Nationals reunite with lefty pitcher in trade with Mets

The Washington Nationals acquired left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady from the New York Mets on Thursday in exchange for cash considerations. The move comes after New York designated Lovelady for assignment on April 11 to clear a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Craig Kimbrel. To accommodate the transaction, Washington transferred fellow left-hander Ken Waldichuk to the 60-day injured list after he was recommended for Tommy John surgery, opening a spot on their 40-man roster.

Lovelady’s short tenure with the Mets this season included work in low-leverage relief roles. He worked 7.1 innings over six games, allowing five runs (three earned) with a 3.68 ERA, six strikeouts, and four walks. In 2025, he played eight games for New York, working 10 innings with a 6.30 ERA. He was frequently used in bullpen depth situations, often in non-competitive games.

The 30-year-old southpaw has now pitched in parts of seven major league seasons, producing a career 5.25 ERA over 118⅓ innings. His underlying profile includes a 51.9% groundball rate, a 20.9% strikeout rate, and an 8.9% walk rate. In Triple-A, he has recorded a 2.61 ERA with a 26.9% strikeout rate and a 7% walk rate. He has also spent time with multiple organizations, including the Kansas City Royals, Athletics, Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, Mets, and now the Nationals.

Lovelady’s time in the majors has often come with constant roster changes, including multiple designations for assignment during his time with New York since joining the organization in June 2025. His latest departure comes amid broader Mets bullpen turnover, which included the addition of Kimbrel, the release of Luis García, and the recall of Austin Warren, while the club has also been dealing with an eight-game losing streak and lack of consistency from relievers such as Devin Williams and Luke Weaver.