Nats reach terms with Williams

The Washington Nationals agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Trevor Williams on a two-year contract on Tuesday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement.

Williams, 32, returns to the Nationals after going 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 59 strikeouts and 18 walks in 13 starts in 2024. He allowed just three home runs in 66.2 innings pitched and held opposing batters to a .214 batting average along the way. His career-best 2.03 ERA was the lowest in a season in Nationals history (2005-pres.) by a pitcher with at least 10 starts. Williams was particularly strong at home, going 3-0 with a 1.37 ERA (4 ER/26.1 IP), 30 strikeouts and four walks in five starts at Nationals Park.

Williams started his second season in Washington on a strong note, going 4-0 with a 1.94 ERA (9 ER/41.2 IP) in his first eight starts. His best stretch came in three starts from May 1 to May 14 when he pitched to a 0.60 ERA (1 ER/15.0 IP). He tossed 5.0 innings of shutout ball in back-to-back starts on May 1 at Texas and May 7 vs. Baltimore.

Williams was placed on the Injured List on June 1 with a right flexor muscle strain and did not return to the mound until Sept. 20. He capped the season by allowing just one earned run in 10.0 innings (0.90 ERA ) with 12 strikeouts, two walks and a .176 opponents’ average (6-for-34) over his last two starts.

This marks Williams’s second two-year contract with the Nationals after first signing with the organization on Dec. 10, 2022. He is 12-11 with a 4.44 ERA in 43 starts across two seasons (2023-24) in D.C. In parts of nine Major League seasons, Williams is 50-55 with a 4.30 ERA in 202 games (161 starts).