Nationals Lose Left-Handed Reliever to Mets After Key Roster Move
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The Washington Nationals have started making more cuts to their MLB spring training camp.
Some top prospects and others who were expected to compete for Opening Day roster spots have either been optioned to Triple-A Rochester or have been reassigned to minor league camp. And with March 26 getting closer and closer, more trimmings will be made soon.
However, one person who was a casualty of a late roster addition was Richard Lovelady. The veteran left-handed reliever was designated for assignment following the signing of starting pitcher Zack Littell, and now he's been claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.
Mets Claim Richard Lovelady off Waivers
According to an announcement made by the Mets, they are bringing Lovelady back for yet another stint with the team. His first came last summer when he signed a one-year major league contract with New York. But after that, it has been a rollercoaster between the two sides.
Lovelady was DFA'd after his first appearance with the Mets. He then elected free agency before re-signing on another MLB deal. He was designated for assignment again after five appearances before later having his contract selected. He was DFA'd two more times after that before the Nationals claimed him off waivers on Jan. 29 of this year.
All in all, the lefty appeared in eight games for New York last season and allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits across 10 innings. He struck out nine and walked four, but he wasn't consistent enough for them to keep him in their bullpen for an extended period of time. Now, he'll get another shot to potentially be a bullpen piece for the Mets to start the 2026 campaign.
What Nationals Lose With Lovelady Being Claimed
When Washington first added Lovelady to the mix, it wasn't farfetched to think he could be part of the equation in their bullpen. While he had his struggles with New York last year, he's a veteran arm who would have added experience to a group that finished with the worst ERA in the majors last season.
Lovelady actually performed pretty well this spring, too. Across his four outings where he pitched four innings, he allowed just one earned run on four hits while he struck out seven batters and walked four. As far as performance goes, he seemed to be making his case for earning a spot on the roster. However, the decision makers decided to DFA him to make room for Littell.
Overall, the Nationals won't lose much with Lovelady not being in the mix. They have multiple lefties to choose from with PJ Poulin, Cionel Perez and Ken Waldichuk all performing well thus far and either having higher ceilings or better history against major league hitters.
So while losing Lovelady to a division rival isn't ideal, it's not a huge blow to Washington as they continue to figure out who should be part of this relief staff for Opening Day.
Brad Wakai graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Journalism. While an undergrad, he worked at the student radio station covering different Penn State athletic programs like football, basketball, volleyball, soccer and other sports. Brad became the Lead Contributor for Nittany Lions Wire of Gannett Media where he continued to cover Penn State athletics. Currently, Brad is the Publisher for Washington Nationals On SI and covers multiple teams across the On SI network. He is the host of the sports podcast I Said What I Said, where he and his co-host discuss topics across the NFL, College Football, the NBA and other sports. You can follow him on Twitter: @bwakai