Over the weekend, the big news out of Washington Nationals' spring training was a move the team had desperately needed to make for a while. The team's starting rotation had been a weakness over the last few years, and the loss of some players during the offseason had only magnified that.
The main loss was MacKenzie Gore, who had been the team's ace over the last couple seasons, as he was dealt for a farm-altering haul of prospects from the Texas Rangers. After his trade, there had been speculation about what direction the Nationals would go in to address the gap in their rotation, as some players like Cade Cavalli and Josiah Gray had established themselves as being firmly part of the mix.
However, once righty Zack Littell was signed to a deal on Sunday, the Nationals suddenly had a newly found top of the rotation option. While he likely will not be the Opening Day starter due to him being signed later in the offseason, he is still a very welcome addition to this Nationals' team.
The move became official on Tuesday, as the Nationals announced the move and consequently designated lefty reliever Richard Lovelady as the corresponding move. However, the part that might surprise Nationals fans the most is the financial details of the contract.
Per multiple sources, the deal is just for 1-year, but there is a mutual option for 2027. The initial year will include $7 million guaranteed, with potential incentives included that could bring the total value of the deal up to $9.5 million. Additionally, the 2027 mutual option would be worth $12 million with a $4 million buyout.
Now, whether or not this means Littell is coming back to Washington for 2027 remains to be seen, but it also could help his case to be traded to a contending team at this year's deadline. That figure is relatively cheap for a guy who will likely post an ERA below 4 and a WHIP below 1.2, and could make him attractive heading into next season.
However, there is also the fact that he could be looking for a multi-year deal after this offseason, and obviously with an impending lockout in 2027, it could make his mutual option a moot point for any trading team. There is a lot up in the air, but for now we should be appreciative that the front office actually spent a tiny bit of money for a good player to boost the team's floor.
What do you think of the Washington Nationals actually spending some coin on Zack Littell in free agency. As always, please let me know on X, @DCBerk.