Nationals Sign Right-Hander Chien-Ming Wang

By MASN Staff

Nationals

March 29, 2010, 9:11am

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The Washington Nationals today signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Chien-Ming Wang. Nationals Senior Vice President & General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Wang, 29, is 55-26 with a 4.16 ERA in 109 games/104 starts spanning five seasons with the Yankees. An extreme ground-ball pitcher, Wang's career ground ball-to-fly ball ratio of 2.73/1 ranks third among active pitchers with 100-plus starts, trailing only Brandon Webb (3.63/1) and Derek Lowe (3.14/1). His .679 career winning percentage ranks second among active pitchers with 100 or more starts. Perhaps best known for posting consecutive 19-win seasons for the Yankees in 2006 and '07, Wang's consistency afforded him the honor of starting the Yankees' first post-season contest in 2007 vs. Cleveland. During the same two-year span, Wang led MLB with 38 wins and a .745 winning percentage while pacing the American League with 864 ground balls induced and a 2.9/1 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio. Wang pitched in only 12 games, making nine starts, for the Yankees last season. Wang originally signed with the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent on May 5, 2000.