Nationals select contract of Konnor Pilkington, option Mason Thompson

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Konnor Pilkington from Triple-A Rochester and optioned right-handed pitcher Mason Thompson to Triple-A Rochester on Tuesday. To make room for Pilkington on the 40-man roster, outfielder Dylan Crews has been transferred to the 60-day Injured List. Nationals Interim General Manager Mike DeBartolo made the announcements.

Pilkington, 27, joins the Nationals after he went 4–3 with a 2.59 ERA with 50 strikeouts and two saves in 41.2 innings for Triple-A Rochester this season. Since April 1, he has allowed the fewest earned runs (8) and hits (21) of any Triple-A pitcher (min. 40.0 IP). His 1.74 ERA in that span ranks fifth in all of Triple-A and first among Triple-A lefties. (min. 40.0 IP).

In his most recent 12 outings for the Red Wings, Pilkington did not allow a run and held opponents to a .098 average (4-for-41) in 13.1 innings. Over his last 17 outings in Rochester, he allowed just one earned run in 17.1 innings of work. In all, 28 of Pilkington’s 36 appearances this season, including both of his 3.0-inning starts, were scoreless.

A native of Pascagoula, Miss., Pilkington signed with the Nationals as a Minor League free agent on Dec. 3, 2024. He pitched in 16 games in the Major Leagues with Cleveland between 2022–23 and went 1–2 with a 2.88 ERA in 15 games (11 starts) in 2022 and made one scoreless 2.0-inning appearance out of the bullpen in 2023.

Thompson, 27, had a 13.50 ERA in six appearances out of the bullpen with the Nationals this season.




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