The Nationals are bringing back old friend Josh Bell, and now, they’re bringing back a 2023-24 National as well: according to multiple reports, Washington is re-signing RHP Trevor Williams to a two-year, $14 million deal.
Williams, 32, just finished a two-year, $13 million deal with the Nats which saw him go 12-11 with a 4.44 ERA in 43 starts. He missed much of last season with a right flexor muscle strain, but was 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA when he did pitch, and the Nats were 10-3 in his starts.
“This is a tremendous team,” Williams told MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato at the end of last season. “I’ve grown to love these guys in the clubhouse. What we’ve done is special, and I’d love to be a part of this team that wins another World Series here.”
The Nationals signed RHP Michael Soroka to a one-year deal earlier this month, and those two now join a group that includes fellow righty Jake Irvin and southpaws MacKenzie Gore, Mitchell Parker, and DJ Herz along with Cade Cavalli, who is returning from Tommy John surgery, and potentially Jackson Rutledge.
Even with Josiah Gray likely to miss the entire season after his own Tommy John, Washington does have plenty of choices and also a lot of flexibility.
Gore, Irvin, and Parker all made at least 29 starts for the team last year, but all three have minor-league options remaining – and Gore is the only one who has reached his arbitration years – as do Herz and Rutledge, while Cavalli could also start in the minors as he missed all of 2023 and pitched just 8 1/3 innings last season during his rehab.
Of the veterans, Williams has been a swingman in the past and Soroka finished last year in the White Sox bullpen after a rough start to the season, so literally any of the eight healthy hurlers could make up the starting five.