The Washington Nationals and relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan have agreed to a one-year deal worth $6 million. FanSided’s Robert Murray first reported the agreement while ESPN’s Jesse Rogers revealed the contract value, which the team hasn’t confirmed.
The 33-year-old pitcher became a free agent after he was non-tendered by the Nationals during his final year of arbitration. Re-signing Finnegan is a no-brainer after earning his first All-Star selection last season.
In addition to finishing third among relievers with 38 saves, he also had a 3.68 ERA for 2024. Likewise, the veteran pitcher filled a gap because the Nationals had no definitive closing pitcher. While Jose A. Ferrer and Jorge Lopez could do the job, bringing Finnegan back gives them security when closing out games.
News: The Washington Nationals are re-signing reliever Kyle Finnegan to a 1-year, $6 million deal, sources tell ESPN. The all-star closer returns to Washington after they non-tendered him late last year. Finnegan saved 38 games for them last season.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) February 25, 2025
Finnegan made his Major League debut in 2020 at age 28. He has played his entire MLB career with the Nationals, making 291 mound appearances in five seasons. Finnegan ranks third in career saves among Nationals relievers, while his 66 saves in the past two seasons trailed only Emmanuel Clase, Josh Hader, and Raisel Iglesias.
-Lance Fernandez