His 20.5% strikeout rate and 11.5% walk rate were each below league average, but his 80.4% strand rate was on the high side. His 4.93 FIP and 5.08 SIERA were each more than a run higher than his ERA, perhaps suggesting regression was coming. His first two outings in 2024 resulted in 13 earned runs scoring in 8 1/3 innings, though the injury may have also played a role in that.

Nonetheless, Gray has been an important building block for the Nats amid their ongoing rebuild. If he ends up needing to miss significant time, that could be a blow to Gray and the club in what was likely seen as a key development year. He came into 2024 with two years and 75 days of service time, meaning that he will qualify for arbitration for the first time going into 2025 and is slated for free agency after 2027. The Nats have a number of their best prospects nearing the majors and would ideally like to see Gray take a step forward to be a part of their next competitive window but an extended absence would obviously get in the way of that plan.

For now, he’ll be removed from the rotation for at least a couple of turns. For now, Adon will take Gray’s spot next to MacKenzie Gore, Patrick Corbin, Trevor Williams and Jake Irvin. Adon has 121 2/3 innings of major league experience with a 6.66 ERA.

Stephen Strasburg Officially Retires

By | at

April 7: Strasburg officially announced his retirement in a statement (as relayed by Ghiroli) this morning.

“Today, I am announcing my retirement from the game I love,” the statement reads. “I realized after repeated attempts to return to pitching, injuries no longer allow me to perform at a Major League level… Although I will always wish there were more games to be pitched, I find comfort knowing I left it all out there for the only team I’ve known. My family and I are truly fortunate and blessed to have experienced this baseball journey in the Nation’s Capitol.”

The Nationals also released statements thanking Strasburg from owner Mark Lerner and GM Mike Rizzo.

“No one can dispute the indelible impact he had on our organization,” Lerner said of Strasburg in the statement. “He put us on the map as World Champions and changed the face of our franchise.”

“From his Major League debut in 2010 through leading us to a title as the World Series MVP in 2019, the impact he’s had on our ball club is undeniable. He will go down as one of the best players in Washington Nationals history, and it was my honor to be part of that journey.”

April 6: Right-hander Stephen Strasburg has officially retired, as noted by Andrew Golden of the Washington Post. Neither the Nationals or Strasburg have announced the decision, which was posted on MLB.com’s transactions log this evening. Golden adds that Strasburg will be paid the $105MM left on his seven-year, $345MM deal with the Nationals, though Strasburg has reportedly agreed to defer some of his remaining salary. Golden adds that the specifics of the deferrals are not yet clear, though The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli makes clear that the arrangement does not lower the total value of Strasburg’s deal with the club.

The news concludes a lengthy saga that saw Strasburg’s initial retirement plans, which came to light in August of last year, scuttled by a dispute between the player and team over the remainder of his contract with the club that reportedly arose when the team sought to change the terms of their initial retirement agreement, which would have seen the right-hander be paid in full. Whether or not Strasburg would retire was largely immaterial from a baseball perspective, as the 35-year-old has been shut down from all baseball activity for nearly a year due to nerve damage and thoracic outlet syndrome, which has interfered with the veteran’s ability to perform basic tasks such as opening doors or lifting his young children in recent years.

Those injuries limited Strasburg to just eight starts over the course of his megadeal with Washington, which came on the heels of the righty winning World Series MVP honors in 2019 for his role in bringing home the only championship in franchise history. Strasburg’s heroics in 2019, which saw him pitch to an excellent 3.32 ERA while leading the NL with 209 innings pitched in the regular season before dominating with a 1.98 ERA in 36 1/3 postseason innings that fall, act as a capstone on an illustrious 13-year career that was cut short by injuries.

When he was selected first overall by the Nationals in the 2009 draft, Strasburg was among the most heralded amateur talents in the history of the sport thanks to his work at San Diego State University, where he pitched to a sterling 1.43 ERA and racked up 328 strikeouts over his final two seasons in college. He ascended through the minor leagues quickly to make his big league debut in June of the 2010 season, allowing two runs in seven innings against Pittsburgh while striking out 14 Pirates and flashing a triple-digit fastball.

Unfortunately, the right-hander’s debut season was cut short by Tommy John surgery, though he did manage to make 12 starts where he pitched to a phenomenal 2.91 ERA with an even better 2.08 FIP. From the moment he returned to the mound at the end of the 2011 season, however, Strasburg joined a core of young talent in Washington that also included the likes of Bryce Harper, Ryan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, and Anthony Rendon. That group led the club to eight consecutive winning seasons from 2012 to 2019 that included five trips to the playoffs, including the aforementioned World Series championship in 2019.

That eight-year stretch saw Strasburg dominate to the tune of a 3.21 ERA and 3.03 FIP in 222 starts at the front of the D.C. rotation while striking out 28.9% of batters faced. Among pitchers with at least 800 innings during that time, Strasburg posted the fourth-best strikeout rate and sixth-best FIP while ranking eleventh in ERA, and 30th in both walk rate and groundball rate. Strasburg’s time at the top of the Nationals rotation culminated in 2019, when he led the Nationals through the playoffs against the Brewers, Dodgers, and Cardinals alongside Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin before the club felled the Astros in seven games to secure the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Following the win, Strasburg opted out of the remainder of his seven-year $175MM deal with Washington in order to test the open market for the first time in his career. The club went over the top to keep their franchise face, signing the then-31-year-old Strasburg to a deal that would take him through his age-37 season. That contract will go down as one of the worst in MLB history, as Strasburg pitched just 31 1/3 innings of 6.98 ERA baseball after it took effect in 2020, while the Nationals found themselves plunged into a lengthy rebuild by the summer of 2021.

While injuries may have derailed Strasburg’s career in his final years, few players ever reach the peaks that the three-time All Star did during his time in the majors. The right-hander enters the record books with a career 3.24 ERA (127 ERA+) and 3.02 FIP in 1,470 innings of work. He struck out 1,723 batters in his career while going 113-62 in 247 career starts in the regular season. He pairs those fantastic career numbers with even better postseason figures, including a 1.46 ERA in 55 1/3 playoff innings and a whopping 32.6% strikeout rate during the postseason. MLB Trade Rumors congratulates Strasburg on a phenomenal career and wishes him the best as he officially enters retirement.

Nationals Place Victor Robles On Injured List

By | at

April 4: The Nationals announced Thursday that Robles has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. They’ve recalled Young from Triple-A Rochester to take his spot on the active roster.

April 3: Nationals center fielder Victor Robles injured his left hamstring during Wednesday night’s game against the Pirates. He suffered the injury running from first to third on a single in the bottom of the second inning. The former top prospect was making just his second start of the 2024 campaign. After the game, manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASN) that Robles would go for an MRI on Thursday.

For what it’s worth, Robles, 26, has suffered hamstring injuries in the past, few of which kept him off the field for long. He dealt with hamstring tightness this spring (per Andrew Golden of the Washington Post), a left hamstring cramp last summer (h/t Zuckerman), left hamstring tightness in May 2021 (h/t Zuckerman), a mild right hamstring strain in October 2019 (h/t Zuckerman), and “hamstring trouble” in April 2017 (per Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post). Only the two earliest instances kept him off the field for more than a game or two.

That said, the Nationals might want to play it safe with Robles, who missed most of the 2023 season with back trouble. What’s more, his speed and outfield range are some of his strongest tools, and surely Washington wants to keep his legs as healthy as possible. Martinez didn’t offer much optimism after the game, telling reporters “I don’t want to assume anything, but [Robles] said he felt it pretty good” (per Nusbaum).

If Robles misses the time, the Nationals can bring up one of Alex Call or Jacob Young, both of whom are on the 40-man roster. Call, 29, has more big league experience, including his 77 starts in center field last season for Washington. Young, 24, started only 32 games in center during his rookie season in 2023, but he took the starting job from Call down the stretch, hitting slightly better and providing extra value on the bases with his 98th-percentile sprint speed. However, Call is coming off a much stronger spring. He posted a 1.099 OPS in 21 games, while Young produced a meager .673 OPS in 20 contests.

East Notes: Caminero, Senzel, Megill

By | at

After hitting his first Triple-A home run earlier in the game, Rays top prospect Junior Caminero was forced to make an early exit from Sunday afternoon’s contest against the Norfolk Tides. He injured his left quad while running to first. According to Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times, Caminero “limped the last few steps to first base and eventually needed to be helped off the field.”

Caminero is set for further evaluation tomorrow. The severity of his injury is not yet clear, but it is worrisome that he was unable to walk off the field without assistance. The 20-year-old infielder is a consensus top-10 prospect in the game. While he failed to earn a spot on Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster, he was a likely candidate to earn a call-up mid-season after gaining some experience at Triple-A. The extent of his injury will surely play a role in how soon he can make an impact at the big league level.

The Rays are already low on infield depth early in the season. Shortstop Taylor Walls is currently out recovering from offseason hip surgery, while first/second/third baseman Jonathan Aranda broke a finger during spring training. In addition, utility player Amed Rosario made his first two starts in right field with outfielders Josh Lowe and Jonny DeLuca on the IL.

More news from around MLB’s East divisions…

  • The Nationals got some good news on Saturday, learning that third baseman Nick Senzel will not need surgery to repair his broken thumb (per Mark Zuckerman of MASN). That should mean he’ll return to play significantly sooner than he otherwise would. Senzel, 28, is no longer the top prospect he once was, but the Nationals were counting on him to keep third base warm this season on a one-year deal. Trey Lipscomb, 23, has done good work covering the hot corner over the past two days – he hit his first big league home run this afternoon – but presumably, the Nationals would rather the youngster get a little more seasoning in Triple-A. He was supposed to start there this season before Senzel’s injury rushed him to the show.
  • Mets right-hander Tylor Megill left his start early on Sunday, pitching just four innings against the Brewers. After the game, bench coach John Gibbons told reporters (including Joel Sherman of the New York Post) that Megill’s shoulder felt tender and he would need an MRI. Shoulder pain is particularly troubling for Megill, who spent three months on the IL in 2022 with a shoulder strain. Thus, the Mets will hope the MRI doesn’t reveal any serious damage. New York is already thin on starting pitching: Kodai Senga is nursing a shoulder injury of his own, while David Peterson will be out until late May after offseason hip surgery. Finally, Max Kranick, whom the Mets picked up as additional starting depth this winter, is on the IL with a hamstring strain.

Nationals Place Nick Senzel On 10-Day IL, Select Trey Lipscomb

By | at

TODAY: The Nationals announced Lipscomb’s selection, and Senzel was officially placed on the 10-day IL with a right thumb fracture.

MARCH 28: The Nationals are planning to select infielder Trey Lipscomb, reports Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. Lipscomb would replace Nick Senzel on the active roster; the third baseman broke his thumb in practice before Washington’s Opening Day game. As for the 40-man roster, Lipscomb can take Stephen Strasburg’s spot. The ailing veteran was placed on the 60-day IL earlier today, per Mark Zuckerman of MASN.

Drafted in the third round out of the University of Tennessee in 2022, Lipscomb made his way up to Double-A last season. He hit .284/.310/.438 with a 102 wRC+ in 80 games for the Harrisburg Senators. While he is primarily a third baseman, he has spent time at all four infield positions. He even began to practice as an outfielder this spring, per Golden.

In addition to flexing his defensive versatility, Lipscomb made a strong impression at the plate in big league camp, going 20-for-50 with five walks and only seven strikeouts. However, this spring, manager Davey Martinez told Zuckerman that Lipscomb would only make the roster out of camp if he was going to get regular playing time. Indeed, a few days later, the 23-year-old was reassigned to minor league camp.

However, it seems Lipscomb won’t have to wait long to make his MLB debut after all. Senzel was set to be Washington’s primary third baseman, and presumably, Lipscomb is being called up to fill that hole. The Nationals already have rookie Nasim Nuñez and veteran Ildemaro Vargas on the bench, but neither will stand in Lipscomb’s way if Martinez wants him playing every day. In fact, Zuckerman notes that Lipscomb is expected to be the starting third baseman for the Nationals on Saturday as they take on the Reds for game two of their season.

Nick Senzel Suffers Broken Thumb

By | at

Nationals third baseman Nick Senzel suffered a broken thumb while fielding a ball prior to today’s game, reports Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. It’s unclear how long the injury will keep him out but it’s likely to be at least a few weeks.

It’s an incredibly unfortunate development for a player who has generated such excitement but has been frequently beset by injuries. He was ready for a fresh start in 2024, with the Nationals planning to have him be their everyday third baseman, but he’ll instead be facing yet another injury setback.

Senzel, 29 in June, was selected by the Reds with the second overall pick in 2016 and was considered one of the top prospects in the league as he climbed the minor league ladder. But since he made his major league debut in 2019, he has made frequent trips to the injured list, having never played more than 110 games or taken more than 420 plate appearances in a season. He has undergone surgery to repair a torn finger tendon, to remove bone spurs from his elbow and to address to torn labrum in his shoulder. He’s also missed time due to an ankle sprain and knee injuries, one of them requiring arthroscopic surgery.

Around all those ailments, his performance has been underwhelming. He has hit .239/.302/.369 in his 1,366 major league plate appearances, which translates to a wRC+ of 77. He was non-tendered by the Reds after last year, then the Nats decided to take a chance on him, giving him a $2MM deal.

They were undoubtedly hoping that a change of scenery and some regular playing time could help him get back to the form that made him such a hyped-up prospect. Manager Dave Martinez said way back in December that the club was planning to install him as an everyday third baseman, showing a great deal of faith in Senzel. But instead, he’s now facing yet another injury absence.

For as long as he’s out, the Nats will have to come up with other options. Utility player Ildemaro Vargas is on the roster and could perhaps step in for a time. Jake Alu is also on the 40-man roster and can play multiple positions. Carter Kieboom, like Senzel, is a former first-round pick with a diminished stock in recent years. He’s out of options and was outrighted off the roster a couple of weeks ago. Trey Lipscomb had a hot spring but isn’t on the 40-man either.

How the club proceeds may depend on how long Senzel is expected to be out. But for now, it’s not the start to the 2024 season that Senzel or the Nationals were hoping for.

Nationals Release Lewin Díaz

By | at

The Nationals have released first baseman Lewin Díaz, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He had been in camp on a minor league deal but was reassigned to minor league camp on March 17. It’s unknown if he triggered an opt-out or was simply let go, but the result is that he is now back on the open market.

Díaz, 27, signed a minors pact with the Nats back in December. At that time, the club had Joey Meneses as its primary guy in the first base/designated hitter mix. But since then, they have added veterans Joey Gallo, Jesse Winker and Eddie Rosario to the roster, crowding the path to playing time for Díaz. He hit a couple of home runs this spring and slashed .231/.259/.538 for a wRC+ of 103.

It seems fair to expect Diaz to latch on somewhere else, as he was very popular last offseason. From November of 2022 to January of 2023, he went from the Marlins to the Pirates, Orioles, Braves and Orioles again, either on waivers or cash deals. The O’s eventually passed him through waivers and he spent the 2023 season with Triple-A Norfolk. He hit 17 home runs in 118 games for the Tides, drew walks at a 12.4% clip and limited his strikeouts to 19.7%. His .268/.362/.442 batting line translated to a 103 wRC+, matching his recent spring output.

Diaz is considered a strong defensive first baseman, having accrued 16 Defensive Runs Saved and 9 Outs Above Average in just 753 2/3 innings, roughly half a season. He would be a solid option if the bat is in good form but he unfortunately hasn’t been able to get it going in the majors just yet, having hit .181/.227/.340 in his 343 plate appearances.

Despite that poor performance against bit league pitching, he should garner interest. He’s hit .258/.340/.479 at Triple-A over the past three years, 110 wRC+. That comes with a .277 batting average on balls in play whereas his major league work has been held down by a .213 BABIP. Given his strong defense, he could be a solid contributor with a bit more luck from the baseball gods. Based on how many clubs tried to grab him last winter, it seems fair to expect some of them to come calling again.

Nationals Select Derek Law

By | at

The Nationals announced today that they have selected the contract of right-hander Derek Law. In a corresponding move, right-hander Cade Cavalli was placed on the 60-day injured list. Cavalli underwent Tommy John surgery just over a year ago and evidently has at least a couple more months of rehab remaining, since he’ll now be ineligible to be activated until late May at the earliest.

Law, 33, is a veteran journeyman who will be joining the sixth team of his career, having previously pitched for the Giants, Blue Jays, Twins, Tigers and Reds. With Cincinnati last year, he tossed 55 innings with a 3.60 earned run average, though less impressive peripherals.

His 18.8% strikeout rate, 10.8% walk rate and 39.5% ground ball rate were each a bit worse than league averages. His .275 batting average on balls in play and 77.9% strand rate were both on the lucky side, which is why there was a sizeable gap between Law’s ERA and his 4.62 FIP and 4.82 SIERA.

The Reds could have retained Law via arbitration, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting a fairly modest $1.4MM salary. They decided to non-tender Law instead, sending him to free agency. He signed a minors pact with the Nats, one that came with a $1.5MM salary if added to the major league roster. He has tossed 9 1/3 scoreless innings this spring, striking out 12 batters while issuing three walks. That strong showing will get him onto the Nats’ roster and lock in that salary.

The Nationals are in the midst of a rebuild and have given many roster spots to veterans this offseason. Jesse Winker, Eddie Rosario and Matt Barnes had their minor league contracts selected on Sunday. The club had earlier given major league deals to Joey Gallo and Dylan Floro.

The club is surely hoping that those players help the team, both by their own performances and by providing guidance to the younger players. If they are playing especially well, they could perhaps become midseason trade candidates, assuming the Nats aren’t in contention. Washington tried this approach last year with mixed results, as their Jeimer Candelario signing worked out great but the deals for Dominic Smith and Corey Dickerson less so.

Law will join Barnes and Floro as veteran arms in a Washington bullpen that’s fairly light on experience. Kyle Finnegan, Hunter Harvey and Tanner Rainey are the most experienced of the returning players from last year, though each is slated for free agency after 2025 and could wind up on the trade block this summer. There will surely be lots of innings to cover throughout the year and Law will do his part to help out in that department. Even if he sticks with the club all year, he’ll still be shy of six years of service time and could be retained for 2025 via arbitration if the club is interested.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top