2024 All-Star relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan is heading back to the Washington Nationals just months after the club non-tendered him at the end of last season.
Finnegan’s contract is worth $6 million over one year, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. Compare that to the $8.6 million that MLB Trade Rumors projected him to earn in arbitration, had the Nationals chosen to make him an offer.
Though Finnegan was an All-Star last year, his season went off the rails in the second half. From July 5 to the end of the year, he allowed 18 earned runs over 27.1 innings (5.93 ERA) while batters hit .338 against him.
Over his last 21 appearances, Finnegan’s batted ball and non-contact numbers both took significant hits. Opposing batters hit .411 on balls in play over that span, while his strikeout rate dropped to 15.7% from 26% earlier in the season. Meanwhile, his walk rate jumped to 9.8%, compared to 8.3% before that.
Finnegan still managed to 38 saves last year, which is no small feat considering the Nationals only won 71 total games.
Despite the rough ending, Finnegan still has a track record of success. In five Major League seasons, he has a career 3.56 ERA and 110 ERA+. Those numbers aren’t sparkling for a reliever, but they’re certainly enough to think he can recapture his effectiveness after a rough second half.
The Nationals continue to retool their bullpen
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The Nationals finished last season 21st in baseball in bullpen ERA (4.14) and 22nd in bullpen WHIP (1.32). Over the past few weeks, they’ve taken steps to shore things up, even before bringing back Finnegan.
Just last week, they signed Lucas Sims to a one-year, $3 million deal. Sims’ 2024 season was the opposite of Finnegan’s. After a horrid start in which he pitched to a 6.35 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds over his first 13 appearances, Sims turned it around. After going to the Red Sox in a trade, he finished the season with a 3.57 ERA in Boston.
In January, the Nationals brought in Jorge Lopez, who split 2024 between the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. Overall, he pitched to a 2.89 ERA, representing a sharp rebound from a woeful 2023. Like Sims, he agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with Washington.
Finnegan and the newcomers will join Derek Law and Jose Ferrer as returners set to compete for high-leverage roles in the Washington bullpen. Colin Poche, who comes to the Nationals via the Tampa Bay Rays, could compete for a role as well. He’s in Nationals camp as a non-roster invitee but was effective in 43 appearances for Tampa last year.
