The Washington Nationals have reached an agreement for a one-year contract with former All-Star pitcher Jorge López, as confirmed by the team on Saturday.
This contract is valued at $3 million and includes potential performance bonuses totaling $500,000. These bonuses are structured with $250,000 awarded for games pitched and another $250,000 for games finished, with López earning $50,000 for reaching milestones of 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 games in each category.
Jorge López, a right-handed pitcher at 31 years old hailing from Puerto Rico, finished the previous season with a record of 2-3, an impressive 2.89 ERA, 50 strikeouts, and four saves during 52 relief appearances for both the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs. Notably, he managed 39 scoreless outings and achieved a 16-inning scoreless streak throughout the season.
His relationship with the Mets soured in May after an incident involving a glove thrown into the stands following his ejection from a game, which was followed by a bewildering postgame interview. Subsequently, he was signed by the Cubs in June.
Over his career, López has played in parts of nine seasons in Major League Baseball and made it to the All-Star game in the American League in 2022. His career statistics include a record of 24 wins and 43 losses, with a 5.25 ERA, 31 saves, and 468 strikeouts across 282 games. Since transitioning to a full-time relief role in 2022, he has maintained a record of 12-12, an ERA of 3.74, with 30 saves and 171 strikeouts over 183 innings pitched.
In addition to this signing, the Nationals also announced the designation of right-handed pitcher Amos Willingham for assignment on the same day.
