MLB trade rumors: Nationals sign Foster Griffin to $5.5 million deal as rotation spots remain wide open

Foster Griffin is set to return to Major League Baseball. On Monday, the Washington Nationals agreed to sign the left-handed pitcher to a one-year contract worth $5.5 million, with another $1 million available through incentives.

The report was first shared by Robert Murray of FanSided. The deal is expected to be completed in Washington this week.The 30-year-old pitcher is coming back to the United States after three strong seasons in Japan. Foster Griffin spent the last three years with the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball. Now, he gets a clear chance to fight for a rotation spot with a rebuilding Nationals team.

Foster Griffin returns to MLB with Washington Nationals after Japan success

He made seven total appearances with the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays between 2020 and 2022. After limited chances, he moved to Japan in 2023 to restart his career.With the Yomiuri Giants, Griffin delivered steady results. Over three seasons in Tokyo, he threw more than 315 innings and posted a strong 2.57 earned run average. He struck out more than a quarter of the batters he faced and kept walks low. In 2025, a leg injury limited him to 78 innings, but it was still his best year.

He finished with a 1.62 ERA.Griffin does not rely on high speed. His fastball usually sits in the low 90s. Instead, he mixes pitches. His arsenal includes a slider, cutter, curveball, changeup, splitter, and two-seamer. As one scout told FanSided, “He wins with control and movement, not power.”The Nationals have room to take this chance. Washington currently has open spots on the 40-man roster, so no player needs to be removed.

The team’s rotation is unsettled heading into the new season in Washington, D.C.

MacKenzie Gore, Cade Cavalli, Josiah Gray, Jake Irvin, Mitchell Parker, Brad Lord, and Griff McGarry are all in the mix. Cavalli and Gray are returning from Tommy John surgery. Irvin and Parker struggled with high ERAs last season. Gore is close to free agency and could be traded.This makes Washington a strong landing spot. Griffin is expected to compete for a starting role right away. If he performs well early in the season, he could become a trade target by mid-summer. If not, the financial risk remains low for a rebuilding club led by president of baseball operations Paul Toboni.Also Read: MLB Trade Rumors: Boston Red Sox Quietly Watch Munetaka Murakami Decision While Also Exploring Former Dodgers Reliever Market