Washington Nationals Sign Right-Handed Pitcher Littell to Add Depth to Starting Rotation

With less than three weeks until Opening Day, the Washington Nationals continue to strengthen their roster. The team has reached an agreement with right-handed pitcher Zack Littell, sources told MLB.com. The signing has not been officially confirmed by the team.

Littell, 30, primarily served as a reliever in his first five seasons but has become one of the most reliable control pitchers in the league over the past two years. In 2025, pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays and Cincinnati Reds, he logged a career-high 186.2 innings. Among his 32 starts, 27 lasted at least five innings, with an ERA of 3.81, and he made his first postseason start in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Dodgers.

Littell is the fourth veteran pitcher signed by the Nationals during spring training. Last month, the team added starter Miles Mikolas along with relievers Cionel Pérez and Drew Smith.

If the Nationals continue to use Littell as a starter, the rotation lineup will need adjustments. The projected rotation includes Cade Cavalli, Jake Irvin, Foster Griffin, and Mikolas. If Josiah Gray is unavailable for Opening Day, Brad Lord is likely to secure the fifth spot.

Littell utilizes five pitches but relies mainly on his slider, splitter, and four-seam fastball, each used around 25% last season. All his pitches average below 93 mph, and his whiff and strikeout rates often fall below league averages, but he compensates with precise control. In 2025, his walk rate was only 4.2%, ranking in the top 98% of the league; since 2023, his 4.1% walk rate is the third-lowest in MLB (minimum 1000 batters faced).

Littell was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 11th round in 2013. Before being claimed off waivers by the Rays in May 2023, he had moved through six teams. Previously, with the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and Boston Red Sox, he made only 4 starts out of 147 appearances, with a career ERA of 4.17. Tampa Bay converted him to a full-time starter by late July that year, and he succeeded immediately. In 65 starts with the Rays, Littell posted a 3.57 ERA and a 3.8% walk rate. He was traded to the Reds before the 2025 trade deadline.