The Nationals’ one-year contract with Foster Griffin has been finalized, and the 30-year-old left-hander’s signing is now official.
Griffin and the Nats had agreed to terms last Tuesday on a $5.5 million deal, plus incentives, but the contract wasn’t finalized until he passed a physical.
With that matter now resolved, the former first round pick of the Royals turns his sights toward his official return to major leagues after a highly successful, three-year stint pitching in Japan.
Griffin joined the Yomiuri Giants in 2023 after failing to stick in the big leagues and enjoyed immediate success. He went 6-5 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.074 WHIP in 20 starts during his first season abroad, then returned the following season to go 7-6 with a 2.93 ERA in 24 starts.
Griffin’s third season in Tokyo was his best; he went 6-1 with a 1.53 ERA and 0.966 WHIP in 17 starts, earning a selection to the NPB Central League All-Star Game. He allowed only one homer over 89 innings.
His totals across three seasons: 18-10 with a 2.57 ERA, 1.033 WHIP, 9.1 strikeouts and 2.0 walks per nine innings.
In their search for experienced pitching help, the Nationals opted to look across the ocean and take a chance on Griffin, who comes at a much more affordable price than free agent starters who pitched in the majors this year. They see him as a potential workhorse who can help fill out their rotation, banking on his ability to miss bats, induce weak contact and keep the ball inside the park.
For now, Griffin is the second highest paid pitcher on the staff, trailing only veteran Trevor Williams, who is due to make $7 million but isn’t expected to return from elbow surgery until late-April or May at best. He figures to join an Opening Day rotation that includes MacKenzie Gore, Cade Cavalli, Jake Irvin and Josiah Gray (who hopes to make his long awaited return from Tommy John surgery), with Brad Lord, Mitchell Parker and Andrew Alvarez among the other options.
The Royals used the 28th overall pick of the 2014 Draft to select Griffin but didn’t promote the Orlando native to the majors until 2020. Pitching in relief, the left-hander tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings July 27 in Detroit to earn the win in his debut, only to emerge with an injured elbow. He underwent Tommy John surgery two weeks later and missed the entire 2021 season.
Griffin made it back to Kansas City for two brief MLB stints in 2022, then was designated for assignment and traded to the Blue Jays in July. He made one late-September relief appearance for Toronto, tossing two scoreless innings, then was non-tendered after the season ended and decided to sign with Yomiuri in an attempt to resurrect his career.
* The Nationals also announced the signing of corner infielder Warming Bernabel to a minor league contract with an invitation to big league camp next spring.
Bernabel, 23, played 40 games for the Rockies this season, batting .252 with eight doubles, four homers, 14 RBIs and a .698 OPS. He started 36 games at first base while also making two appearances at third base.
A right-handed hitter who signed with Colorado out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, Bernabel produced a .746 OPS across more than 2,000 minor league plate appearances. He was non-tendered earlier this month, becoming a free agent.
The Nats are still trying to fill a sizeable hole at first base after veteran Josh Bell signed with the Twins last week. The only players on their current 40-man roster who could figure into the equation are Luis Garcia Jr. (who would need to move over from second base) and Andres Chaparro (who has a .627 OPS in 67 career major league games).
Bernabel could compete with Chaparro to be a right-handed option at the position, though the club is still expected to pursue a more established player to be the primary first baseman, whether via free agency or trade.