Detroit Tigers trade for reliever Kyle Finnegan in deal with Washington Nationals

The Tigers acquired right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan, who has 20 saves in 26 opportunities, from the Washington Nationals on Thursday, July 31, less than six hours before the trade deadline. He doesn't generate whiffs, but he ranks third in MLB with 86 saves since 2023, trailing only Emmanuel Clase and Josh Hader.

Washington Nationals pitcher Kyle Finnegan pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 30, 2025, at Chase Field.

The 33-year-old has a 4.38 ERA with 14 walks and 32 strikeouts across 39 innings in 40 games. The Tigers showed interest in Finnegan during free agency, but he signed with the Nationals.

He becomes a free agent after the 2025 season.

To add Finnegan, the Tigers traded away pitching prospects Josh Randall and R.J. Sales, both 22-year-old right-handers selected in the 2024 draft.

In 2025, Randall — a third-round pick from San Diego — registered a 3.92 ERA with 15 walks and 70 strikeouts over 80⅓ innings in 17 starts between Low-A Lakeland (16 starts) and High-A West Michigan (one start). Meanwhile, Sales — a 10th-round pick from UNC Wilmington — had a 2.71 ERA with 17 walks and 63 strikeouts across 66⅓ innings in 16 games (15 starts) for Low-A Lakeland.

As for Finnegan, he has been the Nationals' full-time closer throughout the past three seasons, from 2023-25.

During that three-year stretch, he has pitched in 172 games with a 3.87 ERA and 86 saves in 105 chances. Since 2023, his 3.87 ERA ranks 116 among 174 qualified relievers.

In 2025, Finnegan ranks below-average in three key categories: 24th percentile in whiff rate (21.7%), 31st percentile in strikeout rate (19.6%) and 41st percentile in walk rate (8.6%). Getting hit for hard contact was a problem in each of the past two seasons, but it's not been an issue this season.

He throws three pitches: four-seam fastball, splitter and slider, but he rarely uses his slider. The fastball velocity has fallen from 97.2 mph in 2024 to 96.2 mph in 2025, while the splitter remains effective with a 32.6% whiff rate.

Finnegan owns a 3.66 ERA in his six-year MLB career, all with the Nationals before joining the Tigers.

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The Tigers now have three high-leverage relievers — Finnegan, Vest and Tommy Kahnle — in their bullpen, which entered Thursday's trade deadline ranking 20th among the 30 MLB teams with a 4.16 ERA (and 27th with a 4.99 ERA since June 1).

This story will be updated.

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