DENVER – Andry Lara didn’t understand why Matt LeCroy called a postgame team meeting Friday in Rochester. He certainly didn’t foresee the news his Triple-A manager was about to reveal.
“They did a team meeting afterward, and I was kind of shocked by it,” the right-hander said, via interpreter Kenny Diaz. “But nonetheless, I’m happy to be here. And my family and I are super excited to be here.”
Lara said this standing at his locker at Coors Field this morning, a gray Nationals jersey with his name and the number 72 hanging behind him. He’s a big leaguer, if only for one day.
Needing to add a 27th man for their day-night doubleheader against the Rockies, the Nats promoted the only player who realistically made any sense for the assignment. Lara may sport a 9.26 ERA in three starts for Rochester so far this season, but he was the only pitcher on the 40-man roster who wasn’t already either in the big leagues or on the injured list.
So, the 22-year-old got the call Friday night, flew to Denver on Saturday and now finds himself available to pitch out of the bullpen in either of today’s games.
“It is what it is, but I’m happy to be here to help the team win some games,” he said.
Originally signed out of Venezuela for $1.25 million in 2019, Lara has long been touted as a potential long-term piece of the pitching puzzle in D.C. His path here wasn’t totally smooth. He went 3-8 with a 5.51 ERA in 2022 for low Single-A Fredericksburg. He went 6-8 with a 4.58 ERA in 2023 for high Single-A Wilmington.
Lara finally took the big step he and the organization sought last season. After delivering a 2.35 ERA in six starts with Wilmington, he was promoted to Double-A Harrisburg, where he went 9-7 with a 3.63 ERA and 1.192 WHIP.
“I feel like in years past, it was one of those things where my career was up and down,” he said. "But last year, I focused a lot on my slider, and I feel like it’s gotten a lot better. The biggest thing I’ve learned is to continue to go out there and have a lot of fun.”
The Nationals rewarded Lara for his efforts by adding him to the 40-man roster over the winter, which included his first invitation to big league spring training.
Lara’s 2025 season didn’t get off to a rousing start, but now he’s here, getting a surprise opportunity he never saw coming. The Nationals most likely will option him back to Rochester at the end of the night, but he’ll still be able to say he was a major leaguer.
“It means everything,” he said. “It’s been a dream as a kid, for my family and me. I’m just excited.”