WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals have signed pitcher Kyle Finnegan to a major league deal.
Finnegan, 28, is joining the Nationals after seven seasons in the Oakland Athletics' Minor League system. He went 3-2 in 2019 with 14 saves and a 2.31 ERA in 42 relief appearances between Triple-A Las Vegas and Double-A Midland.
"Finnegan’s 14 saves led Oakland’s Minor League system," a Nationals press release said. "He struck out 72 batters, walked 19 batters and surrendered just three home runs in 2019."
Opposing batters hit .210 (39-for-186) against Finnegan.
"He posted career marks in strikeouts per 9.0 innings (12.8), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.79), WHIP (1.14) and hits per 9.0 innings (6.9) in 2019," the release said.
Since the start of the 2018 season, he's 28-for-30 in save opportunities while posting a 3.49 ERA and 11.3 strikeouts per 9.0 innings (120 SO in 95.1 IP).
He was 14-for-14 in save changes in 2018 while going 1-3 with a 4.84 ERA in 36 games between Triple-A Nashville, Double-A Midland and Rookie-level Arizona. The Nationals said he struck out 48 batters and surrendered two home runs.
Finnegan was a sixth-round pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft out of Texas State University. He's 28-3.5 with 47 saves and a total of 4.03 ERA in 232 games (63 starts) across his first seven professional seasons. Finnegan began his career as a starter, but switched to a relief role in 2016.
The Nationals now have 30 players on its 40-man roster.