Just weeks after trading Tyler Clippard to the Oakland A’s, the Washington Nationals have made a corresponding move by signing former Toronto Blue Jays closer Casey Janssen.
That’s the word from FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal who says the one-year deal will be worth $5 million dollars with a mutual option for the 2016 season.
Source: #Nationals sign free-agent reliever Casey Janssen, one year with mutual option, $5M guaranteed including option buyout.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 28, 2015
Casey Janssen had a decent 2014 campaign, though had a mildly elevated ERA at 3.94 along with a heftier WHIP (1.18) than he’s accustom to. He also ended up losing his closer job at times for the Blue Jays, so it’s difficult to know what player the Washington Nationals are getting.
Will Janssen’s struggles continue? Or will he revert to the dominant pitcher he was in the three years prior?
As for the Nationals, they couldn’t have worked out a better deal considering they’re only on the hook for one year and are only coughing up a relatively small chunk of coin. If things go sour, they can cut ties at season end though if Casey Janssen has a solid campaign, they can hopefully convince him to return for an additional season.
He may not be as effective as Tyler Clippard was, though considering what was left in free agency, the Nationals weren’t going to find much better.
