The Washington Nationals made one of the most curious moves of the offseason but may still lure this free agent back to .the team
The Washington Nationals are facing two key challenges heading into spring training: third base and closer.
At third base, there are several options, though none have been consistently reliable at the Major League level. However, prospects like Brady House show potential.
The closer situation may be more concerning. The leading internal candidate is likely Jose A. Ferrer, who has just one MLB save. Jorge López, a free-agent addition with 31 career saves, is also expected to compete for the role.
Washington needs a new closer after choosing not to tender last season’s closer, Kyle Finnegan, at the November roster deadline. The decision was a surprise, given Finnegan’s 38 saves and All-Star selection in 2024. However, the Nationals were unwilling to pay his expected $8.6 million for his final arbitration year and released him.
Finnegan remains available, and general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed Friday that he is still in contact with Finnegan’s representatives.
Rizzo, in his remarks to Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com, said the talks are ongoing, but that “it takes two to tango,” without providing further details.
The Nationals haven’t had a winning season since their 2019 World Series victory. Now, after shedding several bad contracts, they’ve developed one of the most promising young cores in baseball. With back-to-back 71-win seasons, Washington looks like a team that could at least reach .500 in 2025, a step forward.
Although Finnegan struggled towards the end of last season with a 4.12 ERA in August and September, and batters hitting .333 against him, he finished 16 of the 19 games he pitched, with the team going 14-5 and him recording 10 saves, blowing just one save.
Finnegan ended the season with a 3-8 record and a 3.68 ERA. The 33-year-old right-hander has a career 22-26 record with 88 saves and a 3.56 ERA, along with 288 strikeouts and 117 walks since his MLB debut in 2020.
This situation is likely more about security for Finnegan, as he approaches his 30s and realizes his chances of securing a multi-year deal are diminishing. Washington might not view him as a long-term contract player.
The good news is that discussions between the two sides are ongoing, even if no deal has materialized yet.
