Nationals finalize deal with Yusmeiro Petit, sign Nick Masset

By Josh Land

Nationals

December 14, 2015, 5:26pm

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The Nationals efforts to rebuild their bullpen continued on Monday as they officially announced the signing of right-handed reliever Yusmeiro Petit, while also inking righty Nick Masset to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training.

On Saturday at Winterfest, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed last week's reports that the team had reached an agreement with Petit pending a physical. Petit passed the medical examination and signed a one-year contract with a conditional option for a second year.

Petit, 31, posted a 3.67 ERA with 59 strikeouts and 15 walks over 76 innings with the Giants last season. As a former starter, he figures to fill a long relief need in the bullpen with the Nationals non-tendering right-hander Craig Stammen last month.

At 6-foot-1 and 250 lbs., Petit is a burly presence on the mound. He helped the Giants to a World Series championship in 2014 and set a new major league record earlier that season by retiring 46 consecutive batters over an eight-game span.

Along with the recent additions of free agent relievers Shawn Kelley and Oliver Perez, Petit's signing now fills out the Nationals 40-man roster.

Masset went 2-2 with a 4.68 ERA in 25 innings over 28 appearances with the Marlins and Braves last season. New Nationals manager Dusty Baker has experience with Masset, who pitched out of the Reds bullpen from 2008-2011 after being traded to Cincinnati for Ken Griffey Jr. Masset posted a 3.07 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 241 games for the Reds.