Garrett designated for assignment to open 40-man spot for Finnegan

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Nationals officially announced the re-signing of Kyle Finnegan this afternoon, but to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for their returning closer they made the surprising decision to designate outfielder Stone Garrett for assignment.

Finnegan agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract Tuesday, ending a three-month saga that began with the Nats non-tendering the All-Star reliever but ultimately bringing him back at a lower salary than he would have received via the arbitration process. He’ll report to CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches today and begin to get himself ready to pitch in spring training games and reassume the club’s ninth-inning role heading into the season.

The Nationals had several options when it came to clearing a 40-man spot for Finnegan. They could have placed right-hander Cade Cavalli (who is not expected to pitch in the big leagues for several months) on the 60-day injured list, or they could have designated another pitcher for assignment.

In the end, they chose to cut a position player, one who was attempting to make it back to the majors full-time 18 months after suffering a gruesome injury.

Garrett was developing into a productive hitter for the Nats in the summer of 2023 before he attempted to make a leaping catch at the wall in Yankee Stadium in late-August and crumbled to the ground in agony, breaking his left fibula and tearing his ankle ligaments.

He spent the bulk of the 2024 season at Triple-A Rochester, getting himself back into shape to the point he could play regularly, though he still wasn’t running as well as he did pre-injury and struggled to play on back-to-back days. The Nationals gave him a chance to come back to the majors for the season’s final week, and in one of the most emotional moments of the year he homered on the first pitch he saw in his return.

Garrett reported to camp this spring determined to prove he was all the way back from the injury. And by all accounts, the 29-year-old looked 100 percent healthy, running well without any obvious restrictions. He played in three of the Nats’ first four Grapefruit League games, going 0-for-6 with a sacrifice fly and two strikeouts. Most notably, he made a diving catch along the foul line after a long run from his position in right field during Wednesday’s game, the kind of play he would not physically have been able to make a year ago.

“He’s a lot better this spring than he was last spring, obviously,” manager Davey Martinez said after the game. “He looks like he’s moving around pretty good. … He definitely looked like he was running the way he should be running.”

Garrett could still wind up staying in the organization if he clears waivers and is outrighted to Triple-A. The Nats also could trade him to another club in the next seven days or grant his release and allow him to become a free agent.

Today’s move leaves five true outfielders remaining on the Nationals’ 40-man roster, with James Wood, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews expected to start. Alex Call appears to be the frontrunner for the fourth outfielder’s spot, with prospect Robert Hassell III trying to make a case for himself with a strong start to his spring.

The Nats also have utilityman Amed Rosario set to make the roster, capable of playing both the infield and outfield. And Juan Yepez, who only played first base last season, has been getting reps in left field and third base this spring in an attempt to make the club as a more versatile bench player.