Kyle Finnegan will return to the Washington Nationals after agreeing to a one-year, $6 million deal. Finnegan will be returning for his sixth season with the Nationals to be the team’s closer.

During the 2024 season, in 63 innings pitched, Finnegan had a 3-8 win/loss, a 3.68 earned run average (ERA), and a total of 38 saves. During his 2024 campaign, he relied on three pitches: four seamers, split finger, and slider. Finnegan’s four-seam fastball was used 67.6% of the time, his split finger was used 26.8% of the time, and his slider was used only 5.6%. His average fastball exit velocity sat around 97 miles per hour (MPH). The average bat speed facing Finnegan for 2023 and 2024 was 71.7 mph. The contact percentage improved for Finnegan. In 2023, 36% of hitters made contact, and in 2024, 32% of hitters made contact. Finnegan’s numbers eventually earned him a trip to the 2024 All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas. He was originally not selected for the All-Star Game. Due to an injury to one of the selected All-Stars, he got the call while waiting in line for a ride with his family at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, to be a replacement in the All-Star Game. 

After Finnegan’s impressive 2024 season, he was non-tendered by the Nationals in November instead of retaining him for the 2025 season. Why did the Nationals choose to not retain Finnegan? He was projected to make $8.6 million for the 2025 season. During the 2024 season, he earned $5.1 million he earned for the 2024 season so he will now be making $5.9 million more than last season. To strengthen their bullpen, the Nationals also brought in a few new pitchers, Jorge Lopez and Lucas Sims, hoping to bolster their bullpen for the 2025 season. Lopez and Sims both have signed 1-year free-agent deals. Lopez, who spent time with the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, and New York Mets, owned a 2-3 win/loss in 52 games and a 2.89 ERA. Sims owns a 1-6 win/loss record in 58 games and had a 4.50 with the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox will look to be more successful during the 2025 season.

Finnegan, Lopez, and Sims will join Derek Law and Jose A. Ferrer. Other possible bullpen pieces include Colin Poche, Eduardo Salazar, and Orlando Ribalta. As Spring Training progresses, the Nationals organization will better understand what their bullpen will look like for the 2025 season.