Bronson Arroyo agrees to minor league deal with Nationals

The Nationals added another former member of the Cincinnati Reds to their organization when veteran pitcher Bronson Arroyo agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. He didn’t play at all previous year due to having Tommy John surgery.

While it is possible, it’s unlikely Arroyo will crack the Nationals rotation this season based on his own merits, but if Washington suffers an injury-riddled season like it did in 2015, innings could be available for a proven veteran with 12 postseason appearances under his belt. He most recently played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014, making 14 starts.

Arroyo, 39, hasn’t pitched since 2014 when he was with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Arroyo told MLB.com on Monday that he threw a bullpen session in Cincinnati on Friday with Reds catching coach Mike Stefanski. “We said that we are going to try to do what we can to promote our young pitchers but also give ourselves a chance to make some savings so that we can have an opportunity to do things at a later date”.

No deal between the Reds and Arroyo is close, sources said.

The Nationals already have Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Joe Ross, and Tanner Roark as options for the rotation.

In 15 seasons with the Red Sox, Reds and D-backs, Arroyo is 145-131 with a 4.19 ERA. In other words, a few ticks of lost velocity will not change a pitcher like Arroyo as much as they might, for example, a more high-powered right-hander. A month later, Atlanta traded him to the Dodgers in the three-team deal best known for landing Mat Latos in Los Angeles and Hector Olivera in Atlanta. He eclipsed the 200 inning mark in every season, except 2011, while in Cincinnati. He led the National League in innings pitched with 240.2 in 2006 and tied for the league lead in starts two years later with 34, both times with the Reds.