Tigers swing trade for Nationals All-Star 4.38 ERA closer

The Detroit Tigers have been in the market for reliever help at the trade deadline, and have already made a few moves to address that need. They landed Rafael Montero from the Atlanta Braves and Paul Seawald from the Cleveland Guardians.

But, they still needed to add more reliever help. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Tigers are swinging a deal with the Washington Nationals for closer Kyle Finnegan.

Tigers acquiring Kyle Finnegan from Nationals, source tells @TheAthletic.

Finnegan is a closer for the Nationals who has a 4.38 ERA this season in 40 appearances. He has 20 saves on the year, and through 39 innings pitched, he has 32 strikeouts, walked 14 batters, and surrendered three home runs.

The 33-year-old reliever has been with the Nationals his entire career, and signed a one-year deal worth $5.38 million in the offseason. He's going to be a free agent and is a rental reliever for Detroit.

While he's not been at his best this season, Finnegan has a great season in 2024 behind him. He earned an All-Star nod and had a 3.68 ERA on the year with a career high 38 saves and 60 strikeouts in 63.2 innings pitched.

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Detroit has been looking for reliever help this trade deadline, and while they were in on Ryan Helsley and were also in on David Bednar, they instead targeted Finnegan from the Nationals.

Compared to the other closers on the market, the right-handed Finnegan is a lot cheaper than Helsley or Bednar. Detroit, according to Jen Heyman of The New York Post, is sending two A-Ball pitchers to Washington for Finnegan.

Two A-ball pitching prospects go to DC in deal https://t.co/Kask6eSwUD

The Tigers needed to bolster their bullpen, and have swung three trades so far at the 2025 trade deadline. While none are major splashes, they will all help the bullpen come into form for a postseason run in 2025.

Finnegan will pair with Will Vest in the back of the bullpen in Detroit, as the Tigers have reshaped their bullpen over the last 24 hours with the additions of Montero, Seawald, and now Finnegan.

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